Dream 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 the way, but as she says "Where there's a will, there's a way!"

In The Mix With Carnival Kicks

From Aha moment, to sipping on her own brand of vodka

This 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.

A dose of reality served up with lots of laughs from Tana

For 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 contentious content and growing beyond the blog to doing great things in this space that she's passionate about - Carnival!

THE QUEEN OF CARNIVAL CONTENT - TRINIDAD CARNIVAL DIARY

In 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 festival with me, but she also does a good job of explaining to this mardi gras neophyte what it's all about, how choreographed dance ties into the festivities and her work with the Nawlins Nymphs. We also discover just how similar this US festival and my Caribbean island carnival really is. 

Mardi Gras, with Choreographer Audra Allen

The 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 this episode, he shares with us how they got started, the story behind the name, and the growth and future of TJJ. We also get silly with a fun, not-so-rapid-fire drill of 10 questions with Dre.  Listen in and find out if this blondie has more fun, maybe it's the hair, or maybe it's just the "Dre effect".  

"The Dre Effect" - Andre Choo Quan of Trini Jungle Juice

Jessy'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 here

The storyteller tells her story - Jessy Schuster

I 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 big old world of ours.  Listen in as we kick off the road to pre-Lenten Carnivals around the world starting with my home of the greatest show of them all Trinidad & Tobago Carnival. Click here for the full show notes

Enjoying the journey - Valmiki Maharaj

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!

What does it mean to feel Empowered?!

From 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 years landed her a coveted spot as a morning host! This is truly a story about dedication and the journey. I hope you'll take a listen and be inspired by this amazing woman.

Taking over the airwaves with Roxy Romeo

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.

This is "How I journey" with Kristel Kouly (part 2)

Kristel 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.

This is "How I journey" with Kristel Kouly

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 here

This Bahamian gyal knows what she wants!

Stephanie 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 a carnival-a-holic and a hip hop head. And she gets you to take action!   Read more here

Mind, Body and Soca with Stephanie Stanford

Husband 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 more

Chatting with my Hubby all things Fren-O and more

We 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 feat! Turns out I may have to add Las Vegas on my travel itinerary soon! Connect with Las Vegas CaribFest Instagram: LasVegasCaribFest Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LasVegasLatinCaribfest/ Website: https://www.lvcaribfest.com

Las Vegas Carnival, where the party never ends

This podcast will take you on a behind the scenes journey of Caribbean Carnivals and global music festivals; we'll talk travel, music, food, fashion, business and more!

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In The Mix With Carnival Kicks

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