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!

June is here and the sun is calling. The good news is, when you live in an Ellicott City townhome, there are plenty of nearby places to spend a summer day or weekend. And the best way to enjoy this weather? With a picnic, of course. Whether you’re planning to head to a local park or the beach, here are some useful tips and a few recipes to help make any picnic enjoyable.

• Instead of taking up valuable cooler space with bottles of ketchup and mustard, keep condiment packs from fast-food restaurants and use them.

• Turn your thermos into a super thermos. For hot food, place the thermos in boiling water to heat it up before you leave (be careful not to burn yourself). For cold foods, put the thermos in the freezer or in some ice to cool it down before heading out.

• Make clean-up easier by saving plastic bags from the grocery store and recycling them as trash bags at your picnic.

• Who needs cold packs and bags of ice? Fill empty soda or water bottles with water and freeze them the night before your picnic. Not only are they a cost-efficient way to keep your food cool but, by the end of the day, they’ll have melted and you’ll have ice cold water to drink.

• There aren’t always places to easily wash your hands when you’re picnicking. Be sure to pack unscented antibacterial hand gel.

• Always double-check the location of your picnic to make sure picnicking is permitted and that there are no safety concerns.

• Never feed wildlife from your picnic basket. Many kinds of food we eat can harm or kill animals.

• If you’re bringing the kids, remember to bring things to keep them entertained. Some of the most traditional activities are the best. Frisbees, beach balls, kites, bubbles and butterfly nets all make great picnicking fun.

• Don’t forget to check the weather. Excessive temperatures, rain and wind can all make a picnic less fun than planned.

• Remember food safety rules. Pack raw meat separately or at the bottom of the cooler to prevent cross-contamination and always cook all meat until done. Also, put the ice chest in the air conditioned part of the car to keep everything cooler.

• Consider trying out some of our favorite recipes from the Food Network.

4 Pepper Deviled Eggs

Macaroni Salad

Gussie’s Fried Chicken with Pecan-Honey Glaze

Watermelon and Cantaloupe Salad with Mint Vinaigrette

Mango Ice Tea

With the Howard County townhomes of Shipley’s Grant, great picnic places are easy to reach. And if the weather doesn’t cooperate, you can still cook the recipes above and have a good time in your new home in Howard County. From here, summer is always fun.

As the days get warmer and the nights get longer, there’s more and more to do in Howard County. From the Howard County townhomes at Shipley’s Grant, a large number of parks and recreational activities are just moments away. Take full advantage of May and try out some of the activities and events we’ve listed here.

Enjoy a Day in The Park: Community parks are all around Shipley’s Grant, from Long Reach Park to Blandair Park to Rockburn Branch Park. Make a day of it by picnicking or hiking or playing Frisbee golf or just watching your kids enjoy the playgrounds. It’s one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to spend time outdoors. www.co.ho.md.us/RAP/RAP_HoCoParks.htm

Play a Round of Golf: Howard County doesn’t lack for golf courses. Within minutes of Shipley’s Grant, you’ll find Fairway Hills Golf Course fairwayhillsgolfclub.com, Timbers at Troy Golf Course timbersgolf.com and Rolling Road Golf Course www.rollingroadgc.org. It’s a great way to enjoy the May weather.

Have Fun in Historic Ellicott City: The beauty that is Ellicott City’s historic area is getting more attractive. Stop by May 6th for the First Friday festivities and special offers from stores and restaurants. Then, on the 6th and 7th or the 27th and 28th, go on a two-part ghost tour of the city’s most haunted sites. If a less spooky event is more to your liking, try the historic walk on May 14th. www.visithowardcounty.com

Take in the Howard County Cup Race: What better way to spend a beautiful day than by watching horse racing? Attend the 68th annual Howard County Cup Races on May 7th, beginning at 2pm. www.hcibhounds.com and be a part of a long-standing tradition.

Enjoy Concerts at Merriweather Post Pavilion: As one of the region’s premier concert venues, Merriweather Post Pavilion is a great place to catch shows. Connect with your inner rocker at the M3 Rock Festival May 13th and 14th. Or see one of country music’s most popular bands when Sugarland comes to town on May 21st. www.merriweathermusic.com

May is the perfect time for going out and enjoying yourself. With Shipley’s Grant, you’ll have a new townhome in Howard County, MD that lets you access everything this wonderful area has to offer. When you own a Howard County home, the best of Maryland is right at hand.

Summer is just around the corner, and that means it’s time to start considering ways to save on cooling costs. Fortunately, at the Ellicott City townhomes of Shipley’s Grant, you’ll find homes that match their exceptional styling with equally exceptional energy efficiencies.

