On The Sofa With Rouge

Celebrating International Women’s Day today and On the Sofa with Rouge this week is Ross Mulkern a British linguist and educator resident in Gibraltar since 2023. His work with the Mulkern Foundation focuses on providing professional training for "left behind" women affected by war in the Middle East.  The Foundation's Certificate in Language Pedagogy course boosted the careers of 24 Syrian t...

It’s always such a pleasure to interview people and find out what drives them. This week On the Sofa with Rouge the conversation is about birds, bats caves and ornithology. Dr. Stewart Finlayson is a Gibraltar-based naturalist, evolutionary biologist, and wildlife photographer with a Ph. D. in Life Sciences. Passionate about ornithology, bats, and caves, he has published extensively on Gibraltar’s...

We all want to look and feel our best, but sometimes life gets in the way. When we fall off track, we can feel bloated, sluggish, and unmotivated. Karen Jacobson understands this struggle firsthand. With a passion for gut health that began at a young age, Karen has spent years researching and uncovering what truly impacts our well-being. Her journey has been about more than just diets—it’s been ab...

This week On the Sofa with Rouge, we get to meet Lauren Lavelle, owner of Classic Cuts Hair & Beauty and a talented hairdresser in her own right. From humble beginnings, Lauren always dreamt big. With the help of her sister, she landed a job at Toni & Guy, and from there, the sky was the limit. Lauren eventually made her way to Gibraltar—a young Essex girl with a few years of London hairdr...

Episode 15 in the WTF! series boasts an inspiring conversation with two incredibly talented creatives, Jackie Villa and Kaigan Garcia, who are making a significant impact in the world of theatre in Gibraltar. Their collaboration and shared journey in the arts have led them to create "The Theatre Makers," a group dedicated to producing new plays and theatre experiences for the community. Through th...

This week's episode of  On the Sofa with Rouge  and the Infinity Group features Dr. Reena Virdi, a GP at the PCC and mentor for the Infinity Group. Dr. Virdi, who also runs the Well Woman Clinic at the PCC, is an advocate for healthy living and a regular at the gym. In this inspiring conversation, she talks about how to maintain a healthier lifestyle and the importance of good habits. Dr...

Welcome to our series of podcasts, brought to you by On the Sofa with Rouge and the Specialist Medical Clinic / GibMed International Hospital. Situated at the heart of the community, these installations offer specialized and bespoke care to patients. This podcast episode offers an insightful look into the work and lives of three skilled GPs—Dr. Krish Rawal, Dr. Aga Biel, and Dr. Aaron Dehghan—who...

Episode 3 of this podcast series with the Infinity Group offers a fascinating conversation with Dr. Karl Alvarez a Gibraltarian GP with a passion for Occupational Health, helping bridge the gap between employee well-being and workplace productivity. His involvement with the Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses (GFSB) and role as a sponsored athlete with the Infinity Group highlights his dedica...

Welcome to our series of podcasts, brought to you by On the Sofa with Rouge and the Specialist Medical Clinic / GibMed International Hospital. Situated at the heart of the community, these installations offer specialized and bespoke care to patients. In episode 3 Rouge sits down with Toni Valarino Sanderson, Head of the Radiology Department at Gibmed Hospital. Toni shares insights into the state-o...

Lee Whitwell’s journey from Gibraltar to becoming a world-renowned Senior Pro pickleball player is nothing short of inspiring. She initially excelled in tennis, seeing it as a pathway to new opportunities, which led her to the USA. There, a friend's suggestion to try pickleball opened doors to an entirely new level of athletic success, ultimately leading her to claim the title of the #1 ranked fem...

What a privilege to interview Professor Elena Seaone, a linguistics expert from La Universidad de Vigo. Her research on World Englishes led her to explore Gibraltar English, a lesser-studied variety with distinctive phonological and grammatical features. During her time in Gibraltar, she discovered its rich multilingual culture, characterized by the use of Yanito, as well as its vibrant local lite...

Welcome to our series of podcasts, brought to you by On the Sofa with Rouge and the Specialist Medical Clinic / GibMed International Hospital. Situated at the heart of the community, these installations offer specialized and bespoke care to patients. Episode 2 just dropped. This week Patrick Shaw, Business Development Manager chats to Rouge about the vision behind the new incredible facilities at...

