From Bethesda Magazine: 3 events, a new bookstore and a food find
Looking for something new to do? These five spots and experiences are worth checking out
By Staff
August 4, 2026 1:00 p.m. | Updated: August 4, 2026 12:53 p.m.
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Free Laughs
Head to Aura Bar & Lounge on Wednesdays for a classic stand-up comedy club experience with free admission in Friendship Heights. Part of a series called The Comedy Bluff, the shows bring up-and-coming D.C.-area comedians to a room in the basement bar. Aura opened in November 2024 in the location that was once home to bars called Chadwicks, Chatter and Alley Cat. Doors open at 7 p.m. for the comedy nights, with the show beginning at 8 and ending around 9:30. An RSVP and an ID is required for the shows, which are open to age 21 and older. They are hosted by comedian and producer Noah Spade (pictured right) and co-producer Angel Penn. Get ready for brief sets from several comedians with crowd work and sound effects.
A special menu for the comedy shows includes $6 beers, $8 cocktails, $20 beer buckets, and $10 wings, smashburgers and sliders; ladies receive a voucher for two shots of liquor. Members of the audience can order food and beverages from their seats.
Aura Bar & Lounge, 5247 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 202-525-4525, @wildcardlaughs on Instagram
Step in Line
At line dance nights at Lone Oak Farm Brewing Co. in Olney, you don’t have to know the moves to the popular songs pumping through the outdoor pavilion. During the beginner-friendly, two-hour sessions, instructor Arielle DeReggi calls out the steps to classics and newer hits, from “Footloose” and “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” to “A Bar Song” and “Infectious,” for the partnerless dancing.
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The open-air space lends to a laid-back vibe that’s a little bit country. While some of the 100 to 200 dancers—enthusiasts, newbies and in between—arrive in cowboy boots and hats or special line dance sneakers, others follow a come-as-you-are approach. Upcoming line dance events at Lone Oak are slated for July 15, Aug. 12 and Sept. 23. Admission is $15 (a ticket includes one drink).
DeReggi, who lives in Boyds, got into line dancing about eight years ago and has been teaching for more than two years. She also hosts line dancing events at The Crossvines in Poolesville, The Manor at Silo Falls in Brookeville and the Rockville Moose Lodge 1540. She’s on Instagram @arielledereggi.
Lone Oak Farm Brewing Co., 5000 Olney Laytonsville Road, Olney, 240-261-4967, loneoakbrewingco.com/events
A Neighborhood Nook
The Paper Heart Bookstore is a small, independently owned bookstore that opened in March in a second-floor space above The Grilled Oyster Co. in Kentlands. Owners Ashley Le and her husband Mike Luu, who are Gaithersburg residents, curated a collection of about 2,000 books and other products such as bookmarks, stickers and tote bags.
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The store has many big windows and comfy reading chairs throughout, as well as a large table with a puzzle and working space. Additional seating is located on the terrace. The store hosts private events, story times for kids, book bedazzling and pop-up shops featuring local food and drink vendors. Book club themes include novellas, romance and queer literature. Check out a calendar of upcoming events on The Paper Heart’s website. Some activities require reserving a spot or purchasing tickets in advance.
The Paper Heart Bookstore, 200 Main St., Suite 200, Gaithersburg, thepaperheartbooks.com
Read and Reuse
Montgomery County libraries are hosting events that give people an opportunity to build community while rebuilding belongings that otherwise would be discarded.
The Takoma Park Maryland Library’s Fixit Clinic program started in March 2024. These events, where volunteers work with participants to restore items, are held every four to six weeks at the library. From sharpening knives to repairing old typewriters, volunteers will equip attendees with skills they can reuse. People with items to repair are asked to provide as much detail as possible about the object they will bring and register in advance for 30-minute appointments within the two-hour clinic.
The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection similarly offers sustainability events called Mending Labs at multiple Montgomery County Public Libraries locations. Participants can get assistance making clothing-specific repairs, including hemming pants and replacing zippers. Registration is required and slots fill quickly, but attendees can continue their work after their time is up at an open-mend table. No registration is required to participate in the labs’ gently used clothing swaps to further reduce waste.
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Takoma Park Maryland Library, 101 Philadelphia Ave., Takoma Park, ftpml.org/fixit; Montgomery County Public Libraries, mcpl.libnet.info/events
Resilient Recipes
When Hollywood East Cafe closed in August 2025 after nearly 30 years in Wheaton, it felt like the end of an era. Though you can no longer get a full sampling of the family-owned restaurant’s dim sum and other Chinese fare, it’s now possible to enjoy a few of Hollywood East Cafe’s flavors at home. Grannie Yu’s launched earlier this year to sell products made with the restaurant’s family recipes and offers two items: chili oil ($12), which adds spiciness to any dish, and dumpling sauce ($8), a soy sauce and vinegar mixture with a hint of sweetness. Keep the condiments on hand in the fridge for drizzling or dipping—the legacy of Hollywood East Cafe goes on.
This appears in the July/August 2026 issue of Bethesda Magazine.
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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine