2 Sisters: 20 Favorite Things in July

It’s unfair how much faster the 31 days in July go than the 31 days in January. I spent my July feeling like I was in my 20s again. One of my best friends was in town for the entire month. Even though we both have kids now, it felt like we were right back to living together in 2010. Speaking of throwing it back to my 20s, we also had a long weekend in NYC to celebrate a college friend’s1 bachelorette weekend.

Let’s see - what else was I up to? I narrowly avoided getting a parasite from the lettuce at Taco Bell because multiple locations in Central Ohio were affected. BUT I STILL LOVE YOU, GIRL. Spent a lot of time at our local water park, Zoombeezi Bay, floating in the adults-only lazy river and riding water slides. Went on a lot of date nights with James while Rebecca was at various camps or with her grandparents.

A month that left me feeling young, wild, and free.

Z Biotics Pre-Alcohol Drink - I do not drink frequently. Part of it is that I have always been a social drinker and never thought it was worth the hangover to drink at home. If I am on a trip with friends, I will partake in a cocktail or two - or if celebrating a bachelorette party, maybe five. These Z-Biotics are expensive, but worth it when it comes to travel for me - being hungover when you are on a trip is the WORST. One little shot before you start drinking for the day to help you feel better the next day (you do still have to drink responsibly - lots of water throughout the night, no empty stomach, etc)

• Britt and Missy drink more frequently than I do, and both swear by the ultimate hangover insurance - Z Biotics before drinking and Cheers Restore capsules before bed.

• I love sparkling wine and champagne in the summer, so I will also use these drops to help prevent wine headaches - just one drop! I can’t tell a difference in taste, but I am not a wine expert.

Maggie girl, my niece. She is four months old and an absolute doll. My brother and sister-in-law make the cutest kids.

Our trip to NYC was so fun. Even better? I finally realized how much cheaper and faster the Subway is. We saved HUNDREDS. It probably helped that it was summertime and the city wasn't as crowded on a weekend.

4 AM Makeup wipes - These may have been a favorite last month, but with a summer full of travel, they remain a favorite. I picked them up at Target while on a trip and loved how they removed all my makeup while leaving my face feeling both clean and hydrated - not sticky or tight. Perfect for nights when you do not feel like washing your face (usually after a few drinks…).

Corn on the cob boiled in a butter and milk mixture. I had never tried it before and — WOW. It makes the juiciest corn. I am going to have to get some tomorrow. I filled up my pot half way with water, added a cup of milk and a little butter. My brother said you are supposed to add a whole stick of butter, but I did not have a whole stick.

The Roxanne Assoulin store in NYC. It was SO fun picking out charms for our necklaces. I think we spent an hour trying out all the different combinations. What I love about her charms is that you can move them to other necklaces, too. The employees were so helpful, too! Plus, they have extenders for most of their necklaces. A+ shopping experience and worth the trip uptown. Here is an example of what I did with my charms.

I can’t believe this Sephora Favorites set of mini moisturizers (and a full-size lip mask) is still in stock. I do not change up my skincare, but do regularly change up my moisturizers based on what I need and the time of day. This kit is a great way to try out new moisturizers or even just have them available for travel. Three of the regular moisturizers I use are included - Tatcha Dewy Milk (this gives the best glow), Sofie Pavitt (acne safe), and Dieux Instant Air Angel (gel moisturizer that is good for oily skin, but I like to use it in the summertime). I ended up buying two because I love having them stocked in my travel toiletries bag.

Other favorites:

• No pic, but if you swim a lot or have a kid that does, these little packets help remove all of the chlorine and take your hair from feeling like straw to feeling like your hair again. Use them after you shampoo, but before conditioner, once a week.

• Storing cut-up watermelon in a pitcher. WOW. If you love watermelon, this is a great hack. It can store an entire watermelon and drain it before you get any out. The hacks I saw on Instagram all used a round pitcher, but I love this pitcher because it is leak-proof and easier to fit in the fridge.

• These no-show sock liners. They are thin, but do not budget. Great for low-profile sneakers, loafers, and some flats. I have the more expensive version, and these are just as good.

• Cooler Shock. An ice pack or dry ice substitute that we use ALL summer. We have the cooler pack, and it will keep everything COLD for days. We also have the lunch box packs, and they work so well sometimes the Uncrustables do not thaw. Just follow the directions for how much water to add when you first get them.

Somehow we’re talking about July favorites at the end of August, which feels rude considering July was apparently the last time it wasn’t raining here in Ohio.

Back then, we were young. We had hope. We knew we still had one more partial month of swimming days and warm nights downtown. Anyway, here are ten things I loved during our last known period of pleasant outdoor conditions.

New York and a show - I will never, ever turn down a trip to New York. Forever favorite. The walking, the subway, the people, the food, the shows. I arrive and immediately feel, I don’t know, like I just fit there?

