The accompanying list photograph shows a marina, perhaps Annapolis? But not Bethesda.

Bethesda is pleasant but has a zero cool factor. Just look at the frumpy women at Starbucks.

Plus thTs not a marina ujnless you have to pay at the parking meter for your boat. Its an ice-cream shop

The photo I see is at Woodmont Triangle. The war memorial fountain is right behind the bush in the photo. Those red umbrella tables are next to the BGR restaurant. Might be an old photo, but Marina? Try again. This is Bethesda

That's hilarious. I didn't see any Forbes article - just had the Bethesda Patch bit forwarded to me with the first comment saying the photo wasn't Bethesda (?!) Are these comments also listed at the Forbes site? -- that would make a lot more sense if its Forbes that got the photo wrong.

16 years on and we sometimes still stumble using the web ...

Hey all -- thanks for your comments. I reached out to Forbes to see if they can tell us where the photo came from and why it was listed with Bethesda. I'll keep you guys updated.

(1) Bethesda is not a city.
(2) Baltimore beat Bethesda. They must not consider how stabby a place gets.

Forbes article calls us "Bethesda-Frederick-Gaithersburg" as the "city" that made its "cool" list. That's the first time I've seen that particular agglomeration.

But it makes sense, considering how often Gaithersburg appears in rap lyrics and hipster discourse...it's practically synonymous with cool (or something like that)

Rockville actually DID make it into a pop song by REM in 1984 Of course, the title of that song is "(Don't go back to) Rockville".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/(Don't_Go_Back_To)_Rockville

Believe or not the photo was taken in Bethesda (MD)
Bethesda’s Veterans Park
The photo for those who do not live or work in Bethesda and not get out much let me introduce you to one of the most visited parks in the area “Bethesda’s Veterans Park.” The park is located in the center of the area they call the “Woodmont Triangle” at the apex of Norfolk Avenue and Woodmont Avenue. It’s coincidentally a triangular-shaped park. The entire area is paved with bricks and there are tables with umbrellas. There are also some large planters with flowers and trees around the park. There is a fountain in the middle of the park and at the base of the fountain is a flag pole with the American flag waving high above the park and over the granite memorial that is “Dedicated to those men and women of Bethesda-Chevy Chase area who gave their lives in the defense of our country, World War I, World War II, Korean War, and the Vietnam War."

Bethesda is not a city it is an “Unincorporated Community” under the guidelines of Montgomery County Maryland - Municipalities and Communities Categories.

As I said before, it looks like a photo of Lake Needwood in Rockville. The photo shows a pretty lake, but Needwood suffered badly in the Derecho, and the water level is down due to the drought, so it is not all that pretty now. But it is a nice place to go--especially if you ride a bicycle along the Rock Creek Trail.

As for it being "ludicrous," I have to point out that real estate agents like to call anything remotely near by "Bethesda": for example, the White Flint area, which was part of Rockville when I moved here, is now "North Bethesda." And sections of Kensington-Parkwood are also now being called "Bethesda" by some of its residents--there was a sign to that effect on Cedar Lane at Beach Drive. At this rate, Langley Park will soon be called "Bethesda-East."

I guess it really depends on how one defines cool. I appreciate the cleanliness, availability of restaurants etc. I do miss creativity, cultural diversity, differences in fashion. Bethesda is still pretty much white bread....