Little Italy Of LA Podcast

Little Italy Of LA Podcast 🇮🇹Highlighting Italian & Italian American stories in art, culture, & heritage in LA & beyond🇮🇹

10/30/2025

As month comes to a close, I wanted to highlight my recent interview with award-winning actor and producer , who talks in this clip about what inspires him artistically.

James is currently working on a short doc he's producing, PER CHI, a Production, directed by , and soon to make the film festival circuit. He says he's received terrific support from Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles and the of Los Angeles, which he frequents often. In fact, he spoke about attending a discussion there earlier this year highlighting the documentary, Posso Entrare? An Ode to Naples, by .

James is currently working on a a short doc he's producing, "PER CHI," which is soon to make the film festival circuit, and he says he's received terrific support from Italian Consul General and the , which he frequents often, referring to a film and discussion by earlier this year.

While James hails from NY, he moved to LA to pursue a career in entertainment, but he says Italy will always feel like home, which he frequents often.

Please find my full interview with James on all video and audio platforms of , , & . I'm your host, , and it's my pleasure to welcome you here.

10/29/2025

Please welcome to our show James Tumminia, award-winning actor, producer, and lover of all things Italian, beloved for his role as Angelo in the TV series, "Melissa & Joey" and much more. And we'll be talking with James about his work and how he gets his fix of Italian food and culture in this great city of LA.

As a kid growing up in an Italian-American neighborhood in Brooklyn, James Tumminia knew two things: he loved all things Italian, and he wanted to be an actor. And he's living both.

I first met James at an event at the Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles, and noticed he seemed to be at every Italian gathering throughout the city - and there's many. So I thought it appropriate to invite him to talk about all things Italian, in addition to his life and career, as part of Italian-American Heritage Month.

James studied Italian at Georgetown, which led him to living, studying, and working in Florence. He played Mario in "Two Scoops of Italy" a Hallmark film, and has been involved on the producer side of many projects, including, "Love, Guilda," "1st Strike," and many more.

James said he feels the guidance of his ancestral grandparents, all four born in Italy, and he became an Italian citizen in
2009. He's currently working on a project he's super excited about, "PER CHI," a short doc he's producing, a Production directed by , and soon to make the film festival circuit.

James hails from NY and moved to LA to pursue a career in entertainment. He says Italy always feels like home, which is why he frequents so many Italian events in this great city.

Please welcome on all video and audio platforms of , , & . I'm your host, , and it's my pleasure to welcome you here.

As a kid growing up in an Italian-American neighborhood in Brooklyn, James Tumminia knew two things: he loved all things...
10/29/2025

As a kid growing up in an Italian-American neighborhood in Brooklyn, James Tumminia knew two things: he loved all things Italian, and he wanted to be an actor.

Please welcome to our show James Tumminia, award-winning actor, producer, and lover of all things Italian, beloved for his role as Angelo in the TV series, "Melissa & Joey" and much more. And we'll be talking with James about his work and how he gets his fix of Italian food and culture in this great city of LA.

I first met James at an event at the Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles, and noticed he seemed to be at every Italian gathering throughout the city - and there's many. So I thought it appropriate to invite him to talk about all things Italian, in addition to his life and career, as part of Italian-American Heritage Month.

James studied Italian at Georgetown, which led him to living, studying, and working in Florence. He played Mario in "Two Scoops of Italy" a Hallmark film, and has been involved on the producer side of many projects, including, "Love, Guilda," "1st Strike," and many more.

James said he feels the guidance of his ancestral grandparents, all four born in Italy, and he became an Italian citizen in 2009. He's currently working on a project he's super excited about, "PER CHI," a short doc he's producing. We'll be talking about that.

And while James hails from NY and moved to LA to pursue a career in entertainment, he says Italy always feels like home, which is why he frequents so many Italian events in this great city.

Please welcome on all video and audio platforms of , , & . I'm your host, , and it's my pleasure to welcome you here.

Tonight the premiere the magnificent Italian film, When Mom Is Away With The In Laws, at the , 8:15pm at Starlight Trian...
10/21/2025

Tonight the premiere the magnificent Italian film, When Mom Is Away With The In Laws, at the , 8:15pm at Starlight Triangle Cinema in Costa Mesa. Tickets still available to the film, which is quickly becoming an Italian classic. Enjoy! And make sure to check out all of the offerings at the festival, which concludes this weekend.



10/17/2025

Who doesn't love a good Italian comedy? I've been obsessed since watching my first Fellini film as a kid.
And this week, the will feature one of my favs, "When Mom Is Away...With The In-Laws," which is part of the International Film category. The film is set to premiere on 10/21, so get your tickets before they sell out

We spoke with NBFF creator, Gregg Schwenk, about this and many of the films being highlighted at this year's festival, which has become one of the largest film fests in California, highlighting hundreds of shorts, documentaries, art, fashion and more over its one-week run. Gregg grew up in Newport Beach and said this film festival is a terrific way to bring community and business together to celebrate art and the talent that creates it from around the world. And he invites you to come and enjoy, too.

Please note, the festival has graciously offered $5 discount code "Italian2025" when purchasing tickets.

Please find my full interview with Gregg on all video and audio platforms of , , and . I'm your host, , and it's my pleasure to welcome you.

10/16/2025

Today begins a huge celebration of art and cinema right here in Southern California with the start of the week-long , featuring over 100 films and 250 shorts from 32 countries. And this year promises to be one of the most exciting yet, with magnificent shorts, documentaries, feature films, talks, receptions and evening events that include mingling with yummy food and drinks!

