Machel Montano and Wendy Fitzwilliam join top models to celebrate Carnival in New York City

NEW YORK (November 14, 2009) - World renowned super model and host of Bravo's Make Me a Super Model, Jamaican-American Tyson Beckford joined two "Trinidadian Ambassadors" last week at Antilia Carnival to get New Yorkers into a "Carnival State of Mind".

As West Indians and Americans alike get ready for the 2010 edition of Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival, former Miss Universe, Trinidad and Tobago's Wendy Fitzwilliam assisted Beckford in educating enthusiastic attendees about Carnival culture.

Moments later an energetic Machel Montano, the international king of Soca music, delivered an electrifying, intimate live performance to the elegant crowd of cosmopolitan New Yorkers who had gathered in Tribeca.

The sold-out affair, which was produced by Caribbean-owned entertainment brand Antilia Inc. and featured stilt walkers, live steel pan music, freshly cut coconut water and premium Caribbean hors d'oeuvres, is still the talk of the town as Antilia now focuses on rolling out VIP travel packages to Carnival, set to culminate in the streets of Port of Spain, February 15 and 16, 2010.

Simon Khan, Antilia's CEO commented: "Antilia Carnival is a tangible experience where an attendee can touch, taste and feel what the premium Carnival experience is like. The event created a welcoming, indigenous experience for both those familiar and unfamiliar with the beauty and excitement of Trinidad Carnival through an upscale cultural presentation and costumed fashion show."

He added that Antilia's travel packages offer a transparent mechanism for the adventurous yet discerning traveler to 'do Trinidad Carnival right'. They include flights, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, VIP party (fête) tickets, and a carnival costume in an all-inclusive carnival band in addition to many 'add-on' features such as a two-day visit to sister island Tobago.

At the Tribeca Rooftop, Tobago's very own Sandhurst Tacama-Miggins (featured on Bravo's Make Me a Super Model) also weighed in at the celebration by coordinating the fashion show and walking the runway himself, alongside reality stars from CW's America's Next Top Model such as Nik Pace (cycle 5), Sheena Satana (cycle 11) and Aminat Ayinde (cycle 12).

Jean Alexander, Director of Marketing and Public Relations with the West Indian American Day Carnival Association, said the event gave a big boost to Caribbean culture, including newcomers to Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival. "The venue was totally unexpected, the setting was nice and intimate, the tastings were great, the hosts were special and the models were fabulous," she noted.

American actor Malik Yoba, Jamaican reggae artiste Serani, Trinidad-born video director Vashtie Kola, celebrity photographer Jonathan Mannion and US Virgin Islander Iyaz were among the notable faces attending the event, along with several Caribbean tourism and consular officials and a large contingent of American and Caribbean media representatives.

Antilia's travel packages are now available for purchase at www.antilia.com.

ABOUT ANTILIA

Antilia is a Caribbean entertainment brand dedicated to the global promotion of Caribbean culture, entertainment and tourism. The company began in 2007 as a nexus between Caribbean elegance and New York style, allowing U.S. citizens, overseas-based Caribbean nationals and the media to experience the integration of cultures through visionary special event productions in New York City. For the 2009/2010 season, Antilia launches the first ever premium, bundled travel packages to Trinidad's annual Carnival festival, the second largest street festival in the world, which culminates on February 15 and 16, 2010 in the capital of Port-of-Spain. The company continues to promote the most prestigious and upscale elements of Caribbean culture such as Caribbean art, music, fashion, spirits & liqueurs, fine dining and sought after festivals, both within and outside the region. Antilia has offices in New York City and in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.