July was one of those months that seemed to pack an entire summer into just a few weeks. We kicked it off celebrating my 47th birthday, squeezed in trips to Newark, London and Las Vegas, spent time with some of our favorite people, ate plenty of incredible food, and somehow ended the whirlwind exactly where we should have—celebrating 20 years of marriage. It was busy, a little crazy, and pretty much everything I love about our life.
Cheers to 47! 🥂
July started with my 47th birthday. I felt completely showered with love—from thoughtful gifts and messages to calls, texts and birthday wishes from so many wonderful people. Steve and I walked to dinner and met up with Sean and Alex for a few birthday-buddy cocktails before heading to an old favorite, Sarita. Somehow, despite all the celebrating, we only managed to take two pictures! It was a simple, happy night and the perfect reminder of how lucky I am to have such incredible family, friends and colleagues in my life. Cheers to 47 years and another year of travel, laughter, great food and making the most of every adventure.
A 36-Hour Newark “Layover”
When you have a Monday morning work flight out of Newark, why not turn it into a 36-hour mini-vacation? Steve and I flew to New Jersey on Saturday night and were welcomed by our friends Ron and Jean. Sunday was basically the perfect summer day: Taylor ham sandwiches for breakfast, Bloody Marys, lounging by the pool, an amazing charcuterie board for lunch and lots of laughs.
We finished the day at one of my absolute favorite neighborhood restaurants, Patricia's of Holmdel. Their chicken parmesan is still the best I've ever had—and I consider myself fairly qualified to make that declaration!
48 Hours in London
Monday morning, Steve and I went our separate ways—he headed to Las Vegas for work while I flew to London for a whirlwind 48-hour work trip. Apparently, my London essentials are pretty straightforward: work, fish and chips, football and tea. In between meetings and site visits, I managed to squeeze in classic fish and chips at a proper British pub, watch England play in the World Cup semifinal surrounded by some very enthusiastic—and ultimately very disappointed—fans, and drink plenty of tea. It was a quick trip, but luckily I knew I'd be back in London again in just two months, this time for a little longer than 48 hours.
While I was running around London, Steve was working in Las Vegas, where he documented absolutely nothing. Literally. Not one picture. I guess that's why he married me. 😂
After London, I returned to Newark while Steve headed home to Cleveland. I was happy to squeeze in a little more time with Ron and Jean, including another relaxing day by their pool and a Friday afternoon at The Sandbox on New York Bay. It was the perfect way to unwind after a whirlwind 48 hours in London.
I was supposed to head home after that, but apparently the travel gods had other plans. After five cancelled flights, my return to Cleveland turned into an unexpected extra night in New Jersey. Thankfully, Ron and Jean took me in and patiently watched with me as one flight after another disappeared from the schedule.
When Sunday morning brought yet another cancellation, I was willing to fly just about anywhere remotely close to Ohio! Ron and Jean graciously drove me to the airport and I finally boarded a flight to Columbus. Steve met me there, and we drove the final two hours home together.
Not exactly the way I planned to end the trip, but after five cancelled flights, I was just happy to be on the ground in Ohio and headed home!
20 Years ❤️
And then came the best reason to celebrate: our 20th wedding anniversary. Twenty years! It's a little hard to believe. We really were just kids when we started this life together, and somehow we've grown up side by side while creating a life that has turned out better—and certainly more adventurous—than anything we could have imagined. There have been countless trips, celebrations, challenges, laughs and memories along the way, and after 20 years, we still know how to have the time of our lives together.
An Anniversary Dinner to Remember 🥂
For our anniversary dinner, we stepped outside our usual comfort zone and tried Tutto Carne—and it ended up being phenomenal, easily one of the best steakhouse experiences we've ever had. We started the evening with a glass of sparkling rosé, one of our favorites, and as we sat enjoying our appetizers and wine in the quiet restaurant, something pretty incredible happened. Our wedding song, “Truly” by Lionel Richie, suddenly started playing. I was convinced someone had arranged it, but it was completely random. Twenty years later, on our anniversary, in a restaurant we'd never been to before, our wedding song just happened to play. It was one of those little moments that makes you feel like you're exactly where you're supposed to be.
July was exhausting, wonderful, chaotic and memorable. From birthday cocktails in Cleveland to a summer Sunday in New Jersey, 48 hours in London, a quick stop in Vegas and celebrating 20 years together, we certainly made the most of the month.
Life is good. Cheers to 47 years of life, 20 years of marriage, and all the adventures still to come. ❤️🥂
