Donna & Peter Bartos
Donna Bartos, founder and CEO, BLOOM365; Peter Bartos, president, State 48 Home Services
Homebase: Peoria
How did your love story begin? Peter: Two stranger 20-somethings looking to mix and mingle met at a piano bar in Downtown Philadelphia on a weeknight about 224 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Donna was singing with the piano player while I looked on anxiously from the wine bar. It was love at first sight.
Donna: When we met in 2000, I was living off of the Main Line in the Philadelphia area. He was back in Bethlehem, PA, visiting family for the summer. I was the VP of Development for the VNA of Greater Philadelphia and as a young professional was involved in lots of networks including one called Wine Brats. I went out to the monthly Wine Brats event with my girlfriends and was supposed to meet a guy I had been taking to online. But then I met Peter. He was standing in the really long line for the wine tasting and I cut in front of him. After we got our glass of wine, I introduced Peter to my friends. We continued to enjoy the event, and I ended up singing with the piano player in a small bar off the main event room. Peter sat at the little bar as I belted out tunes. We closed the place at 1 a.m. Both of us had way too much wine so we walked to the X&O coffee shop and drank coffee and talked until about 5 a.m. Peter called me that night to make sure I made it home OK and remembered everything I babbled (in vino veritas) including some dysfunctional family stories. I thought if he listened and remembered what I said, he must be a keeper.
Favorite thing about one another: Peter: Donna has the best radio voice. One of her impactful interviews can pop up unexpectedly on KTAR or KJZZ, and I just eat it up. The same can be said for how I feel when I watch her at a public speaking engagement. In front of a room of 2,000 people, Donna is captivating and so easy to listen to.
Donna: I love Peter’s humor and that he has no shame in admitting he’s watched General Hospital since 1984, which is the year his Grammy introduced him to the soap opera. He’s also an exceptional party and travel planner. He even planned our magical and memorable wedding 20 years ago.
Favorite date night: Peter: You can find us in a cozy booth at Lincoln Steakhouse at the JW Marriott Camelback about once every other month, sitting together at an 8 p.m. reservation with our fingers crossed that the chef did not run out of the dover sole.
Donna: Peter is a planner and every date he plans is perfect. But my most favorite date is my birthday. Over the last few years Peter has taken me to Paso Robles for my birthday and our favorite winery, Austin Hope. Other than that, I just love our dates in our backyard by the firepit with a bottle of Caymus.
Favorite tradition you have as a couple: Peter: SloCal, baby! Every time Donna has a birthday, we make our way to Paso Robles for an overnight highlighted by an incredible meal at our favorite restaurant, Buona Tavola. The wine throughout the region is also our favorite.
Donna: Before COVID we attended the US Open Golf Tournament every June with our three kids. We were on a roll at 16 Opens in a row until the pandemic.
What does your happily ever after look like? Peter: Our future goal is to own a second home on Hilton Head Island where we can take long walks on the beach and engage in the local philanthropic community as retirees. Happily ever after looks like two cups of coffee, 18 holes of golf and a glass of red wine every day, four to five times a week.
Donna: We work hard so we can play hard. We love to travel and look forward to many more trips abroad. At the end of the day, we are both very ambitious but our purpose the last 19 years of our 20-year marriage is to raise kind, empathetic and respectful children.