Venice
 
Change. If I had to give a one-word definition of life, that might be it. Good, bad, or indifferent, the one thing you can count on is that soon enough there will be something else. Before you can fully process one thing, it’s on to the next. In this case, thankfully, it’s on to something wonderful: a trip to Italy. It’s a weird place to be, half of me in a place of excitement, the other half still grieving the death of my amazing grandmother. But I think it’s probably just what I need, and I know without a doubt it’s what adventure-loving Sally would want. She would want me to go out in the world and bring her back a good story. So off I head to Venice for the wedding of my very dear friend Stephanie.
 
Italy is such a special place for me. It was in Rome that I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to see, for the very first time, the face of the man I would one day marry. It was in Portovenere that we had our first “date” and in Positano and Venice that we honeymooned. And now we are returning to Venice and the surrounding area to celebrate more love. Heaven.
 
I’m most looking forward to impromptu outings with some of my closest friends (how many obnoxious Americans do you think we can fit into one gondola?), wandering Italian streets with no real agenda and tasting as many gelato flavors as possible. But there are also a number of fun things planned, like a beach outing and a trip to Prosecco and, of course, the main event, a beautiful love-filled wedding.
 
I feel lighter just thinking about it.
 
Then it’s on to Portugal, a country I’ve never visited before but have heard amazing things about. Lisbon’s San Francisco-esque looks and cheery vibe make it the perfect place to spend a week unwinding and re-centering. If anyone has any tips about Lisbon or the surrounding area, I’d love to hear them.  We’re going with a pretty carefree, see-what-we-see agenda. But I definitely don’t want to miss something really special or delicious, so I’m all ears.
 
I’m wishing you a fabulous end to summer, whether it’s hanging around town or off on one last adventure. I hope it’s filled with whatever speaks of summer the most for you (for me, it’s ice cream and salt water). I’ll see you guys in a couple of weeks, hopefully a little brighter, a tiny bit fatter, and with another tale to tell.
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