🌿 Potomac’s native-plant cheat code. Built from Islamic Community Center of Potomac green-space work, sisters Sufyana and Aydina Johnson created the Maryland Native Plants Search app to match plants to your light/soil conditions and the wildlife you want to attract (or repel!) Watch their demo and test drive the app

⚾ Potomac’s Matt Mervis comes home. Georgetown Prep alum Matt Mervis signed a Nationals minor-league deal with a spring training invite, adding first-base depth heading into the 2026 season. Read his journey back [MyMCMedia]

🍹 Dry January, but make it fun. The Grove is leaning in with new zero-proof options: Blood Orange Sunset, fruit-forward “mojito” riffs, Seedlip’s Strawberry Fields Forever, plus sparkling apple cider for toasts. See the lineup

🏕️ Summer camp planning starts now. Montgomery County Recreation’s 2026 Summer Camps Guide is live, including Potomac Community Rec Center options plus countywide picks. Registration opens Jan. 20 at 6:30am. Read the guide

🀄 New mahjong HQ opens in Bethesda. MoCoMahjong has opened a downtown Bethesda studio to host beginner lessons, open play, and a Winter League for your competitive crew. Grab a spot and start clacking

⏰ It’s closing time. A few notable area goodbyes recent hit our radar:

Mahjong Open Play | 1:30–3:30pm @ Cogir of Potomac
Bring your sharpest tile-reading to Mahjong open play, a low-stakes afternoon for tile lovers who prefer some strategy with their small talk. 🀄️

Auditions for The Snow Queen | Tues & Weds @ ATMTC Academy at Wintergreen Plaza
Montgomery Playhouse is casting six actors (15+) for its Andersen-inspired musical ahead of a March run at Arts Barn. Auditions 7-9:30pm both days, sign up in link ❄️

Writing Your E-Book: How to Use It as a Lead Magnet | 11:30am–1pm @ The Grove Bar and Grill
Sheroes Connect MD helps you turn your expertise into a polished e-book that attracts clients. Learn lead-magnet strategy, authority building, and simple systems that convert visibility into income. Free registration in link 🧲

Lunch & Learn: The Anti-Goal Goal-Setting Talk | 11am–12pm @ MoCo’s Founding Farmers
BNI Central MD hosts mindset coach Naheed Oberfeld to help you uncover hidden ceilings, practice a self-permission exercise, and use affirmations to claim truer business visions. Register in link 🧠

Peerless Rockville Speaker Series: Croydon Creek Nature Center | 7–8pm @ Glenview Mansion
Get the behind-the-scenes story of Croydon Creek Nature Center, from its Earth Day 2001 start to what’s next, straight from supervisor Melinda Norton. Free registration in link 🌿

PCV Cultural Arts Programming with Marian Osher | 10:30am–12pm @ Potomac Community Rec Center
Potomac Community Village hosts Marian Osher, whose work hangs in the Library of Congress, NMWA, and MoMA Buenos Aires, for a show-and-tell on process, style, and creativity. Free registration in link 🎨

Parents Night Out - Kids Night In | 6–9pm @ My Gym Potomac
Drop off the kids for a Kpop Demon Hunters themed romp of fitness games, active play, and pizza, while you reclaim three peaceful hours. Sign up in link 🎤

Line Dancing | 6:30–8:30pm @ The Crossvines
Learn easy line steps in The Crossvines ballroom with all-level instruction, country beats, and a bar close by for post-dance toasts. 🤠

^{*Dates & times subject to change based on weather and/or venues making your life more difficult}

Forward the Loop to that neighbor who thinks “full sun” is a personality type.

-Potomac Loop Team