On the Sofa this week, we have two seriously loyal Gibraltarians who are insanely creative and just a little bit eccentric: Alex Menez and Stefano Blanca, the dynamic duo behind Blanca y Menez. Join us as they shed light on how they met, what inspires them, and what's next for their artistic journey. These two aren't just fun and quirky; they bring art, joy, and color into our lives in the most un...

Facial aesthetics is the latest trend for enhancing your appearance in just a short amount of time, helping you look and feel younger. At Infinity Aesthetics, located on the stunning Ocean Village Promenade, more and more people are dropping in to get their beauty fix. But what exactly is the secret behind this surge in youthful, vibrant looks? Today, Rouge speaks to Amy Mesilio Peralta, Dental Th...

In "Six Windows," a dance production taking place at Inces Hall this week, Jade Federico Marzan, a seasoned dancer and instructor, showcases her passion for dance alongside her wife, Mel. This event is a collaboration with Dramatist Personae & GibSams, emphasizing mental health and community support through the arts. Jade, a mentor and role model, has devoted her life to dance, inspiring her s...

Introducing Joshua Harold Neal Downey. The creator, writer and host of the “JD Dragon Disability Rights Podcast”, the show where he explores how disability and diversity are connected. Josh was born three months prematurely and was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (Dyspraxia) at the age of two. He love’s Gibraltar’s history and culture and by virtue having...

Welcome to our series of podcasts, brought to you by On the Sofa with Rouge and the Specialist Medical Clinic / GibMed International Hospital. Situated at the heart of the community, these installations offer specialized and bespoke care to patients. Exciting developments are underway with the opening of a new private surgical unit, providing state-of-the-art operating facilities for day and short...

Nick Pitaluga faced a critical moment when he needed emergency surgery, a true life-or-death situation. His unwavering faith in God, coupled with incredible family support, helped him overcome the daunting odds. Nick has dedicated part of his life to giving back to the community and this involves being part of the Catholic Prison Ministry. Life in prison is undeniably tough, but Nick, alongside a...

Welcome to this first episode in series 2 of On the Sofa with Rouge with the Infinity Group, where we discuss an important topic: men's health. Today, we are joined by Dr. Krish Rawal, Medical Director for the Infinity Group, to shed light on why men often find it harder to visit the GP and are less likely to seek preventive care. This episode is sponsored by The Infinity Group. Hosted on Acast. S...

Welcome to the Why Dyslexia? A podcast series brought to you by Dyslexia Gibraltar and On the sofa with Rouge. Big thanks to MH Bland Ltd sponsors of this episode. There are so many great success stories out there, and the three guests we have on this podcast show that dyslexics can and do excel in the workplace too. We have a Government Minister, a CEO and a senior government employee on this epi...

This week #onthesofawithrouge it is a HUGE privilege to have spoken to these 2 amazing women who keep pushing to make the world a better place and especially in Gibraltar! Jenny Victory is a SEND teacher and behaviour consultant. Ironically, she is also mummy to a precious boy with rare chromosomal duplications. Jenny’s professional and lived experience led to her opening Gibraltar’s first Support...

Welcome to the Why Dyslexia? A podcast series brought to you by Dyslexia Gibraltar and On the sofa with Rouge. Big thanks to James Molinary Ltd. sponsors of this episode. We all can remember a teacher who helped us through our school years. For dyslexics school can be hard and having an understanding teacher can be life-changing. In this episode, our conversation is with two experienced teach...

Surviving a brain tumor changes your life, and today’s guest is an embodiment of courage, bravery, and unwavering positivity. Nadia Casciaro’s journey is a testament to determination and the power of a positive mindset. From the moment she was diagnosed, she had an inner belief that she would be fine. This optimism carried her through her successful operation, even though it left physical marks on...

Welcome to the Why Dyslexia? A podcast series brought to you by Dyslexia Gibraltar and On the sofa with Rouge. Big thanks to Piranha Designs sponsors of this episode. School can be a wonderful place, but some dyslexics may struggle. Each person's experience is different and unique. In this episode, we speak to two dyslexic children to hear about how they have coped and find out more about dyslexia...

Welcome to the Why Dyslexia? A podcast series brought to you by Dyslexia Gibraltar and On the sofa with Rouge. Big thanks to James Molinary Ltd sponsor of this episode. We hear about what it's like to be a dyslexic, but what is it like to live and parent a person with dyslexia? In this episode, we speak to two mothers about dyslexia in the home. What is living with a dyslexic like? We know they th...