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🍦Drive-In Movies Are Back

🍦Drive-In Movies Are Back

Star Wars Royalty at the SPCA, Celebrate Bastille Day, Check out Don Chico’s...

Naptown Scoop
July 09, 2025

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Annapolis. Great news for people who wear shoes with laces to the airport. TSA is no longer requiring shoe removal at certain airports for all passengers, not just those of us with pre-check. And yes, BWI is one of those airports.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Star Wars Royalty at the SPCA
Celebrate Bastille Day
Check out Don Chico’s

Let’s get to it.

— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, & Duffy Perkins

A Calm Escape on Crab Creek

Looking for a peaceful escape just minutes from downtown Annapolis?

917 Childs Point Road offers privacy, panoramic water views, and elegant indoor-outdoor living. South-facing with walls of windows, this beautifully renovated home captures the sparkle of Crab Creek and the South River throughout the day.

The open-concept main level features wide hardwood floors, a striking stone fireplace, and a designer kitchen with Caesarstone counters, Wolf range, Sub-Zero fridge, and custom cabinetry. Step outside to a waterside pool, or down to your private pier with deep water, a covered slip, and room for a 50' sailboat.

Upstairs, the primary suite includes a private deck, wet bar, and spa bath. The bedrooms offer water views and ensuite baths. The lower level opens to the pool with a game room, bedroom, and full bath.

Contact Brad Kappel for your private tour.

THE DIGEST

Sponsorships available for Taste of Arundel Grown 🍅

We’re less than a month out from Taste of Arundel Grown, and while local foodies are working up an appetite to enjoy all the goods grown, raised, or produced here in our county, event organizers are making a last push for sponsorships. In fact, today is the deadline — so if you want to secure one of the four levels of sponsorship for the showcase, send an email to [email protected]. (Can’t make a final decision just yet? Sponsorships will still be considered after today, but there’s no guarantee your logo will be included on materials.)

Why’s it worth your support? Not only does Taste of Arundel Grown give some well-deserved attention to local agriculture but it also raises funds for Arundel Ag’s Agricultural Business Improvement Grant Fund and the Center for Applied Technology North Future Farmers of America. You’re basically supporting this generation of local farmers and the next generation at the same time.

Gatekeeper of Spa Creek

There are houses, and then there are houses. A home like the one at 17 Revell Street in downtown Annapolis doesn’t hit the market every day. Or even every year. This is a one-of-a-kind house comprising 260 feet of Spa Creek frontage and over 5,000 square feet of living space.

It has the distinction of being the only gated waterfront home in historic Annapolis, but don’t let that gate make you think you’ll be disconnected from the community — you’re within walking distance of downtown, and that wraparound porch facing the creek is the perfect space for you (and about three dozen of your closest friends) to watch the Blue Angels or Fourth of July fireworks. Take it from us. We’ve actually watched the Blue Angels here.

The house is listed by Brad Kappel, who is a longtime friend of the Scoop, but this isn’t an ad — we just think the house is unbeatable and worth taking a look at. Here’s the video tour.

Western Shore Veterinary Hospital offers your pets the finest wellness care, state-of-the-art diagnostics, dental treatment, and surgery ranging from spays/neuters to sophisticated treatments. You can find them online, by phone at 443-936-0660, or at 910C Bestgate Road, Annapolis, MD 21401.

Dog of the Week: Meet Khola

Star Wars fans will instantly recognize Khola from her incredible portrayal as Ewok #7, or “Sassy the Assassin,” in 1983’s Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Her portrayal (and ability to speak high-speed Tibetan) gained her instant notoriety in Hollywood for the emotional range she brought to the role, with director George Lucas saying afterward that she, not Carrie Fisher, was the actress who set most hearts aflame. After Return of the Jedi, she had a smaller role in spinoff Caravan of Courage: an Ewok Adventure, an uncredited part in 1998’s Val Kilmer vehicle, Willow, and even worked as a dramatic consultant for John Candy in the film Spaceballs. But since then, the stars of Tinseltown haven’t shone so brightly for our beauty Khola, and she’s now found herself at the Annapolis SPCA. For a five-year-old Ewok, this is just one more adventure on this strange planet Earth. So if you like walks in the woods, cuddles, and ComiCon, get down to the SPCA and meet this gorgeous girl before a Storm Trooper reads this.

AACPS purchasing office wins national award for 14th consecutive year

You know who’s doing a great job and could use some appreciation? The fine folks in purchasing over at AACPS. They just earned the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement from the National Procurement Institute for the 16th time and 14th year in a row. Only 23 school districts (out of about 13,000) in the entire country got the award. We value good work here at Scoop (especially when it involves our tax dollars), so we want to say nice job to AACPS CFO Matt Stanski and his team.