Anyone who steps into a home here notices such advantages as high ceilings, plentiful windows, top-of-the-line appliances, designer countertops and Kohler faucets. But Bozzuto has also included advantages you don’t immediately notice, such as high-grade attic and wall insulation, low-e double pane insulated tilt-in vinyl windows with screens and Puron 14 SEER central air conditioning that helps keep your home environmentally friendly and energy efficient.

Of course, no matter how many energy efficiencies are included within a building’s design, there are always steps you can take personally to make your home even greener and more inexpensive to cool. Here are some ideas to consider as we approach summer:

• Keep coverings on sun-facing windows closed during the day to reduce solar heat

• Set your thermostat as high as comfortable. Each degree higher can save you significant costs in the long run.

• Use ceiling fans and floor fans to help spread cool air

• Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your thermostat as these can artificially raise the temperature reading, thus costing you extra in cooling expenses

• Use ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs in light fixtures and lamps throughout your home. CFLs are much more energy efficient and last 6-12 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

• Turn off lights when not needed and turn off electronics when not in use.

• Choose ENERGY STAR labeled office equipment. These use 70% less electricity than standard equipment.

• Consider switching to rechargeable batteries for your small electronics. They cost more at first but save money in the long term and are much better for the environment.

Bozzuto’s Howard County townhomes of Shipley’s Grant are designed to provide a high quality lifestyle. From nine-foot ceilings to hardwood flooring options to such touches as oak interior railing, ceramic-tiled bathrooms, walk-in-closets and maple cabinetry, these are new homes in Ellicott City that let you live as you desire. And better yet, they let you live with great energy efficiency. This summer, save even more on energy costs by making your new home in Howard County as efficient as possible.

Why are so many people making Shipley’s Grant their Howard County home? Well, you can’t beat the fantastic townhome living or the exceptional community amenities. But we hear time and time again that one of the things that makes living here so great is the on-site retail.

When it comes to brand new homes in Howard County, few communities offer residents the ability to walk to such a great collection of shops and restaurants. When you live here, you can enjoy a morning coffee (or latte or cappuccino or tea) at StarbucksϪ. You can take part in a wine tasting or find that perfect Bordeaux or last-minute Chardonnay at The Wine Seller. You can begin an evening with friends or family by indulging in gourmet brick oven pizza (not to mention pastas, salads and sides) at Coal Fire. And you can wrap up the evening with the delectable ice cream and frozen treats at Cold Stone Creamery.

And you can do all of this without even getting in your car.

With a dry cleaners on the way and restaurants such as Eggspectations, Donna’s, Dunkin’ Donuts and Victoria’s Gastro Pub just a walk down the street, the shopping and dining that surrounds Shipley’s Grant keeps getting better. It’s one of the big reasons why this community is so popular among those seeking homes in Howard County.

Shipley’s Grant isn’t just the name of our community of Howard County homes. It is, in fact, a name rich in history, stretching all the way back to 1687 when Lord Baltimore gave Adam Shipley the first large land grant in what became known as Howard County.

The 500 acres given to Shipley sat close to where Captain John Smith landed in 1608 after seeing how far up the Patapsco River he could navigate. Once Shipley had his grant, settlers began arriving in the area where they found land they could farm. They used John Smith’s landing site in what is now Elkridge to ship hogsheads of tobacco to other docks and ports in the colonies. Over time, industry sprang up and the land changed uses and owners, eventually becoming a great location for new homes in Howard County.

Nevertheless, the legacy of Adam Shipley lives on, not just in the name of our community of Howard County homes, but in Shipley’s descendants, who refer to Adam Shipley as Adam the First and count among his descendants none other than Abraham Lincoln.

You can even see a bit of this history yourself. Not far from the entrance to Shipley’s Grant is an old Shipley family cemetery. It’s a great reminder of the rich history of this land and just one more aspect that makes these Howard County townhomes so special.

Welcome to the new Shipley’s Grant blog where we’ll be posting regularly about a variety of topics of interest to our community residents and to those considering buying a home here. And we wanted to kick things off with some exciting news.

As you know, Shipley’s Grant already has some of the best homes in Howard County. Now we’re proud to say things have gotten even better.

We’re giving our incredible Howard County homes what they so richly deserve: a spectacular space for community residents to hangout and relax with family and neighbors.

We hope you’ll have a moment to come by and check out the gorgeous pool and sundeck that are sure to be hits come warm weather. But don’t think you have to wait to use the outdoor spaces. We’ve also included an outdoor fireplace perfect for gathering together on a chilly night.

We also hope you have an opportunity to take a look at our all new Carriage Townhomes, an exceptional series of homes expanding the offerings of our community. When it comes to new homes in Howard County, few communities have as much going on as Shipley’s Grant. It’s always enjoyable to be here.