This month, we want to give a warm welcome to Matt Grabowski and Emily Wirtz, who have been living in Gates Mills since April. They share their home with Leland, their adorable Aussie, who makes their house a home.

Gates Mills is home sweet home. Matt comments, “It’s a quiet, intimate community.” He and Emily appreciate the “respectful people who are friendly and community minded” as well as the small-town feel, although it’s so close to a metro area. Surrounded by nature, Gates Mills has a general spirit that values preservation and nature conservation. Emily adds, “We just celebrated our first Independence Day in the village and it was such fun seeing the community out!”

When they aren’t enjoying life in Gates Mills, you can find Matt and Emily working as surgeons. Matt is a talented neurosurgeon, specializing in intra-axial brain tumors. As for Emily, she is proud to be an aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon, changing lives through surgery so people look and feel their very best.

Emily is originally from Willoughby Hills, Ohio and is proud to be a Laurel and St. Francis grad. She attended Case Western for her undergraduate degree, followed by Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine for medical school.  Matt, who is originally from New Kensington, Pennsylvania, also attended Case Western Reserve University for his undergraduate degree, followed by Lerner College Medicine for medical school.

Apart from their medical work, Matt and Emily are dedicated to giving back to the community. They mentor students who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine, offering guidance and support from high school through medical school. Matt is also part of the advisory committee for Phi Delta Epsilon medical fraternity. Emily contributes her expertise and kindness to the community through her work at Hillcrest Hospital.

 

When not helping others in the OR, you can find Matt and Emily gravel biking the local hills and boulevard. They recently took part in the Velosano event. Other pastimes include trail running in the North Chagrin Reservation and mountain biking in beyond Northeast Ohio from Utah to Scotland.

You can also find this happy couple exploring restaurants that they haven’t tried before and revisiting favorites. “The smaller the better!” they explain. “We’re also learning how to make barista drinks on our espresso machine and are excited to support the newest coffee shop in Gates Mills!” For a family dinner at home, they enjoy anything they can cook on the grill with friends.

When the leaves change color and the temperatures take a dip, fall is in the air. Apple picking at Patterson’s is a fall favorite as well as getting cider and donuts while overlooking the park. Then Matt and Emily bake a pie with their apples. They also enjoy taking a hayride at the Lake Farm Park, followed by more cider and donuts! Not to mention pumpkin patching at the roadside patch of Chillicothe and Mulberry. Handing out candy for Halloween, decorating for fall with corn stalks, hay bales and the ugliest pumpkins out there is fun for both of them.

Travel is a big part of their lives, and they've got a camper van that takes them on exciting journeys. From Vermont to North Carolina, they've covered some serious ground on their biking trips. But the most special place is Leland, MI, where they got married, and which inspired the name for their four-legged friend, Leland the Aussie. Stone Harbor, NJ, holds another special place in their hearts, as it's where Matt's family gathers for cherished family vacations.

When they want to unwind, Matt and Emily enjoy gardening, even though their local deer and chipmunks seem to benefit more from it! They love spending quality time with Leland, going for runs and walks together. They are also big fans of reading, especially British mysteries, and attending concerts by the Cleveland Orchestra. And whenever they can, they love to explore the local breweries with their friends.

“We are looking forward to meeting new people and making lasting connections in the area. We are also looking for ways to become more involved in the community,” says Emily.

Be sure to say hello to Matt and Emily here in Gates Mills when you see them out and about. They would love to meet more friendly folks here in the neighborhood.