Nothing says “summer” in Maryland quite like fresh steamed crabs from the Chesapeake. Shipley’s Grant is here to offer you the local resources to get your Maryland crab feast going this summer with tips on where to buy them and how to pick them!

Get your crabs right near your new Ellicott City home, with fresh bushels at:

- Sea King Seafood Market, in Ellicott City http://www.seaking.com/

– Frank’s Seafood, in Jessup, MD at Route 1 and 175 http://franksseafood.com/

Keep the mess out of your new home and at the restaurant, try:

- Ellicott City’s Crab Shanty http://www.crabshanty.com/

– Laurel’s Bottom of the Bay Seafood (http://www.bottomofthebay.com/

– Catonsville’s Sea Hut Inn http://www.seahutinn.com

Just looking for some nice lump crab meat? Try: Timbuktu in Hanover for award winning crab cakes , Laurel Meat Market in Laurel, MD or Today’s Catch at Wilde Lake Village Center in Columbia.

Whether it’s in your new backyard at Shipley’s Grant Townhomes or in the kitchen, lay out the newspaper and get cracking! Get started by:

Step 1: Picking up a hefty steamed crab. Preferably one with plenty of Old Bay seasoning.

Step 2: Rip the claws off and eat any of the meat that comes off with them.

Step 3: Use a knife, mallet, or fingers to crack open the claws. The best part!

Step 4: Locate the apron. This is the monument-shaped area on the underside of the crab. Pull the apron off and discard.

Step 5: Pull the top of the shell off, starting from the top.  Remove the insides you wouldn’t want to eat (gills (the devil’s fingers to locals), etc.).

Step 6: Break the crab in half.  Use a knife to cut the half again.

Step 7:Eat the white meat, and enjoy!

If that sounds a bit complicated, watch this demo from the premier crab seasoning Old Bay, and enjoy those crabs!

The Baltimore and Washington Metropolitan area offers some of the nations’ best theater venues. From the Kennedy Center to the Hippodrome there’s always a play to be seen or symphony to enjoy, but you can even get your dose of the performing arts right here in Howard County! Just moments from your new Shipley’s Grant Townhome are local and nationally recognized hot spots for entertainment.

In Historic Ellicott City, at the eerie and haunted Patapsco Female Institute, the Chesapeake Shakespeare Theater Company  performs under the stars and offers a great venue for some of the Bard’s greatest works. This season includes A Midsummer Night’s Dream (through July 31^st) and The Compleat Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), a comedic take on everything Shakespeare.

Toby’s of Columbia  offers award-winning Broadway and original musicals with great buffet-style dining. Toby’s has been nominated 57 times for Helen Hayes Awards, the DC area’s version of the Tony Awards, so you’re guaranteed a professional show. From matinees to late night showings – this is your one stop for dinner and a show in Howard County! Be on the lookout for Anything Goes and Chicago, this season.

Rep Stage is the only professional theatre company in Howard County and the only professional theatre housed on a community college campus, at Howard Community College. This great theater company boasts providing audiences with regional and national premieres each season, to keep you on top of great theater!

Need more options? Don’t forget these other great theater options:

- Check local high schools: Long Reach High School and Howard High School put great shows on every season!

- Take a trip to Washington or Baltimore! For the most recent news visit The Washington Post’s Going Out Guide for Theater & Dance.

- Looking for something a little off the beaten path? Why not try Silver Spring’s Strathmore  for classic concerts and literary events or the Annapolis Summer Garden Theater right on the harbor!

Shipley’s Grant Townhomes puts you in the center of everything in Maryland, from DC to Baltimore. Now, you don’t have to trek to the city every time you want to “eat locally”. Howard County, MD is brimming with Farmers’ Markets and local farms to get you healthy, locally sourced produce. From tomatoes to fresh cut lavender, your pantry will be stocked with the best the area has to offer.

Shipley’s Grant’s prime location in Ellicott City puts you right near all five of the great outdoor or farmers’ markets in Howard County:

- Wednesday afternoons at St. Johns Episcopal Church in Ellicott City.
- Thursday afternoons at the East Columbia library.
- Friday afternoons at Howard County General Hospital in Columbia.
- Saturday mornings at the Glenwood library.
- Sunday mornings at the Oakland Mills village center in Columbia.

For more information about these locations visit Maryland’s Farmers’ Market Directory.

Opening later this month, Gorman Produce Farm in Laurel, MD is not only offering a produce stand, but CSA Programs for pick-up produce. Franks Produce & Greenhouse, just down Route 108 at 6686 Old Waterloo Rd, Elkridge, MD 21075 offers produce, gardening supplies and even a section to cut your own flowers!

Can’t make it to your local famers’ markets? Try locally sourced grocery stores near your new Ellicott City townhome: MOM’s Organic Market in Jessup and David’s Natural Market located near Howard County Community College.

Looking to dine out? Don’t forget Howard County Restaurant Week: Farm-2-Table begins next month – your favorite local restaurants will be serving seasonal, fresh ingredients from local sources!