Bingo!

This accusation might be out of line, but I'm pretty sure Bethesda Row cinema put all the independent, artsy movie houses of upper NW out of business. I distinctly remember cringing at my first Todd Solondz movie at the Outer Circle and craning my head around columns to read subtitles. And then Bethesda Row appeared, and suddenly an interest in documentaries didn't exile you to a world of tiny screens, sticky floors, and infrequent showtimes--and all the bourgie moviegoers got stadium seating and Dolby Digital Surround EX and gourmet concessions and... parking. I suppose this all happened so long ago that my complaint is really more of a grudge. But anyhow, the Avalon--in all its pre-multiplex, vintage Hollywood glory--is the last man standing; it's the oldest surviving movie house in DC, having opened 85 years ago, when folks could watch a silent film for 30 cents. And from its vertical neon sign to lavish interior with Corinthian pilasters, festoons, and rosettes to its selection of independent, foreign, and documentary films to the fact that it was saved by the community in the face of corporate mergers... we all know the Uptown is the place for big-screen blockbusters, but the Avalon is the spot for the rest.

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Landmarks , Movie Theaters • Chevy Chase

Celluloid Goldmine

This local chain may have multiple locations around the metro area, but there's only one like the Avalon store. With over 60,000 titles in their encyclopedic stock, this is by far the largest video store in DC and is thereby putting on a pretty strong showing for largest on the East Coast. It's not like you're bound to run across a Werner Herzog or Takashi Miike section lining the shelves at the neighborhood Blockbuster anytime soon. If it was ever released on DVD or VHS, they probably have it here somewhere in their sprawling underground video catacomb. Hell, there's more porn in their backroom than are flicks at the average movie joint. This place should make the ol' "kid in a candy store" adage spring to life for any self-diagnosed film buff.

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Video Rental • Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits

Montgomery County, Maryland’s beer, wine, and liquor laws are intense, and the taxes on a stiff drink are severe. The result is that on the bits of upper Northwest that border MoCo, there are some wonderfully gourmet liquor stores, drawing in all the bibulous suburbanites. Calvert Woodley and Magruder’s are the big boys of fancypants booze—but Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits is a small gem on its own. Inside this one room, you will find every variety of hard liquor a snobby drunk could ever dream of, as well as a good selection of wine and beer. More important, there is a staff of charming older gentlemen who know their sauce, and will be happy to steer you in a head-spinning, bullshit-flowing, alcohol-induced giggly direction. Just do it with class.

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Liquor Stores , Shopping • Chevy Chase

American City Diner & Cinema Café

Just shy of the circle at the top of Connecticut Ave you’ll find the American City Diner. It’s a pretty standard diner, evoking that ‘50s feel, with good old diner fare, from burgers to blue plate specials to breakfast served all day. There is something deliciously sublime about their chocolate milkshakes that can’t even be put into words, so be sure to try one. (You can thank me later.) But what really sets this diner apart is the movies they show for free every night at 8 pm on the “movie deck,” i.e. the front porch of the restaurant. Come rain or shine, cold winter or hot summer, all year round the diner shows classics stretching back to the black and white era as well as newer hits. Upcoming movie showings this week include Psycho on February 3 and The Seven Year Itch on February 6.

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Movie Theaters , Restaurants • Chevy Chase