7 things to do (and eat) in the capital region, from crab pizza to an urban wood sale

Andy Brown fondly recalls summer crab feasts at his family’s cottage in Edgewater.

So when the Bethesda native — and namesake of the growing Andy’s Pizza empire across the capital region — put his head together with cousin and chef/bar owner Emily Brown on a collaboration slice and pie, it was always going to feature crab.

“We all know that crabs are what Maryland does,” Andy Brown told me on a Wednesday phone call. “Growing up around it, being snobby of everyone’s crab cakes everywhere else in the world and really sticking with it.”

They had a natural fit with Emily’s crab dip on the menu of her buzzy Washington hangout, Eebee’s Corner Bar (for those wondering: It’s worth making the trek into the city, in this humble reporter’s opinion).

The crab-and-artichoke-dip pizza is available through Nov. 25 at all Andy’s Pizza locations in the capital region. The local chain has Montgomery County outposts in Montgomery Mall, Kentlands and Bethesda.

It’s available by the slice ($7.50) or pie ($35). Proceeds from sales of the crab pizzas will go to the Capital Area Food Bank. “Food insecurity is real, especially in D.C.,” Andy Brown said, “and we make a whisper of an impact, but it’s better than nothing.”

But he knew right away that his shop’s New York-style pizzas wouldn’t be able to withstand the delightful, gooey blend of Maryland blue crab, artichokes, sherry vinegar, shallots and parmesan and provolone cheeses. Oh, and Old Bay, of course.

So he fine-tuned a dough recipe for thicker, Sicilian-style pizza that Andy’s previously sold during the COVID pandemic. This version undergoes a 24-hour fermentation process at room temperature before it’s pressed out by hand. It’s “a huge pain in the neck,” Andy Brown joked.

This will also be a test run for what he says will be an eventual rollout of more Sicilian-style pizzas.

Here are other things to do around the capital region.

‘Coastal’

Thursday, 6-7:30 p.m.

Bethesda’s Amy Kaslow Gallery will showcase new oil-on-canvas paintings from colorist Jane Kell, who previously has been an artist-in-residence with the gallery. The London-based artist’s work is notable for its rich streaks of color; she will also display smaller, mixed-media art on paper.

Admission is free. Thursday’s opening reception starts at 6 p.m., and the gallery is open Tuesdays through Sundays from noon-6 p.m.

She’s Outdoors

Friday, 6:30-8 p.m.

Prince George’s Parks continues its running series, “She’s Outdoors,” with activities geared toward women who want to soak up the park system’s many benefits. Friday’s session at Bladensburg Waterfront Park will feature a night around a campfire with marshmallows, followed by a guided walk around the park with night-vision goggles.

Tickets are $7-$10; the event is suitable for women ages 18 and older.

‘Medea’

Friday through Sunday

Local artist Jacqueline Youm is the latest to adapt and direct the ancient Greek tragedy from Euripides and modernize it. The classic play, staged at Fort Washington’s Harmony Hall Arts Center, tells a tale of the title woman, who claims a new life for herself by force.

Tickets are $15.

Urban wood sale

Saturday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Getting into woodworking? Montgomery Parks’ Green Farm Maintenance Facility in Gaithersburg will be selling slabs of wood. Take your pick from cedar or beech, thick or thin.

Prices range from $5-$400, and all sales benefit Montgomery Parks’ Urban Wood Waste Recycling Program and Green Waste Recycling Program.

Choreographers’ Showcase

Saturday, 7-8:30 p.m.

Nine choreographers will present their latest works at Hyattsville’s Publick Playhouse. The artists range from local upstarts to veterans who will stick around to talk with audience members about their inspirations and processes during the 43rd annual event.

Tickets are $18-$23.

‘Shifting Grounds’

Monday-Jan. 9

Brentwood Arts Exchange will host the 38th annual Prince George’s County Juried Exhibition of artworks. This year’s theme lets participating artists express and meditate on their feelings about how to navigate the changing flows of the world. An opening reception will take place Nov. 21 from 3-5 p.m.

Admission is free; Brentwood Arts Exchange is open Mondays through Saturdays.