Shows
Culture KidsLet’s Go Lime in Trinidad and Tobago: Dive into Calypso, Soca, Steel Pans, and More!Hop aboard the Culture Train as we journey to the colorful islands of Trinidad & Tobago with special guest and children’s author, Farrah Chow Quan! We’ll explore the sun-kissed landscapes, crystal-clear waters, and vibrant mix of cultures that define this Caribbean paradise. Learn about Trinidadian Creole, the unique language of the islands, and discover the joyful sounds of Calypso and Soca music, featuring the iconic Steelpan. Get a sneak peek into the world-famous Carnival, the most spectacular celebration of music, dance, and culture. Plus, Ms. Farrah shares fun words from her book, Anansi and Boisie ABC, and teaches us w...2024-08-2919 min
Ladies Take The LeadCarnival Kicks - Farrah Chow QuanFarrah Chow-Quan, today’s guest on the show is, definitely a Boss Lady. She is the owner and creative designer of Carnival Kicks, a designer shoe brand with festival flair. She based her now 12-year old brand from the love she has for Carnival and shoes. Prior to the slow down as Farrah calls it, she was getting ready for her busiest year. It goes to show you that nothing is certain. You just have to embrace the change, adapt to it, have a good laugh and bake a cookie. Carnival Kicks: www.carnivalkicks.com Faceb...2020-11-0337 min
Mar EndinsMar Endins - 25“There’s a Storm coming” ens advertia a crits el personatge de Michael Shannon a la peli “Take Shelter”, un d’aquells advertiments premonitoris que avui semblen posar-se de manifest metaforicament quan miram al futur. La cançó “The Storm, it’s coming” de Glen Hansard li posa música i obre el camí per on hi transiten cançons de bandes i artistas essencials del blues o el rock d’arrels americanes com Chris Withley, Jay Farrah, Wilco, Neil Young, Owen, Father John Misty, Iron & Wine, Ray LaMontagne o el projecte d’Alison Krauss i Robert Plant. Acabam amb un d’aquells nous clàssics ate...2020-05-201h 02
In The Mix With Carnival KicksFrom Aha moment, to sipping on her own brand of vodkaDream big they say! Well, nothing seems too big or daunting for Carla Chan. While sitting at a bar with friends and family this native Trini had an idea for vodka infused with the local flavors of home. Her aha moment soon became real. This is no overnight success (as most businesses aren't). The struggle was real. Carla worked her daytime corporate job, handled the responsibilities of a single parent, and hustled her way to success, and this dream by-the-way started way back in 2016. The process was long, and there were lots to learn along...2020-01-2828 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksA dose of reality served up with lots of laughs from TanaThis guy has a lot to say, and he says it with a serious dose of reality mingled with jokes, mingled with some good ole' Trini picong. If you're new to Tana's log I'll pause right here so you can jump over to the log itself and immerse yourself in the satire. Come back to us though because in this interview I find out what got this finance, and professionally-serious guy, to start typing up the jokes for the world on Tana's Log.2020-01-2154 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksTHE QUEEN OF CARNIVAL CONTENT - TRINIDAD CARNIVAL DIARYFor as long as I've been a masquerader living in the US, I've been able to rely on the content provided by www.trinidadadcarnivaldiary.com Where would we as returning expats turn to, or where would the carnival tourist seeking knowledge on this very foreign festival get the details of how to join a band, what to wear, where to go? If it wasn't for Saucy, the anonymous blogger bringing you all the deets, we would be lost! Listen in as we talk about getting started during the early days of blogging, maneuvering...2020-01-1456 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksMardi Gras, with Choreographer Audra AllenIn this episode of In the Mix, we dig into the most popular, mainstream, pop-culture, carnival in the United States, that's right Mardi Gras! But even though this carnival has morphed over the years to mega floats, and throws it started just like any other carnival, a masquerade-type festival that was brought to these shores by French settlers. My guest on this interview is Audra Allen, she is a choreographer who moved to New Orleans from Colorado to settle in the city of beads and Jazz to pursue her career in dance. Audra discusses a bit of the history of this fes...2020-01-0737 min
In The Mix With Carnival Kicks"The Dre Effect" - Andre Choo Quan of Trini Jungle JuiceThe Choo Quan brothers are the quintessential Carnival Ambassadors! They have after all shared stories, videos and photos of carnivals around the world with the world...and they've been doing this for as long as I could remember. I got a chance to chat with Andre Choo Quan, you may know him as the face of Trini Jungle Juice (TJJ). TJJ has become synonymous with Carnivals around the world. No matter which carnival or fete you've attended in your lifetime I guarantee it was documented by the popular media house. Andre is everyone's loveable host. In...2019-12-3149 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksThe storyteller tells her story - Jessy SchusterJessy's story, her journey, her path that led her to do what she does now is inspiring. It shows us to listen to our hearts, to follow our passions, what we may give up in comfort and security we gain in creative freedom, and overall happiness. Her lifelong pursuit of documenting and capturing content resonates in this modern age where "content is king". For the full show notes, click here2019-12-1645 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksEnjoying the journey - Valmiki MaharajI got a chance to speak to Valmiki Maharaj one of the most visionary people I know currently working in the industry of Carnival. His creativity, his leadership, his passion for this business is game-changing. We talked about everything, from his childhood and his