Italian Roots, Hemp Gummies and the Company Bringing La Dolce Vita to Cannabis

Episode Summary

Julie and Jamie welcome their first ever guest on the Florida Living Life Podcast and they picked a great one. Simone D’Antonio, co-founder of Mamma Mia, grew up cooking in his grandmother’s kitchen in Salerno, Italy, trained at the prestigious Gualtiero Marchesi Chef School, worked nine years in Los Angeles restaurants, and then stumbled into the cannabis industry through a next door neighbor and a dispensary visit that made him say — I can do this better.

From communion wafers infused with hemp to aperitivo inspired gummies named after Italian cities, Mamma Mia is a one of a kind brand where culinary storytelling meets the wellness industry.

Born and raised in Salerno, Italy. Trained at the Gualtiero Marchesi Chef School in northern Italy, one of the most prestigious culinary programs in the country. Moved to Los Angeles in 2014. Spent nine years working in restaurants as a chef before pivoting to bartending while building Mamma Mia on the side. Co-founded the company with his neighbor Casey Passero, a second generation Italian American who introduced him to the cannabis space.

A direct to consumer hemp edibles brand built around a culinary tour of Italy. Every product is named after an Italian city, inspired by a regional recipe, and designed with packaging that captures the visual identity of that city and era.

Current products and pricing:

• Gummies — $32 for three gummies. Flavors include kiwi bellini, orange spritz, and camomile bitter, all inspired by the Milano aperitivo culture of the 1990s
• Infused Communion Wafers (Roma) — $33. A nod to Vatican City and the Church, served in a package that is exactly what it sounds like
• Chocolate — $43. Higher price point due to ingredient costs and manufacturing complexity

Products are manufactured by a women owned facility in downtown Los Angeles using Simone’s recipes, ingredients, and packaging.

Products range from five to ten milligrams. Start low. Go slow. Everyone who has had a bad edible experience made the same mistake.

Simone breaks it down clearly. Edibles are not the same as smoking. They enter through digestion, kick in slower, last longer, and feel different. Cannabis has real anti inflammatory benefits. Some strains support sleep. CBD and CBN are non psychoactive options for people who want the wellness benefits without the high. The industry is still young and education is everything.

A possible Friuli Venezia Giulia inspired product. Infused butter for pasta. An inhalable product inspired by the air of the Dolomites. And a taste test from Julie and Jamie of the sample box Simone sent to Florida. Tune in.

Visit floridalivinglife.com to send a message. If you are a brand, a chef, or a business owner with a story worth telling, reach out. Julie and Jamie want to hear it.

• Brand sponsorships and content placement
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• Scenes From the Table live recordings
• Food and lifestyle brand features
• Virtual and on location options available

📞 Call or Text: 973-281-6896

📧 julie@julieriga.com

#FloridaLivingLife #MammaMia #SimoneDAntonio #HempEdibles #ItalianFood #FloridaFood #FoodPodcast #WellnessLifestyle #PalmBeachCounty #SouthFloridaEats

Shark Tank, Bachelorette Parties and the Man Who Built a Business on Good Vibes

Episode Summary

This week Julie and Jamie welcome Nelson Brooks, founder of Cabana Boy Events, to the Florida Living Life podcast. Nelson turned a chance invite to a bachelorette party in July 2020 into a company that has now thrown over 8,000 parties across the country, landed a deal with Kendra Scott on Shark Tank, and is now bringing the experience to Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.

From pool parties to corporate happy hours to divorce parties, if there is a reason to celebrate in South Florida, Nelson and his crew are ready to show up.

Founder of Cabana Boy Events. Started the company unemployed and single after attending a bachelorette party and spotting a gap in the market. Bought the domain the next morning on GoDaddy and the rest is history. Eight thousand parties later and growing.

Nelson applied online in fall of 2024, waited months for a callback, and then spent four months deep in preparation. The biggest takeaway: Shark Tank is a TV show first. They want a deal but they want great television more. Kendra Scott ended up being the one who made the deal, partly because she had already experienced Cabana Boys firsthand at her own birthday party without realizing it.

Two brands under one roof built for different occasions:

Cabana Boys — The energy brand. Perfect for bachelorette parties, girls weekends, pool parties, divorce parties, book clubs, and women's luncheons. Best for groups of ten to twenty five people. They serve, pamper, and entertain. Spotify DJs included. Not what you think — tasteful, fun, and fully professional.

