Marianna Cuomo Maier, Holistic Health & Wellness Coach, Founder of Grata Wellness

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

Please give a warm welcome to my guest, Marianna Cuomo Maier, certified health & wellness coach and founder of Grata Wellness, which helps people take charge of their health, find more joy in their lives, and often, she says, it starts with food.

Marianna holds wellness workshops, meditation, and journaling groups at wellness events in support of finding our healthier, more balanced selves. And as she tells it, Marianna was not always a healthy person. She had to learn how to do it.

Marianna also writes for @AppetitoMagazine, and in fact, we were introduced by Appetito‘s founder, @AndrewCotto, as well as my friend, @AmyRiolo, writer of many books on the Mediterranean Diet, specifically the Dummies series.

Marianna is also founder of the Emerging Leaders Council of the Italian Language Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting Italian language and culture nationally.

And if the name Cuomo sounds familiar, she is of the infamous New York Cuomo family. Her grandfather, Mario Cuomo, was a beloved governor of New York. Uncle Andrew was also NY governor, and Uncle Chris is a well-known, award-winning TV journalist.

Please join my conversation with Marianna on how we can all be healthier in a world that often promotes fast living and fast foods. She also talks about life growing up Cuomo, and how her Italian heritage helped form her wellness routines she lives by today. You’ll find our #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast on all video and audio podcast platforms. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and I thank you for joining us. Please also invite your friends, too!

Andrew Cotto, Award-Winning Novelist & Co-Founder, Appetito Magazine

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

Please join us in welcoming Andrew Cotto, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Appetito Magazine. Andrew is also an award-winning novelist of seven books, a regular contributor to the New York Times, and he loves all things Italy, particularly food and wine. His passion is to write and talk about it, and share his experiences so we can fall in love with the Italian way of living as he has.

Andrew likes to say that “food is his muse.” He draws a comparison between mental health and healthy eating, and talks about how Italians instinctively know how to do that. While he was raised in the states, Andrew fell in love with his ancestral homeland the first time he visited, and decided to plant his own roots there for a time and learn all he could about the Italian lifestyle and good health. He’s been a regular on Good Day New York, and has interviewed some of the top culinary experts in his Appetito magazine, including Rachael Ray. And now he joins us on our #LittleItalyPodcast, #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast, and #DeborahKobyltLIVE, to share all he’s learned with us. And there’s a lot.

Please find our show on all video and audio podcast platforms, and invite your friends, too. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s a pleasure to have you join us today.

Amy Riolo and Dr. Simon Poole

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

Have you thought of taking weight loss drugs? Seems as though everywhere you turn, people are jumping on the craze, but perhaps there’s another way to control our weight and health, and today we speak with our dear friend, chef and acclaimed author, Amy Riolo, along with her colleague, Dr. Simon Poole, MD, who collaborated on the “Diabetes for Dummies” series which also includes “Diabetes Meal Planning & Nutrition,” along with the “Diabetes Cookbook.”

Amy has written 17 books that include healthy eating and how to incorporate the Mediterranean diet into our daily routines, and Dr. Poole talks about the many health benefits from introducing extra virgin olive oil into our diets. In fact, the two met at a convention speaking about olive oil and healthy living, and have made it their mission to talk and write about how we can all live healthier lives and even turn around type 2 diabetes if we incorporate certain foods into our diets and eliminate others that are essentially “poison” to our bodies.

Our show will be simulcast on #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and also #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast, and we all know that #Italians are experts on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. This is also something Amy has studied much of her life, as her mother was diabetic and she sought ways to help her mom with through food. And she’s been talking and writing about it ever since.

Please find our show LIVE on all video and audio podcast platforms, and invite your friends and family to participate in this important conversation. Thank you for joining us. Deborah

Andria Litto, Filmmaker, “My Father Moves Mountains”

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

Please welcome to our show the mega-talented writer, producer, and director Andria Litto, who joins us to discuss her magnificent documentary, “My Father Moves Mountains,” about her dad, George Litto, who represented many of Hollywood’s top writers who were black-listed during the McCarthy era and beyond.