involvement in music and the arts, to honing that creativity during his formative years in high school, to his career path leading up to his position as creative director of The Lost Tribe, to what it means to be fully inclusive and accepting of EVERYONE in not just our immediate societies but this b...2019-12-1140 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksWhat does it mean to feel Empowered?!In this episode, I'll recap a recent speech I gave as a panelist at the Caribbean Women's Power Luncheon. The topic at hand was Empowerment, something I luckily never gave much thought about before having to speak on the topic. Take a listen to hear my thoughts on what it takes to feel empowered!2019-12-0426 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksTaking over the airwaves with Roxy RomeoFrom the sidelines I've seen her grow in her industry. I was so inspired by seeing her growth that I asked her to share her story on this podcast. And what a story it is, one of perseverance, commitment, risk-taking, growth and drive. Roxy Romeo is currently a morning show host on the Philadelphia's Hip Hop and R&B station Power 99. Her story takes us from growing up in Miami to stumbling into a radio gig during college, to working up through the ranks and taking risks and making calculated moves which over many, many y...2019-11-2538 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksThis is "How I journey" with Kristel Kouly (part 2)I continue my conversation with globe-trotter Kristel Kouly. We get into an interesting conversation about Carnival, and how it was actually this festival that helped uncover her love for content creation! She started off as a carnival-hopper then she took off to explore the rest of our beautiful planet. I really enjoyed this chat and it got me really thinking about the power of passion, how having these strong desires can fuel our career paths and even lead us to our spouses and so much more. Get the full show notes here.2019-11-1844 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksThis is "How I Journey" with Kristel KoulyKristel Kouly has big travel dreams, she wants to explore all the nooks and crannies of the earth. In this episode, she shares with me all the tricks she uses to make her dream of affordable and extensive travel into reality. As I type this she is on a 9-day cruise from Dubai to Mumbai. This is work-related travel, she talks about how she landed this dream job as we chat on this podcast about fulfilling your travel dreams! Check out the full show notes here.2019-11-1141 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksThis Bahamian gyal knows what she wants!Columnist, TV Host, Publicist, Marketing professional and everything in-between, Rogan Smith is a media maven that found she still needed a different outlet to channel her creativity outside the confines of "the job". When the idea sparked she started a blog "This Bahamian Gyal", she uses the blog as an outlet, her public diary, as she calls it. She shares her point of view on current events, talks to her followers about pop culture, and just about anything that can come up in general conversation amongst friends. Read the full show notes here2019-11-0443 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksMind, Body and Soca with Stephanie StanfordStephanie Stanford's Bio reads...Divine Connector; New Life Guider; Action Inspirer; Mind, Body and Soul Coach. Those are a lot of identifiers, but the one that stuck with me most after speaking with her is "Action Inspirer". This vibrant, effervescent, enigmatic lady does not seem to me to be the person you'd associate with divine connection and soul searching, because to me that sounds sleepy and Stephanie is alive, in your face, and exciting! She’s a spiritual badass who is spunky, curse-y, loves animals and the ocean. She’s a wife and mom who’s also...2019-10-2839 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksGetting Fren-ly with my Hubby as we chat FrenOlympicsHusband and wife team - yup that's us! Before we were even married I told my then-boyfriend this idea that I had to put on a games-day so our friends can do something different (you know clubbing is great and all but you do enough of it and...yawn!) So with his help we put on the first-ever FrenOlympics event in his parents backyard. Never thinking at the time that we would be here 8 years later growing this event and making it better and better every year...together. Read more2019-10-2144 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksLas Vegas Carnival, where the party never endsWe wind down from Miami Carnival, but guess what, the party does not stop! We are at it again, exploring the festivals around the world, and today's chat takes us to the desert, out West, to Las Vegas. I chat with Cindy Leonie Blackshire, founder and President of the Las Vegas Latin Caribbean Festival Inc. I'm curious as to what LVCaribFest is all about, what made her want to create a cultural festival in Las Vegas in the first place and what really is the driving force, her passion to pursue such a f...2019-10-1435 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksGetting it done, no matter whatWhen I sat down to talk to this media maven it was suddenly overwhelming because there was soooo much that she has done, and is doing that I wondered how could we cover it all. Imagine, I was stressing about just talking about it all...but imagine having to actually DO it all! This is Vanessa James, she is a big personality, with big goals and dreams and the biggest go-getter attitude I've ever witnessed. For the complete show notes, click here2019-10-0750 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksTell Your Story!Asa Sealy, aka that branding guy. He divulges why telling your story is so important for your brand and how he's using his skills in marketing, creating partnerships and creating bigger better brands to get Miami Carnival on to a different level of fabulousness. For the full show