Cocktail Crew — The bartending brand for weddings, birthdays, corporate happy hours, retirement parties, Super Bowl parties, and grad events. Male and female bartenders. Handles groups up to one hundred and fifty people. They also do mocktails for wellness focused or underage events.

Both brands help with setup and cleanup. Music is the number one ingredient for a great party according to Nelson. The playlist sets everything.

Cabana Boys in Miami and South Florida: $250 per hour for two cabana boys with a two hour minimum. Cocktail Crew: $80 per hour per bartender. Travel and holiday surcharges may apply.

Book at their website or find them on Instagram.

Visit floridalivinglife.com to send a message. If you are throwing a party in South Florida and want a visit or a feature on the show, reach out.

• Brand sponsorships and content placement
• Featured guest podcast interviews
• Scenes From the Table live recordings
• Food and lifestyle brand features
• Virtual and on location options available

📞 Call or Text: 973-281-6896

📧 julie@julieriga.com

#FloridaLivingLife #CabanaBoyEvents #NelsonBrooks #SharkTank #KendraScott #BacheloretteParty #SouthFloridaEvents #FloridaFood #FoodPodcast #PalmBeachCounty

Julie and Jamie continue their August birthday month celebration with a trip to Miami, a visit to Aventura Mall, more restaurant stops, and a meaningful look at Julie's family history.

From South Beach and Fogo de Chão to an unexpected overnight stay in Boca Raton, they share the highs and lows of their adventures. They also talk about taking down the Wall of Fame at Julie's mother's house, a collection of photos celebrating the famous people her father cooked for throughout his career.

And of course, they wrap up with more restaurant recommendations, including one of Julie and Jamie's favorite discoveries of the month.

Julie and Jamie spend a night in South Beach, staying at Hotel Balfour. While the hotel was not Jamie's favorite, they enjoyed being in Miami and reflecting on how much South Beach has changed over the years.

They also realize they missed some of the iconic South Beach experience, including walking Ocean Drive and seeing famous landmarks, so a return trip may be in order.

Fogo de Chão

A definite favorite from the Miami trip. Julie and Jamie loved the Brazilian steakhouse, especially the meats, buffet, fried bananas, gluten free popovers, mushroom soup, olives, cheese, and cheesecake. A great choice for a birthday or special celebration.

Red Pine

An unexpected Boca Raton stop after deciding to stay overnight rather than drive home. Jamie gives the egg rolls high marks, while Julie enjoyed her meal. The edamame was not a favorite, but overall it was an interesting restaurant experience.

Cheesecake Factory

The next morning brought breakfast, including chicken and waffles, an omelet, potatoes, bacon, and a birthday cheesecake. It was a solid breakfast and another stop during their extended birthday celebration.

Alfresco

One of the biggest restaurant highlights of the episode. Located near Lake Worth Beach on a public par-three golf course, Alfresco offers beautiful views of the ocean and golf course. Julie and Jamie both agree that the food was fantastic, with the chicken parm, spaghetti, linguini, pizza, and appetizers standing out.

Julie and Jamie visit Aventura Mall, which Julie calls the best mall she has visited in Florida so far. They explore specialty stores, Nordstrom, and the food court, where Jamie gets Shake Shack and Julie tries arepas.

Julie also shares the experience of trying on a Louis Vuitton bag for the first time.

While renovating Julie's mother's house, they had to take down the Wall of Fame that displayed photos of Julie's father with celebrities he cooked for, including Frank Sinatra, Liberace, Pavarotti, Joan Rivers, Don Rickles, Donna Summer, Tony Orlando, and many others.

After nearly ten years since Julie's father passed away, taking the photos down was emotional. The wall needs to be preserved because of a ceiling leak, but the family plans to create something new with the collection.

Julie and Jamie look forward to seeing 311 and Dirty Heads, with Rome also on the concert lineup. Julie promises to share how the concert goes on the next episode.

What are your favorite restaurants and things to do in South Florida? Tell Julie and Jamie where they should go next!

Visit floridalivinglife.com to send them a message and share your recommendations.

• Brand sponsorships and content placement
• Featured guest podcast interviews
• Scenes From the Table live recordings
• Food and lifestyle brand features
• Virtual and on location options available

📞 Call or Text: 973-281-6896

📧 julie@julieriga.com

#fogodechao #redpine #alfresco #cheesecakefactory

#floridalivinglife #southfloridaeats #floridafood #foodpodcast #palmbeachcounty