This is a fascinating film, with detailed interviews from actors, writers, and agents, with film footage of a time in Hollywood when studios could crush the careers of actors and writers, but George Litto wasn’t afraid of them. Instead, he fought for the rights of people he thought were unfairly blacklisted, and ended up behind some of Hollywood’s most accomplished films from “Mash” and “Midnight Cowboy.” He later went on to produce films directed by Brian DePalma. And Andria, his daughter, had a front row seat to it all and joins us to talk about it.

Please join our show on #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast on all video and audio platforms. And invite your friends and family, too. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s a pleasure to have you join us.

Bryan & Stephanie Mazzarello, Filmmaker, “Make Me Italian”

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

Please welcome to our show, Bryan and Stephanie Mazzarello, creators of their brilliant short film, “Make Me Italian,” which follows the story of an Italian-American man attempting to prove his Italian citizenship through ancestry so he can attain an Italian passport.

The story is loosely based on Bryan’s experience of getting his Italian passport, and it’s quite a story. We talk with Bryan about that, and also how he was motivated to do this after a backpacking trip through Europe landed on the very soil where his grandparents lived. Let’s just say he felt the calling. Stephanie was the creative director on the film, and this is so beautifully shot and choreographed, we discuss that with her as well.

Please join our shows on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s a pleasure to have you join us. Please invite your friends and family, and if you have an Italian story for us, we’d love to hear about it.

Ann Potenza, Producer/Creator “The War of Roses” play, & Event Producer

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

Please welcome to our show my dear friend, Ann Potenza, who is bringing an exceptional play to life in Los Angeles for the upcoming Women’s History Month, called “The War of Roses – The Women. The Voices. The Vote.”

This is an important play that talks about the women suffragettes, and the play follows some of the most memorable names who were at the forefront to getting women out to vote. In fact, “The War Of Roses,” making its debut the El Portal Theatre in No.Hollywood on 3-1 and 3/2, is also encouraging all participants to Get Out The Vote (GOTV) that evening.

Ann is also a well-established Events Planner in Los Angeles, behind some of Hollywood’s most notorious events, starting with the San Gennaro festival she brought to LA a few years ago, along with her cousin, Jimmy Kimmel, exec producer Doug DeLuca, and other notable Italians. So we will also be talking with Ann about growing up Italian, some of her favorite traditions, hanging with Jimmy as kids, and where she sees the Italian community growing in the future. And it’s all Amore!

Please join us on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast on all video and audio platforms. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and I’m happy to have you here!

Catherine Gray, Dawn Lafreeda, Sharon Gless, Show Her The Money Documentary

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

Sometimes, the stars fall in the right place, and our three guests are definitely using their platforms to do great things for women.

Award-winning actress Sharon Gless (Cagney & Lacey); Dawn Lafreeda, largest female-owned restaurant franchisee in America (Denny’s); and Catherine Gray, author, TedX speaker, & host of the Invest in Her Podcast. What do they have in common? They’re Executive Producers of the much acclaimed film, “Show Her The Money,” which follows four visionary women in their quest to find venture capital to support their business ideas and turn them into reality. And where did they get the money from? Women.

This film is knocking it out of the park at film festivals, getting up close and personal about the struggle for female entrepreneurs to secure venture capital. It also highlights women in finance with the muscle to turn these up and coming business gurus into billion-dollar empires.

We will speak with Sharon about her incredibly trailblazing career, and how she’s immersed herself into the world of women in business. Dawn’s story is incredible, hosting at a Denny’s in SoCal at age 16, and by 23, borrowing enough money on her credit cards to become an owner. She is the founder and CEO of Den-Tex Central, and owns more than 80 Denny’s in the U.S. And Catherine Gray, well, she’s a connector, TedX speaker, author, podcast host, and has put her heart into making sure women get their fair share at the business table. Currently, women get just two-percent of the billions of dollars in venture capital every year.