We were there for Stef’s bachelorette and a few work meetings when Sarah and I decided to see Oh, Mary! We bought tickets 45 minutes before curtain, which turned last-minute Broadway tickets into a sprint through Grand Central Station, a mistaken train, a blister and a sister fight. But we made it.

Maybe choosing New York AND Oh, Mary! as favorites is cheating because New York has a permanent spot on my list and you are probably reading this like, okay Missy we get it. You love New York.

Meg Stalter as Mary was legitimately hilarious. I cannot imagine anyone playing her better. The whole thing is unhinged, so funny and so well acted, and the cabaret at the end was an absolute joy.

Sarah chose Oh, Mary! because it was the shortest show, which feels important to mention. My mom never went to movies because she said she’d spend the entire time thinking about how she could be home in her nightgown watching a movie instead. Sarah has inherited this spirit.

It was also Sarah’s first Broadway show on Broadway, which made me unexpectedly sentimental. What a cool life we get to live that we can be in New York together, buy Broadway tickets 45 minutes before curtain, sprint through Grand Central Station and Times Square like idiots, and grab a late-night bite at Union Square Cafe on a whim.

Perfect night, really.

The primo blister bandages - Speaking of, I got a NASTY blister after getting my foot caught in a subway door during our aforementioned sprint to Broadway.

The next day, before Don Angie (shoutout summer restaurant availability and Chase Sapphire Reserve tables), I stopped at the West Village CVS - you know the one inexplicably housed in a beautiful building - and found these Dr. Scholl’s blister bandages.

Guys. Blister technology has been advancing since I last had a blister. They’re clear, they actually stay on, AND they come with a little lidocaine insert you can add if you’re in pain. I was.

I recently used one for a paper cut, too, so I’ve now decided they’re part of my travel and first-aid kit.

10/10. Huge year for people who get blisters.

These soft pants - While we were in New York, we went to the New York Nordstrom flagship, which is technically another favorite, but we’ll call it a bonus favorite since I’ve only mentioned it approximately 15 other times.

Sarah was shopping around and found these green striped pants from a brand I’d never heard of, Nobody’s Child (they have cute stuff.) Unfortunately, they are perfect and I have to give her the credit for them. I have received a frankly astonishing number of compliments on them. The color, the fit, the way they hang. Just an extremely good pant.

This dress - was a Bought Obsessed find and a very good one - so good it made my favorites list. Around $150, surprisingly flattering for a mini dress, and I got so many compliments on it (again, important measure of value.) I did Microstitch the slit a little more closed.

I wore it with the earrings I grabbed at Roxanne Assoulin - these little green cluster earrings - and my favorite Courtney x Reformation clutch.

It does have a low back so I used the reusable Cakes boob tape, which held up through Brooklyn summer rooftop cocktails and five hours at Ms. Kim’s karaoke room. Thoroughly tested. Also, our 21% off Cakes code still works - CAKESQ3SISTER.

A matching cozy set - Closing out the clothing favorites - these Faherty sweater shorts are a favorite. I love a sweater short, and there is something about waltzing around my house in a matching set that makes me feel fancy. There is a matching cardigan that is so fall cozy plus can be paired with anything from jeans to dress pants. They are a little on the pricier side, but I have been so impressed by the quality of just about everything Faherty makes. James and Anders have both really loved what they have found at Faherty too, so if you need to shop for a man in your life - a very solid option.

Headache caps - There is something about summer that leaves me with a couple headaches a week. That’s probably dehydration, but at least this headache cap helps. It is one of my favorite purchases of the year so far. It stays cool, but you can put it in the freezer or even warm it up before you put it on. It truly has saved me - I have it on right now as a nurse, a post-pool day hangover this morning. Plus, it gives Johannes Vermeer an added bonus.

Johnny Marzetti is apparently an Ohio name and specific recipe for a more common goulash, but all I know is that every time I make it, it makes me feel nostalgia for my childhood and family dinners. My mom used to make it, and her recipe is different than others I have seen. I documented it and added the things I love (like green peppers.) Super easy, and I swear the leftovers are even better than the fresh servings.

Other favorites:

• I have talked about this Eby sheer bralette a lot before. Since I am in my bridal era, I grabbed one of the newer flocked sheer styles. IT IS HOT. If you want to feel sexy and supported but also want to feel comfortable and like you are wearing loungewear, you cannot go wrong. I paired the new seafoam green bra with the matching brief. I love that they offer size inclusivity up to 4X too. And not to be crass, but these sets are definitely among Anders’ favorite things from 2026. Our code MYSISTERMADEMEBUYIT15 still works for 15% off too.

• We received some extra sets of the best-selling (for a reason) bamboo sheets from Quince, and we have been sharing the loot with our friends and family because Sarah and I both have a lot of sheet sets. I gave a set to one of Anders’ and my friends, and they really love them. Th ey are really soft, and this color is very good. Not too feminine, not too masculine, and not white. Also works with deeper mattresses.

That wraps it up. We will have some juicy giveaways coming up, too, because our office is stacked with PR, and Sarah and I are both very overstimulated by it.