notes, click here.2019-10-0438 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksThat Carnival feeling...it's pure EUPHORIA!When asked to describe what we love about Carnival, the word "Euphoria" is usually the adjective of choice to describe that heady feeling we get. So the aptly named band for Miami Carnival, Euphoria Mas, joins me to give me some behind the scenes info on what makes their mas so Euphoric. Read the full show notes here!2019-09-3041 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksIt's an expression... K-PAYA!Who, What is K-Paya?! Well, I had the same question. K-Paya is an expressive word/phrase coined by the team that is bringing a band of the same name to Miami Carnival, touching the road for the first time in 2019. I wanted to know what makes them unique, and what makes them think they can deliver and satisfy groups of party-savvy masqueraders. So I sat down with one of the band's founders, Junior Jangalee and he told me. Read the full show notes here.2019-09-2746 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksDaring to be different in a sea of swimsuit samenessLila Nikole became a breakout star of swimsuit designs before she knew what hit her! Her edge, her unique aesthetic and her grit and gutso has propelled her stardom in the world of swimwear, and now she's here to turn the Carnival world on its head! Read full show notes here.2019-09-2335 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksThe Doctor of Good VibesContinuing our Miami Carnival series we enter the realm of music. There is no carnival with the DJ's that make our bodies move to the sweet sound of soca music. I am quite familiar with what Doctor Esan prescribes, he's been a DJ and MC at our annual FrenOlympics Games and he always brings the VIBES! Show notes continued...2019-09-1640 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksIt's a New Generation for GenerationXOur Miami Carnival segment continues with legacy band Generation X. Matthew Waddell, a director for the big band GenX had a sit down me as we chatted about the direction the band is taking in 2019, the changes, the vision, the rejuvenation! For almost 20 years Generation X - or GenX as it most affectionately called - has been a major player for Miami Carnival. Matthew gave us some behind-the-scenes of what it takes to position a big band like GenX for even more growth as they continue to be a band to be reckoned with on the Miami...2019-09-0945 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksA Hybrid of Parties & Mas, Success & DeterminationHybrid Events, a well-established name - I'd go so far as to say 'a household name' - amongst the Caribbean nationals of South Florida. Probably the most popular of their portfolio is a party named "Big Phat Fish", the vibe, the energy, the feeling is synonymous with a good time to those living in and visiting this magic city. It's only fitting that I kick off our Miami Carnival season with Kevin Palmer, one of the founders of Hybrid Events. Things got interesting as Kevin and I know each other from college days and to kic...2019-09-0200 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksHow to travel like a DEEVA! Yep, I spelled it right, "How to travel like a DEEVA"! Our guest today goes by @Deevatheexplorer. She's kinda like Dora, but grown and sexy! Okay, so her real name is Denise Weekes, and she takes globetrotting to a whole other level. Denise and I chat about which destination gave her the travel bug, where she's going and just how she does ALL of this while holding down a pretty serious job. Click here for the full show notes2019-08-2640 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksWho needs art school anyway? A chat with Laura Ferreira, a most talented portrait artistIn this episode, I chat with the super talented Laura Ferreira. Laura honed her natural talent to become a very successful, self-taught Fine Art Portrait Photographer. We talk about how she got started, how she has landed some of her hugest clients to-date (Sony Records and local Carnival juggernaut Tribe Carnival). Full Show Notes2019-08-1932 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksFashion Forward with Chandra MaharajDive into the world of fashion with this beautiful gem, Chandra Maharaj. In this episode, Chandra and I go way back to when WE go way back as friends. How our stories and our beginnings intertwine and how she has since launched a very impressive business as a fashion designer of this lifestyle brand. Chandra talks about how she likes to give back to where she's from by providing business opportunities for those in her homelands. We also touch on her transition into costume designing for the big band Bliss! Check out her latest section d...2019-08-1232 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksFrom Scientist to Creative: How this busy mom turned her hobby into her dream jobThere are two individuals that planted the seed for this podcast which is fast becoming my new obsession! So to honor them I've dedicated the first two interviews to showcase their stories. Up first is my dear friend Meiling Bansee, as you'll hear in this episode Meiling took her hobby of making handcrafted jewelry and turned it into her full-time career. This busy mom of two didn't stop there, she continues to pursue her other creative talents of photography and dance and will soon be kicking off Zumba classes in South Florida, something I know m...2019-08-0529 min
In The Mix With Carnival KicksA new journey into carnivals, festivals, travel, music and lifestyle topicsIn this introductory episode, I'll tell you a little about myself, wife/ mom/ entrepreneur; a little about the "why" behind this podcast; and a sneak peek of what's to come! I'm thrilled to embark on this journey with you my listeners! Some of the questions I've received when this episode aired are all surrounding that book that I read on the beach! Well here it is, if you grab a copy, let me know how it's impacted you! 2019-07-2511 min