Please join us for this incredibly vibrant conversation, and invite your friends, too. Our show is available on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and I’m happy to have you here.

Raffaella Valentini, Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

We are pleased to welcome to our show, Raffaella Valentini, esteemed Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles.

Raffaella has years of experience having worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, overseeing projects promoted by Italy in the Balkins, North Africa, and Middle East. She’s also worked at the Embassy’s economic office in Albania and Cairo before coming to Los Angeles. Raffaella has keen ideas on how she sees her position here, as it covers a large territory from California to Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada, and she wants to make sure to serve the various economic and cultural groups in each region.

For example, Los Angeles is so vast,
and she sees her job as serving the many Italians and Italian Americans from each area in a variety of capacities including science, technology, film, food, travel, and more. And as a woman in such high office, she also knows how important it is to set an example for other women looking to leave their mark in political office.

We will talk with Raffaella about her role with the cultural institute, as well as delve into her early life. Did she always want to be a diplomat? Were her parents in public service? What is perhaps the greatest challenge she sees serving the Los Angeles community? What are her immediate goals here? And for those Americans asking, the Consulate can guide on how to apply for an Italian passport, but it is not necessarily their job.

I can tell you Raffaella has already left her mark. She is poised and a sharp learner. Diplomatic and effective. But there’s lots of work she wants to get done, and we’ll talk to her about that, too.

Please join me on my #LittleItalyPodcast, #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast, and #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, a proud Italian-American whose family is from Avellino. Thank you for joining me, and please invite your friends as well.

Chef Bruno Serato, Anaheim White House Restaurant & Caterina’s Club

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

It was an extraordinary day this week at Anaheim White House Restaurant, where Chef Bruno Serato opened his doors to raise money for his beloved Caterina’s Club so Bruno and his team can feed near 25,000 kids and families in need every month! That’s A LOT of Pasta! And we’ll find out just how much was raised at yesterday’s #PastaThon when we speak with him.

Bruno has become a friend over the years, and many of us call him a saint. His generosity was inspired by his mom, Caterina, who gave him the inspiration to feed hungry children in nearby Anaheim. He took the challenge, and 13 years later, he’s been recognized by Time Magazine, CNN Heros, the Pope, and others around the globe.

We will talk with Bruno about his humble beginnings before moving to the United States, where his restaurant quickly became a fixture in Southern California. But he’s faced plenty of tough times, like the evening his restaurant burned to the ground a few years ago, and his first thought was, “how will I feed the children.” He rebuilt, and came back stronger than ever.

Please join me in welcoming Bruno to our #LittleItalyPodcast, #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast and #DeborahKobyltLIVE on all video and audio platforms.

Rick Caruso, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist

Deborah Kobylt Live, Little Italy of LA

Rick Caruso has become a household name, known as a mega-successful real-estate developer, philanthropist, and former LA mayoral candidate, but I know him as the family man who has Sunday dinners with his family, no matter what’s going on. And he credits much of that to his strong Italian roots.

Please join me in welcoming Rick to our show, where we’ll talk about some little-known facts about the man behind some of THE most successful retail shopping centers in the country. Did you know #TheGroveLA attracts more visitors each year than Disneyland? What’s his secret sauce? We’ll talk about that. How did a man who started out in the parking lot business make the move into retail development? And how did his traditional, Italian upbringing play a part in it all, being the grandson of Italian immigrants from Calabria who made their way to the coal mines in Pennsylvania before moving to California? We talk about that, too.

Rick says he learns as much from what does work from what doesn’t. And that’s a big part of his success. And philanthropy. Providing opportunities to others has been a big part of his DNA long before running for public office. He and his wife, Tina, impart that on their four children, too. It seems to drive him.

Please join our full interview with #RickCaruso on #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, & #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt.
Thanks for joining our show (for which I was just nominated Journalist of the Year).

Please invite your friends to our conversation with Rick, which can be found on YouTube, Facebook, and all audio platforms including iHeart and Apple Podcasts.