As a Bethesda native, Lauren Davis says what she especially loves about living in the Montgomery County community is the friendly faces—of both people and dogs!—plus the many shops and restaurants, and the easy access to the Capital Crescent Trail. Here, she shares her idea of a dreamy day in her beloved neighborhood.
8 AM: Iced lattes at Quartermaine in Bethesda Row, then shopping.
“We are early risers in our house—awake by 6 AM.,” says Davis. “We enjoy a coffee at home and then walk our beloved lab, Gus, to Bethesda for our second coffee of the morning at Quartermaine. Iced lattes for us and a bowl of water for Gus. Then we stroll Bethesda Lane, window-shop and head home.”
9:30 AM: Hot yoga at SoulFire Collective on Cordell Ave.
“If I am lucky, I will be greeted by my daughter, Georgia, who works at the front desk,” says Davis. Then, she says, it’s off to the hot room for “60 minutes of moving, sweating, flowing, and reflecting.”
11 AM: Bethesda Central Farm Market.
After yoga, Davis says, it’s time for her family’s weekly haul at the farmers market, which just happens to be located at her alma mater—Bethesda Elementary. “The mission for my husband is always Honeycrisp apples from Twin Springs,” says Davis. “Once those are secured, we grab fresh vegetables for dinner and berries, when in season.” New to the market? Don’t sleep on the food trucks, she says—“especially Rita’s Crepes.”
12:30 PM: Sandwiches to go from Cornucopia Specialty Food on Norfolk Avenue.
If she doesn’t feel like making lunch at home, Davis says, she’ll head to this hidden gem—which she says offers fresh pastries, pasta, and sauces imported from Italy, and more—to grab sandwiches. “My personal favorite is the caprese—I think it’s the delicious balsamic vinegar that he uses.”
2 PM: A walk on the Crescent Trail, then shopping around Bethesda Row.
If there aren’t any open houses or showings on her schedule, Davis says she’ll convince her daughter to take a long walk followed by some shopping. “My favorite stops are Terrain to admire the orchid arrangements and Jenni Kayne for the Oak Essentials skincare products. Hers are Vuori for more workout sets and Reformation for fancier occasion items. And we both love Wonderland Books—a true local bookstore with a great selection and cute gifts.”
6 PM: Dinner at home, courtesy of Organic Butcher.
Most Sundays, Davis says, her family has dinner at home to reset for the week. The butcher shop on Old Georgetown Road, she says, has been a welcome addition to the neighborhood. “We love grabbing fresh tuna for the grill—they carry all the dinner essentials, even wine!”
8 PM: A delicious dessert.
“In our house, we are a bit divided on where we should grab a sweet treat,” says Davis. “My husband would choose Jeni’s for anything peanut-butter-flavored, my daughter would get Yogitopi frozen yogurt, and I would opt for a Levain cookie.”
Amy leads Washingtonian Weddings and writes Style Setters for Washingtonian. Prior to joining Washingtonian in March 2016, she was the editor of Capitol File magazine in DC and before that, editor of What’s Up? Weddings in Annapolis.