The festival opens with a screening of Richard Linklater’s “Blue Moon” starring Ethan Hawke, and will conclude with a screening of Guillermo Del Toro’s much awaited “Frankenstein." Then, of course, there's the International Film category with one of my favs, "When Mom Is Away...With The In-Laws," and Italian comedy.

We spoke with NBFF founder Gregg Schwenk about some surprises this year, which include some of Hollywood's top talent who will attend. Make sure to go on the website for details, but Gregg gives us an inside peek in this clip.

Please find my full interview with Gregg on all video and audio platforms of , , and . I'm your host, , and it's my pleasure to welcome you.

10/15/2025

We're so excited about this year's Newport Beach Film Festival from October 16-23, featuring over 100 film and 250 shorts from 32 countries.

The festival opens with a screening of Richard Linklater’s “Blue Moon” starring Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Bobby Canavalle and Andrew Scott. The closing night film will include a screening of Guillermo Del Toro’s “Frankenstein," starring Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Oscar Isaac & Christoph Waltz. And for the International Film category, the Italian film, "When Mom Is Away...With The In-Laws" is already said to be a show stopper.

We will be speaking with the creator of the NBFF, Gregg Schwenk, who joins us to talk about what's become one of the industry's most exciting festivals, including some of the special events over the week-long event. Make sure to go on the website for details, but Gregg will give us an inside peek during our interview.

Please join us on all video and audio platforms of , , and . I'm your host, , and it's my pleasure to welcome you.

The 26th Newport Beach Film Festival opens this week from October 16-23, and will feature over 100 film and 250 shorts f...
10/15/2025

The 26th Newport Beach Film Festival opens this week from October 16-23, and will feature over 100 film and 250 shorts from 32 countries, one of their biggest yet, including some incredible international films. And we love the one from Italia!

The festival opens with a screening of Richard Linklater’s “Blue Moon” starring Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Bobby Canavalle and Andrew Scott. The closing night film concludes with a screening of Guillermo Del Toro’s “Frankenstein," starring Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Oscar Isaac & Christoph Waltz. And I'm incredibly excited about the International Film category, featuring the Italian film, "When Mom Is Away...With The In-Laws," which is already said to be a show stopper.

We will be speaking with the creator of the NBFF, Gregg Schwenk, who joins us to talk about what's become one of the industry's most exciting festivals, including some of the special events over the week-long event. Make sure to go on the website for details, but Gregg will give us an inside peek during our interview.

Please join us on all video and audio platforms of , , and . I'm your host, , and it's my pleasure to welcome you.

Celebrating Columbus Day, an important day for our Italian heritage. Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and na...
10/11/2025

Celebrating Columbus Day, an important day for our Italian heritage.

Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed four Spanish-based voyages across the Atlantic Ocean sponsored by the Catholic Monarchs, which opened the way for the widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas. His expeditions were the first known European contact with the Caribbean and Central and South America.

On this day, Italians celebrate his contribution to globalization and expansion of the world. While there are many mixed stories about him, his accomplishments as an explorer changed the map forever.



10/10/2025

Do you see many fat Italians? The answer would be "no." Why? Because they learn at an early age to eat high quality, fresh, homemade food without a lot of gunk added. And they practice the art of fasting.

We recently spoke with , lead researcher at 's longevity institute, who has been connecting the benefits of fasting and improvement with metabolism, inflammation, and an overall healthier life, and she talks about it in this clip.

Maura is from Italy and studied at the University of Cagliari, Italia, before joining USC. She points to how the American diet is so radically different from the Italian diet, and how incorporating proper fasting with certain foods can actually extend our lives. And we don't have to fast all day. Maura gives us practical tips on the best way to achieve a healthy fast without feeling famished.

Please welcome Maura Fanti as one of our featured guests for Italian Heritage Month on all video and audio platforms of our , , & . I'm your host, , and I thank you for joining us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LQ0Jd3qsdg

10/09/2025

When we think of the Italian community, we're reminded of the traditions that run deep in the veins of its people - community, food, shared culture, and of course, family. This is something Vicky Carabini takes to heart, and she's taken it upon herself to highlight Italian events throughout Southern California, and I thought it appropriate to highlight her as one of our featured guests for Italian Heritage Month.

Since 2007, Vicky has served as Ambassador to San Juan Capistrano’s sister city in Capestrano, Italy. She is Chair of the Italian Studies Council and Board Member of the Ferrucci Institute at , which has one of the most active Italian Studies programs in the country, and she talks about that in this clip. Vicky is also Regional VP for the , which promotes Italian heritage at its highest level through programs based out of D.C., and she's working to ensure California has a large presence within the organization.

Italian mama & nonna is forever hosting fundraisers, Italian film nights, parades and food drives to keep the Italian community actively involved in Orange County where she lives. And if you're looking for something to do, check out her newsletter that keeps So Cal folks informed on all things Italian.

People like Vicky matter because to keep our culture, or any culture active within a community, it requires commitment, and that's Vicky. In 2003, Vicky and her husband, Michael, purchased a farmhouse in southern Tuscany, and they've been producing olive oil ever since. They've attained their Italian citizenship, too, so they're all in!

Want to get involved, too? Please find my full interview with Vicky on our , , & . I'm your host, , and it's my pleasure to welcome you here.

tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjUfoaGThwM

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