Every winter, without fail, I romanticize summer. It’s my not-so-secret shame. I picture backyard gardens, cold drinks, and becoming my happier, more interesting self. Then, with the subtlety of a hair dryer pointed directly at my face, July arrives. Oh god… it happened again, I manifested too close to the sun. Suddenly, I’m planning outfits around sweat visibility and remembering which stores have aggressive A/C; yay!
Summer in New York is its own fragrant experience. The top notes are hot garbage, mystery sidewalk liquid, and human pee—all blooming in the heat. But then the skyscrapers alight after sunset, everyone spills onto the sidewalks for happy hours, and the chaos looks good enough that I almost forgive the sensory assault… almost.
This July was wildly busy. My friends became dangerously available due to Summer Fridays, every brand I love hosted an event, and all my favorite restaurants had their outdoor seating thriving. There’s always another dinner, rooftop, or “quick drink” that ends with a 3am Uber. My calendar was chaos, so my camera roll became my most reliable memory.
All that to say, summer nights are meant to be spent with friends. Idk… maybe it’s the late sunsets (our serotonin finally returning to acceptable levels) or refusing to waste good weather by going home early. July was sweaty, overstimulating, wildly overscheduled, and of course genuinely fun. Here are 20 photos that made the heat, smells, and questionable weeknight adventures abso-f*ckin-lutely worth it.
But tell me… how was YOUR July? Give me the roses and thorns!
featured image: shot at The Greenwich Hotel lobby bar in New York City, 2026.
