In this episode of Couples Unfiltered, we sit down with Latoya and Brian to explore a love story rooted in purpose, healing, and legacy. From swiping right to building a wellness movement in California, they share how very different upbringings—Latoya’s entrepreneurial family and Brian’s journey through profound loss—shaped the way they love, lead, and parent together.

We dive into their evolving views on marriage, the emotional reckoning that changed Brian’s life, and how Latoya turned personal grief into a powerful wellness mission. As co-creators of Movement Matters Collective, their story is a testament to resilience, intentional love, and building community through movement. This episode isn’t just about romance—it’s about doing the real work of partnership and healing, together.

Movement Matters Collective

Movement is an essential expression of wellness!Movement Matters Collective was created by a tribe of somatic maestros as a safe space for folks of all walks of life to connect with, care for, and challenge the mind & body. Visit them today at Movement Matters Collective

In this episode of Couples Unfiltered, we sit down with Mila and Donnell—hosts of La Vida Blended—a beautifully honest and culturally rich podcast about love, parenting, and the realities of building a blended family. Based in Portland, Oregon, this mixed-race couple (she's Mexican, he's Black) opens up about navigating identity, second marriages, and the deep emotional terrain of pregnancy loss, having endured the heartbreak of nine miscarriages together.

Both social workers by profession, Mila and Donnell bring an unmatched level of emotional intelligence and cultural insight to the conversation. They share how their backgrounds influence their parenting, how they maintain a loving co-parenting relationship with Donnell’s ex-wife, and what it really means to create a home full of healing, communication, and respect.

From cultural expectations to grief, from honoring ex-spouses to redefining what “family” looks like—this is an episode that doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff. Their transparency is a gift, and their story will inspire anyone navigating love after loss or learning to embrace the beautiful complexity of blended families.

🔗 Follow Mila & Donnell on IG: @LaVidaBlended 🎙️ Subscribe to their podcast: La Vida Blended on all streaming platforms!

This one’s a slow pour. Sip accordingly.

We’re on location at San Diego Magazine headquarters, sitting down with the couple behind the city’s most beloved lifestyle brand — and yes, we’re posted up at the iconic Happy Half Hour podcast scene. This episode? It’s a vibe. It’s a journey. And it’s a love story told in bylines, risk, and shared leftovers.

Troy Johnson — Food Network star, writer, host of Crave, Guy’s Grocery Games judge, co-host of Campus Eats, and the sharp pen behind San Diego Magazine's cultural voice — joins us with his wife Claire, the media-savvy CEO who left Brooklyn and a powerhouse career at NBC Universal to build something new in SoCal.

In 2021, the Johnsons bought San Diego Magazine — yes, during a pandemic — and began the wild process of transforming a legacy print publication into a thriving, multi-platform media brand. We talk about the chaos, the chemistry, and the conversations that made it all possible.

And maybe the most unforgettable part? On their first date, before they even talked business or brunch, they bonded over something deeply personal: both grew up with gay parents — a reality that shaped their resilience and worldview in a world that wasn’t always ready for it.

Claire, who is 14 years younger than Troy, jokes she thought, “What’s the worst that can happen?” when she took the leap and moved across the country with him. Spoiler: it turns out, a lot. But most of it’s pretty amazing.

If you’re into stories about building something meaningful, creating against the odds, and holding onto love while holding down a business — this episode will fill your cup.

⚠️ Long episode ahead. But worth every delicious minute.

https://sandiegomagazine.com/

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