We’re Matt and Gaby, and our story starts the way a lot of good ones do. We met at work and spent years in the friend zone before finally being able to give it a real shot. It turns out we were right about each other. Now we live together in Coto de Caza, building a life that feels full, fun, and always on the go.

Gaby’s family is from Mexico and she grew up in Southern California. Matt is a local Southern Californian too. By day, Matt works in law enforcement, and Gaby serves as the executive director of a nonprofit. When we aren’t working, Matt is usually on the ice playing hockey or squeezing in a round of golf, while Gaby happily catches up on Bravo shows with their two dogs on her lap.

Travel has been a huge part of who we are. Before we met, Gaby explored destinations such as South Korea, the United Kingdom, the Mediterranean, and Mexico. Matt spent time in Canada, Mexico, and various parts of Europe. Together, we’ve added Sedona, Boston, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami, Melbourne Beach, Clearwater, Las Vegas, New York, Lake Tahoe, Maui, Nashville, Whitefish, Sandpoint, and more to our list. Internationally, we’ve journeyed to San Miguel de Allende, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Belize, and Grand Cayman. Through it all, we’ve fallen in love with discovering the world as a team.

By early 2025, we realized how much we enjoyed sharing stories and helping friends who had never really been outside of the Orange County bubble. There is so much more out there than perfectly landscaped streets and familiar routines. Some places look and feel completely different, and that is exactly what makes them exciting. So we decided to start this travel blog. Our hope is to give you honest, helpful insight into the places we go, so you can feel prepared, inspired, and maybe even a little braver about choosing somewhere new.

We’re grateful you’re here. We hope you enjoy following along with our adventures and that our experiences make your own travels easier, richer, and more memorable.