RASA, the fast-casual Indian restaurant owned by Montgomery County natives, announced today the launch of its $10 Shutdown Bowls to support government employees impacted by the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Starting today, government workers can order one of two curated options, the Shutdown Chicken Bowl or the Shutdown Veggie Bowl, each priced at just $10 at all RASA locations. The bowl features basmati rice, chicken tikka or roasted vegetables, tikka masala, sautéed spinach, kachumber salad, and a duo of mint cilantro and sweet tamarind chutneys.

“Our mission has always been about building community through food,” said Sahil Rahman, co-founder of RASA. “We know this shutdown is creating challenges for thousands of families, and this is our small way of showing solidarity and support.”

To redeem the offer, government workers simply need to order either the Shutdown Chicken Bowl or Shutdown Veggie Bowl and show a valid government badge at checkout. The $10 Shutdown Bowls will be available throughout the duration of the shutdown.

Drawing on the diverse culinary heritage and deep family legacy rooted in Gaithersburg and Rockville, RASA’s innovative menu offers a complete meal experience designed to be both accessible and delicious. Rahul Vinod and Sahil Rahman, who grew up in Gaithersburg, were immersed in the world of Indian cuisine from an early age. Their fathers, K.N. Vinod and Surfy Rahman, have been longstanding partners and proprietors of Bombay Bistro in Rockville since 1991.

RASA has a location in Rockville’s Montrose Crossing here in Montgomery County, as well as several others across the DMV, including Navy Yard/Ballpark, Mount Vernon Triangle, Arlington (Crystal City/National Landing), and Fairfax’s Mosaic District.

CBS’s hit sitcom Ghosts has solidified its place as one of America’s favorite shows, ranking as the 16th most-watched program in the 2024-25 Nielsen ratings with 12.1 million viewers. It was also the 11th most watched network series. While the national success is impressive, the series carries an especially meaningful connection for Montgomery County, as two of its stars are graduates of Rockville’s Thomas S. Wootton High School.

Utkarsh Ambudkar, who plays Jay, the show’s male lead, was born in Baltimore and raised in Rockville while his parents worked at NIH in Bethesda. Now 41, Ambudkar’s path from Wootton High to starring on one of CBS’s biggest comedies highlights the local school’s lasting influence on the entertainment world.

Joining him is fellow Wootton graduate Richie Moriarty, who portrays Pete Martino, a Scouts leader ghost who met a tragic fate in 1985 after being struck in the neck with an arrow. Moriarty moved to Rockville with his family at the age of five, attending Fallsmead Elementary School before graduating from Wootton in the late 90s. Now 45, he has built an impressive career with roles in FX’s What We Do in the Shadows, Netflix series like Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and House of Cards, and season seven of Orange Is the New Black.

Adapted from the British series of the same name, Ghosts follows a young couple navigating life in a haunted mansion filled with eccentric spirits from different eras. Its unique mix of heart and humor has made it a cornerstone of CBS’s comedy lineup and a consistent ratings winner. With a top-20 Nielsen ranking and two MoCo alumni helping drive its success, Ghosts stands not just as a television hit but as a point of pride for Montgomery County.

With almost half of the population saying that they’d prefer to live in a suburban area, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2025’s Best Small Cities in America, with five areas in Maryland (not all technically cities) listed in the top 8% of the

list. Three of them are in Montgomery County.

“To help Americans put down roots in places offering good quality of life and affordability”, WalletHub compared more than 1,300 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 across 45 key indicators of livability. They range from housing costs and school-system quality to restaurants per capita and the crime rate. The highest in Maryland went to our very own Rockville, which was listed in the top 2%. Small-City Living in Rockville (1=Best; 659=Avg.):

• Overall rank for Rockville: 22^nd
• 451^st – % of Population in Poverty
• 511^th – % of Insured Population
• 64^th – % of Adults in Fair or Poor Health
• 279^th – Crime Rate
• 1^st – Unemployment Rate

Frederick, MD (Frederick County) came in ranked in the top 4%, state capital Annapolis, MD (Anne Arundel County) was in the top 5%, Bethesda MD (Montgomery County) was in the top 7%, and rounding out Maryland’s top 5 was Gaithersburg, MD (Montgomery County) in the top 8%.

Olney, MD (Montgomery County) and Ellicott City (Howard County) were next for Maryland in the top 17%, followed by Potomac, MD (Montgomery County) in the top 24% and Eldersburg, MD (Carroll County) in the top 30%. For the full report, please visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-small-cities-to-live-in/16581

Bethesda’s biggest food festival is back this fall. The 33rd annual Taste of Bethesda takes place on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Woodmont Triangle, bringing together some of the area’s best restaurants, live entertainment, family activities, and more.

The event spans Norfolk, St. Elmo, Cordell, Del Ray, and Auburn Avenues, just three blocks from the Bethesda Metro. Admission is free, and food tickets can be purchased on-site in bundles of four for $5. Each dish costs between one and four tickets, with restaurants serving from 11am to 4pm. Please note: all ticket sales end at 3:30 pm.

This year’s festival features more than 50 restaurants, breweries, and bakeries representing a wide variety of cuisines. Highlights include:

• Agora with lambchops and grilled broccolini
• Casa Oaxaca serving birria tacos and esquite
• Georgetown Cupcake with flavors like red velvet and pumpkin spice
• Medium Rare offering steak frites sandwiches
• Pho Viet with pho, dumplings, and boba tea
• Levain Bakery featuring its signature Two Chip Chocolate Chip cookies
• Smoke BBQ with sliders, wings, and mac and cheese
• RUTA highlighting Ukrainian dishes such as syrnyky and holubtsi, paired with Pravda Beer

Sweet treats abound from local favorites like Bethesda Chocolates, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and Tout de Sweet, while beverage options range from BabyCat Brewery and World of Beer to Ceremony Coffee Roasters and Just Ice Tea.

In addition to the culinary offerings, the festival will showcase four stages of live entertainment throughout the day, plus children’s activities, making it a family-friendly event for all ages.

Organized by Bethesda Urban Partnership, Taste of Bethesda has grown into one of Montgomery County’s most popular fall traditions, drawing thousands of visitors each year to celebrate the area’s vibrant dining scene.