Little Italy Podcast & Little Italy of LA Podcast

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!

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.

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 has become a household name, known as a mega-successful real-estate developer, philanthropist, and 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.

Please join me today as we welcome my beautiful friend, Cristina Ferrare - supermodel, New York Times best selling author, TV talk show host, chef, cancer survivor, mom, and much more. Cristina is of Italian descent, born to Renata and Tavio Ferrare, who was a butcher in Ohio. But they didn't stay in Ohio long, because Cristina's beauty was so blinding, she was signed by a top modeling agency in LA, and her career took off. She's been on too many magazine covers to count, has been a spokesperson for Max Factor and other top brands, has written seven books and hit The NY Times best seller list. Cristina's hosted numerous TV shows including Home and Family and AM Los Angeles, she's a cancer survivor, mom, nona, and has led a very public life that has included it's share of highs and lows. And she joins us today to talk all about it, including her passion for cooking, in particular, Italian cooking. Please join #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyPodcast on all video and audio platforms, and invite your friends to join, too. I'm your host, Deborah Zara Kobylt, and it's a pleasure to have you join us 󰏢

Love Italian food, wine, fashion, accessories and more? Then you MUST listen to our
show today, featuring Lorenzo Lisi, creator of the Nexxt - Made in Italy Expo,
happening this week Oct. 19-22 at CRAFTED at the Port of Los Angeles. This is an
extraordinary event featuring 120 of the finest vendors from Italy, there will be food
tastings and more, and it's FREE!
Also joining us will be the legendary Celestino Drago, owner of Drago Centro, where he
will presenting and evening of Italian elegance and fine dining to end the Expo and
celebrate the Nexxt Foundation, which we will be discussing on our show. Celestino is
a LEGEND, and we are honored to have him on our show to talk about his incredible
career and life in the culinary arts, running one of America's finest restaurants in
downtown LA.
Please tune into our show on #LittleItalyPodcast, #LittleItalyPodcast, and
#DeborahKobyltLIVE on all video and audio platforms, and invite your friends, too. I'm
your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and I'm excited to have you here and hope to see you
at the #Expo󰏢

#Monica is a film worthy of an Oscar nomination, and I recently interviewed
Eleonora Granata-Jenkinson, producer, and Andrea Pallaoro, director, about the
making of this this beautiful movie.
Monica is played Trace Lysette and Patricia Clarkson stars as her mother. The film
is about a trans woman who was driven out of her home decades earlier because
her family would not accept her life choice. But Monica returns to care for her
ailing mother, and the humanity and emotions that evolve throughout this film are
nothing short of extraordinary.
Here's a clip from our interview with Eleonora and Andrea, representing
Italian-American filmmaking at its finest. They talk about making this movie, and
the choices made to depict the story with such beauty.
Monica is also getting Oscar nods, and the team will be fundraising to raise money
for an Oscar campaign, and we also talked about that during our interview. Please
find our full conversation with Eleonora and Andrea on all video and audio
platforms of #LittleItalyPodcast, #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast, and
#DeborahKobyltLIVE, and invite your friends, too.
I'm your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and I'm honored to have you joining us 󰏢

Today we celebrate Italian food and excellence in art.
Please welcome to our show Evelyne Joan, owner of the infamous Mauro Cafe on
Melrose, whose restaurant is as well known for its Italian cuisine as it is for supporting
artists, which brings us to Lynne Deutch, also featured on our program.
Lynne's photography of her travels throughout the island of Capri will be featured at
Mauro's cafe beginning tomorrow. We speak with her about her work and her love of
Capri, which is captured through her work.
The exhibit was carefully executed by Italian artist and internationally acclaimed
curator, Piero Addis, who will join us from Italy to discuss the exhibit and how he
designed it to compliment the restaurant.
We're thrilled to be interviewing such a dynamic and talented team for our
#LittleItalyPodcast, #LittleItalyPodcast, & #DeborahKobyltLIVE as part of our
#ItalianHeritageMonth series of interviews.
Please join us, invite your friends, and come see the show at Mauro's, which runs
through November. I'm your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and I'm happy to have you as
part of our family 󰏢

I'm thrilled to welcome our friend, Maestro #CarloPonti, joining us to discuss the
opening of his Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra 2023/2024 Season this month.
I'm passionate about music education, and Maestro Ponti has dedicated his time
to raise money and awareness to bring music education to young people in
schools through the work of his LAV Orchestra. All proceeds from the Los Angeles
Virtuoso Orchestra funds musical education programs so young people have the
opportunity to study music in schools throughout Los Angeles, regardless of
economics.
Of course, we will also talk about Mr.
Ponti's early days, growing up with legendary mom, #SophiaLoren, his dad, film
producer Carlo Ponti, Sr, and younger brother, Eduardo, also a filmmaker. Carlo
tells us his home was filled with music and arts growing up. I can only imagine!
The Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra
premieres its upcoming season on Friday, October 20, at the Theater Raymond
Kabbaz in West LA, one of my favorite theaters in the City of Angels. Carlo Ponti
and the Orchestra look forward to sharing an exciting lineup of performances,
featuring emerging young soloists who will make their debut with LAV's
world-class musicians, LIVE.
Please join us on all video and audio platforms of #LittleItalyPodcast,
#LittleItalyOfLAPodcast, and #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I'm your host,
#DeborahZaraKobylt, and I hope you invite your friends to listen to our interview
AND attend the upcoming LAV performances with Maestro Carlo Ponti.

Kicking off Italian American Heritage Month with ABC's 20/20 Correspondent and friend, Pat Lalama, who joins our #LittleItalyPodcast to talk about growing up Italian, and how one talk from her dad, Nunzio, convinced her that she could do anything she set her sights on. Pat's family is from both northern and southern Italy, which she says was always complicated growing up. Life wasn't always easy, her dad left her mom when Pat was just 17, and she learned to accept a blended family. There were lots of laughs, complications, drinking, and then there was Uncle Johnny. She'll explain all of that. Pat says she was always independent, had no interest in getting married, until she met famed attorney Tony Brooklier. She was widowed unexpectedly, and she'll talk about that, too, because she wants to discuss the incredible grief associated with family and friends who take their own lives. Pat has had an enormously successful career as a TV correspondent, working in LA and nationally on Inside Edition, 20/20 where she works now, and more more. She credits her Italian upbringing for making her tough, but at the same time, loving. And can she cook?? She'll talk about that, too! Please join us on @LittleItalyPodcast, @LittleItalyOfLAPodcast & @DeborahKobyltLIVE, and tell your friends, too! I'm your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and welcome to #ItalianHeritageMonth! 󰏢