Registration opens for the Mustang Survival Race ⛵️

Do you have what it takes to sail from Annapolis to Bermuda? No, seriously, this might be your chance to prove yourself. Registration is now officially open for the Annapolis to Bermuda Ocean Race, a biennial (aka, every other year — because we always get confused about that, too) event that challenges sailors to cover 753 nautical miles down the Chesapeake Bay and across the Gulfstream.

We probably don’t have to tell you the A2B, as it’s known, is considered one of the most challenging ocean races on the East Coast. So if you’re serious about participating in the next race starting June 25, 2026, you can sign up now. Oh, and be sure to tell us about it — we’d love to know if any of our readers are tough enough sailors for the task.

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LOCAL BUSINESS

The best way to celebrate Bastille Day

Francophones, allons-y! This weekend, Sweet Hearts Patisserie in Clock Tower Place is hosting a Bastille Day Celebration full of traditional French pastries, good wine, and fancy cheese. Neighboring businesses Grapes Wine Bar, Tastings Gourmet, and Wine Cellars of Annapolis will be on hand with samples and tastings, too, while a crepe food truck and other local vendors will have French goods on hand. So put on your beret and rehearse the lyrics to La Marseillaise, because this will be an incredible fun day for everyone. Just don’t expect French fries. Saturday and Sunday. Starts at 9 AM.

Have you checked out Don Chico’s? 🍽️

As of last month, Memo’s Bar & Grill — which operated at 302 Truman Parkway, Suite K, in Annapolis since 2002 — is now Don Chico’s, specializing in a fusion of authentic Spanish and Venezuelan cuisine, along with select Latin food specials. Everything from the unique appetizers to the specialty desserts is crafted in-house with a focus on fresh, bold flavors. They don’t have a website up and running yet, but you can follow them on Instagram for updates.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

Financial Advice for Young Couples: It’s Never Too Early to Start Planning for the Future

When it comes to planning for retirement, the greatest thing about being a Millennial is that time is on your side. One of the hardest things about being a Millennial is prioritizing your future self when goals like retirement are still 20 to 30 years away. How much money will I need to retire in 2040? The year 2040 can seem like an eternity, especially when you’re young and so many short-term goals seem more important.

To put things in perspective, we want to share some important financial advice for young couples, young professionals, and young adults in general.

Knowing what you have to do to retire as planned is one thing. Knowing how to do it is another. If you’re asking yourself, “How much money will I need to retire in 2040?” consider the following helpful steps here.

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

SOFO announces drive-in movie schedule 🚗

Ah, the days of drive-in movies. You might think they’re long over, but the novelty is alive and well thanks to SOFO – that’s the South Forest Drive small businesses. On the last Friday night of each month, July through October, they’re showing outdoor movies at the Bay Ridge Shopping Center. And they’ve got a great lineup planned:

📽️ July 25: Flight of the Intruder
📽️ August 22: In the Heart of the Sea
📽️ September 26: The Hunt for Red October
📽️ October 24: Moana 2

The Scoop’s pick is definitely Hunt for Red October. We’re suckers for Sean Connery. But how about you? All movies start at dusk with live music about 90 minutes before. VIP parking spots cost $5/vehicle (to be donated to a nonprofit) and can be reserved ahead of time (which we highly recommend).

P.S. If you’re lucky enough to live close-by, walk-up seating is available for no cost at all.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

EXTRA SPRINKLES

It’s Game Time, Annapolis

The countdown is on. The Bay Capital Mortgage Open hits Truxtun Park September 12–14, and Annapolis Pickleball Club is ready to rally. We’re talking three days of epic matches: singles, gender doubles, and mixed. Registration’s just $60 through August 31, and proceeds support the SPCA. Whether you’re playing for medals or just the thrill, this is the one to enter. Get the details and register here.*

*indicates sponsored advertising content.

NAPTOWN SCOOP WEATHER IS POWERED BY. . .

Wednesday

86 🌡️ 73 | ⛈️ | 76% | S 9 mph (8 knots)

Thursday

83 🌡️ 74 | ⛈️ | 47% | S 9 mph (8 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 85ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

NAPTOWN SCOOP LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN IS POWERED BY. . .

Wednesday

Thursday

THANKS!

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🍦Drive-In Movies Are Back

Star Wars Royalty at the SPCA, Celebrate Bastille Day, Check out Don Chico’s...

TOGETHER WITH

SPONSORED BYBRAD KAPPEL
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
TTR SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE