Melting Pot

Exploring Barcelona laneways often leads to hidden gems, and one of them is Dim Light BCN. This eclectic gallery is the vision of  Marino along with Jalal, two talented and driven individuals who shared their creative journey with me.

In our conversation, they spoke about the inspiration and philosophy behind their art—how each piece reflects a unique story and identity. Jalal also opened up about his struggles and how he d...

Bestselling author Aaron Ryan wants his sons to understand a hard truth about the world: it is "extraordinarily unfair." In his award-winning saga, he wrestles with one of humanity's oldest struggles: the fiery, seductive line between justice and revenge. He gives you a glimpse into the powerful lesson that fuels his stories. A lesson about hope in the face of injustice.

Aaron Ryan watched his industry begin to vanish. Clients h...

At 15, Robin Ajder wasn’t sketching lines on a canvas.He was chasing lines on a table. What began as teenage highs spiraled into chaos, until art became the only way out.

With raw honesty, he shares how addiction nearly consumed him, how abstract art gave him a lifeline, and why he now creates not just for himself but for survival.

But amidst the darkness, he found a spark in art. He gives you a glimpse into how painting beca...

Payal just stepped into Surarquía’s sun-lit workshop near the Sagrada Familia and straight into the story of two South-American dreamers who turned a Barcelona flat into a leather lab.

Alejandro (Venezuela) and Felipe (Colombia) swapped architecture sketches for pattern-making, taught themselves to sew, and after kitchen-table prototypes, opened this atelier where every bag is cut, skived, and stitched by their own hands 

...

Blanca Rodríguez (@thewoundedhealer) is a bilingual storyteller who turns untreated childhood trauma into teachable hope. On stage she champions the “happy-chemistry” formula she calls D.O.S.E.- Dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins and shows how music, laughter and dance spark each one for real body-mind repair. 

In this Melting Pot episode Blanca unpacks:

• why a two-minute shoulder release on your dog can calm...

Mid-divorce, Karen Rudolf rang her paralegal to vent. “Every complaint is cha-ching, and a judge will soon decide your kids’ future.” That blunt response snapped her Mama Bear wide awake. 

Instead of drowning in rage and legal fees, Karen plunged into communication bootcamps so she could speak for herself and for her children, inside the courtroom and beyond. Those hard-earned skills became her Stop-Change-Shift clarity f...

From Chicago to Hollywood sets and the heart of historic Greenwood Avenue, John Wayne S III’s path was anything but predictable. Once a pre-med student, a chance phone call landed him on a film set and he never looked back.

Over a career spanning three decades, John has directed music videos for Grammy-winning artists, produced award-winning films like “Red All Over” and “The Tuskegee Airmen Project,” and founded Londyn Town P...

What if you didn’t have to choose just one life?

Adam LaSalle never fit in a box and he doesn’t want you to, either. From teaching English and math, to leading a music program, to acting on NBC’s Chicago Fire and performing off-Broadway, Adam has built a career by refusing to follow the “one path” rule.

In this episode, Adam reveals:

-       Why being a multi-hyphenate actor, musici...

“I flatlined. I lost my husband. I lost years. But I never lost myself.” 

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Cyndee Dhalai

Cyndee has been called a medical enigma. Surviving multiple near-death experiences, living 11 years in a wheelchair, and allergic to nearly every drug. But that’s not the story she chooses to tell.

Instead, she tells us what it means to begin again. To grieve without drowning. To listen when the body breaks and answer back with spirit...

"You’re not too old. You’re just telling yourself that.”

After 34 years working with the blind, David Petrovay walked away- burnt out, but not done.

Today, he helps people reframe their stories, identify their strengths, and step into careers that actually feel meaningful.

David’s not just a coach. He’s a former educator, a narrative builder, and someone who’s walked the hard road of reinvention.

In this episode of Melting ...

What if your ‘positivity’ is actually hiding self-loathing?

When Suzan Peltekian walked away from a thriving real estate career, it wasn’t just a professional pivot, it was a radical act of self-trust.

In this episode, Suzan reveals: 

-The silent grip of toxic positivity

-The one decision that rewired her life

-Her Miracle Morning rituals that turn intention into action

-Why your subconscious mind is running the show (and ho...

From tossing lo hei with Christabel to pickling tea leaves with Thet, this episode takes you on a journey across kitchens, wet markets, hawker stalls, and family dining tables—through the voices of the women who live in this city’s diversity every day.

- A South African barbecue in the tropics.

- A Singaporean-Indians go-to hawker stalls.

- Banana stems and tea leaf salad in Peninsula Plaza.

- Cheese, dim sum, and food rituals that...

What do dinosaurs, planets, and squats have in common? For Raj Khedun, they were the starting points of a lifelong search for deeper meaning.

In episode 9 of our ongoing season 19, we sit down with the dynamic founder of Keep Fit Kingdom, who’s on a mission to help a billion people live healthily to 100. A seasoned relationship coach, yogi, author, and wellness entrepreneur, Raj shares how his childhood curiosity evolved into th...

After walking away from a high-powered legal career and a life that wasn’t truly hers, Sophia Elan (aka Debra Buhring) found healing, purpose, and a voice. In this powerful conversation, she shares how she transformed years of trauma into a life of authenticity. Through travel, writing, and heart- centered living.

Tune in to hear how Sophia broke free from toxic patterns and built a life aligned with who she really is.

#Sophi...

At 60, Barry Finlay climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, and it changed everything. What started as a personal challenge became a bestselling book, a decade of philanthropy, and an unexpected award from the Queen. In this episode, Barry shares the real story behind the mountain, the writing journey that followed, and why it’s never too late to start over.

🎧 Hit play for a story of reinvention, resilience, and quiet courage.

Episode availa...

What if the food you eat could help you feel calmer, more grounded, and less stressed?

When Llance Kezner and his wife, Lori, started experimenting in their kitchen, they had no idea their creations would become award-winning products found in thousands of stores. But behind Keep Life Tasty is a simple mission—to make food that brings comfort, both physically and emotionally.

From their first-ever garlic condiment (a happy ac...

In 1979, Chris Donaldson set out from Belfast to ride his Moto Guzzi Le Mans to Australia. He never made it. Instead, he crossed the Middle East, rode through the Sahara, hitched a yacht ride, and ended up in Argentina.

44 years later, he picked up where he left off—riding the same bike across the world. But this time, the obstacles were bigger: age, political unrest, and a Parkinson’s diagnosis.

Beyond adventure, Chris has s...

What if obstacles were actually guideposts?

Author, screenwriter, and creator of Life is a Trip Reincarnation Stories, Brownell Landrum shares her journey of embracing the unknown.

From a sudden decision to leave behind a settled life to an unexpected encounter in Tunisia, she reveals how unseen forces shape our paths.

In this episode, Brownell talks about reincarnation, the voices that guide her writing, and the fine line...

In this fascinating episode of Melting Pot, we sit down with Csongor Daniel, a master of bioenergy healing with over 30 years of experience in harnessing the power of energy to promote healing and well-being. Originally from Hungary and now based in the United States, Csongor shares his extraordinary journey—from his engineering background to discovering the unseen forces of energy that shape our lives.

Csongor discusses hi...