Mango Grove off Stanford & Dobbin.

Land of Kush in Baltimore has amazing vegan food.

Tournesol is the French name for Sunflower, the literal translation is ‘Turned Sun’, in line with the plants’ ability for solar tracking, sounds fitting. The Spanish word is El Girasolis.

Sunflower Vegetarian Restaurant, 2531 Chain Bridge Rd, Vienna, VA 22181

It’s my favorite.

Busboys and Poets has a great vegetarian/vegan selection. Dok Khao right next to it also has a large selection of vegetarian (maybe vegan? not sure) Thai food.

Second for Silver Diner. Everything they have there is good.

Seconding Common Kitchen. Beast Falafel sandwich.

Others have said La Palapa in EC, but there's also La Palapa Too in Fulton, for Mexican with vegan options.

For vegan in general, seconding Great Sage, but there's also a ton of options next door in the Clarksville Commons, particularly Koshary and the Banh Mi place. Plus Roots is there, and that's always a great stop for vegan essentials.

Great Sage is definitely the best for vegan cuisine in this area.

Mom's Organic Market in Jessup has a vegan deli inside and of course lots of great vegan options in the grocery aisles.

NuVegan Cafe is in College Park (and it's right next to a Board & Brew, a board game cafe that also has a couple of tasty vegetarian options.)

The Silver Dinner has many vegetarian and some vegan options. For Mexican in this area my vegetarian wife prefers La Papalapa in old Ellicott City.

Mi Casa has some pretty good vegetarian options, but not vegan. It was my favorite Mexican food I've had in Maryland so far.

Close:

• Great Sage, Clarksville
• farm house greens, catonsville

Indoor rock climbing is great for all ages behind lifetime and BJs called “the movement”

There's a children's gym next to the mall you could check out, The Little Gym, that has gymnastics and fun dance activities for kindergarteners.

And the Columbia Ice Rink has a Learn to Skate program for kids.

Try sofive in Columbia. Not sure if they do 5 years old but they do youth soccer leagues in winter.

You can try sac and soccer shots for indoor soccer leagues. I think sac plays in soccer domes and ss plays in school gyms.

U could try here indoor soccer

You can practice open water at Hammerman Beach, Sandy Point, National Harbor (with Wave One) or Riva (with Crossing Currents). If you need someone to swim with, look into Mid Maryland Triathlon Club or Baltimore Area Triathlon Club. I’d be willing to go with you if that makes you more comfortable

Thanks friend. I might have to wait or start swimming more then.

Lums pond is not a particularly tough body of water to swim in, but you won’t be able to walk it, and will have to tread water once you are 25-50m in. If you aren’t confident you have the capacity to do the swim, please do not sign up. I’m not talking about anxiety which many people have, I’m talking about the aerobic ability to do it.

The run sucks by the way

I don't know that you'll find an answer. Most weaker swimmers just switch to the back stroke or frog swim when they get tired. If you know you're a weak swimmer then just start at the back and rollover and do the back stroke when you get tired. no big deal.

I havent done it, but if you decide to, I have a 15% off code you can use.

You got a friend in me

This looks perfect. Thank you 🙏