Bethesda Lane

Looking for birthday treats, I ventured into a couple of the shops in the Bethesda Lane development for the first time and was pleasantly surprised.

The handmade chocolates by Jacques Poulain at Cacao are truly French quality, and even with the limited choices available the day I was there, delightfully varied. The macarons, which seem to be the big draw, are also quite nice.

Cork and Fork had a small-production champagne that the proprietor claimed is superior to Veuve Clicquot. Having tasted the Alfred Basely brut, a sophisticated pinot noir-chardonnay champagne, I can't argue with her. She has some other, higher-priced champagnes that are probably worth a closer look. Even though I tend to avoid shopping for wine in Maryland because of the state tax, I'll also explore her wine selection another time.