After spending a decade soaking up the sunshine in Southern California, the Ritossa family has found a new place to call home — right here in Red Tail.

Jessica and Mike Ritossa, along with their daughters, Brooklyn and Madison, moved to Red Tail in September 2025 after making the cross-country decision to return to Northeast Ohio and be closer to family. While leaving Huntington Beach, California, where they had lived for 10 years after marrying in 2013, was not easy, they say Red Tail has made the transition smoother than they could have imagined.

“Leaving Southern California was nerve-racking because we absolutely loved living there,” Jessica shared. “But we knew we wanted to be closer to family, and Red Tail has made that transition very easy. It truly feels like home.”

Ohio roots run deep for the Ritossas. Jessica was born and raised in Mentor, while Mike grew up in Kirtland. Before settling in Red Tail, the family briefly lived in Cleveland’s Battery Park neighborhood while searching for the perfect place to put down roots.

Professionally, Jessica works as an Enablement Senior Manager, and Mike is in Enterprise Software Sales. Their impressive educational backgrounds include Jessica earning her MBA from Strayer University and Mike obtaining a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Cleveland State University.

When they are not working, the Ritossa family stays busy with activities, travel, and making memories together. Mike enjoys golfing, snowboarding, and surfing — though he admits surfing opportunities are a little harder to come by in Ohio. Jessica loves cooking, shopping, wine tasting, and the occasional spa day. Together, they share a love for traveling and spending quality time with family.

Their daughters keep the family calendar full. Brooklyn enjoys dance classes, especially ballet and tap, and also plays soccer. Both Brooklyn and Madison participate in gymnastics and swim lessons, and the whole family is eagerly awaiting the opening of the Red Tail pool.

The Ritossas enjoy exploring local favorites, including the Red Tail clubhouse, which has quickly become a central part of their lives. They also enjoy visiting Avon restaurants such as Strip Steakhouse, Mulligan’s, and Cooper’s Hawk, while still making trips back to one of their longtime favorites, Terrestrial Brewing in Battery Park.

Travel remains one of the family’s biggest passions. This year alone, they have visited — or have plans to visit — destinations including Riviera Maya, Paris, Monte Carlo, the Florida Panhandle, and Montana. Whenever possible, they also enjoy returning to their former hometown of Huntington Beach.

At home, family traditions matter. One tradition that brings everyone together is “Saturdays are for Pancakes.” Each Saturday, the girls help make banana blueberry pancakes while Mike cooks them on the Blackstone grill — a weekly ritual the whole family looks forward to.

Dinner together is another priority. Jessica, who loves cooking, prepares most weekday meals, and the family makes a point to gather around the table together most nights. Fridays often mean pizza night or grilling out, while Saturdays are reserved for time spent with family and friends.

Although still relatively new to the neighborhood, the Ritossa family is excited to become more involved in the community as they continue settling in. In fact, they love Red Tail so much that they convinced Mike’s sister and brother-in-law to move to the neighborhood as well, with their arrival planned for early June.

For the Ritossas, Red Tail offers everything they hoped to find — a welcoming community, strong schools, beautiful surroundings, and close proximity to everything they need. One of their favorite aspects of neighborhood life is the clubhouse, which they jokingly say has staff members who feel like “extended family.”

“Being able to walk to the clubhouse and pool is a huge perk,” Jessica said. “The neighborhood is beautiful for walks, everyone is friendly, and it truly feels like the perfect place to raise our family. We genuinely love it here.”

With their first Red Tail summer just around the corner, the Ritossa family is looking forward to making even more memories in the community they now proudly call home.