Albie: I Was Extremely Impressed With Colorado
Albie opens up about his relationship with Brittany, dispensaries, and all things Colorado.
BravoTV.com: Was it awkward when Lauren asked Brittany about marriage during dinner right before your trip to Colorado?
Albie Manzo: It was awkward for a number of reasons, but mostly because I just wanted everyone to let the relationship evolve on its own. We just got to a place where everyone had embraced her and then it's like, "HEY, WHEN ARE YOU GETTING MARRIED?!?!?!" I spent so much time reacting to what everyone else thought when we decided to work things out, that I never gave myself a chance to figure out how I felt or what I wanted. So in a lot of ways I just wanted that opportunity to let things be and take a breath.
BravoTV.com: Pete, who ran the Medicine Man dispensary agreed to test your product, which was really great news! Do you feel like the trip was a success?
AM: How awesome was Pete? His story was absolutely amazing and the operation at Medicine Man is just incredible. I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to business, I have an incredible amount of respect and admiration for those with an entrepreneurial spirit. I was extremely impressed with Colorado, it wasn't at all what I was expecting and I really encourage everyone to check it out. One fascinating aspect of that entire industry is there are some really smart people out in Colorado doing very noble things that simply do not get enough attention. From hemp farmers who are developing products that help children with epilepsy cope with seizures to products aimed at helping veterans with PTSD, there's a lot more going on there than many people think. The trip was a success in the sense that I realized there was a market for a product like this. Going out to Colorado was just step one of the this whole process, knowing that there's an opportunity is great, but there was still work to be done before deciding I'd actually pursue it.
BravoTV.com: Did your trip to Colorado make you rethink your relationship with Brittany?
AM: By the time I was in Colorado, Brit had brought up what her expectations were for the next step in our relationship. I think the trip gave me a chance to get some alone time with my brother and think about what I wanted and what I was ready to commit to. So while the trip itself didn't cause me to think differently about things, I think getting away for a little gave me a little bit of clarity.
BravoTV.com: It looked like you and Chris had a fun time and really enjoyed Denver. What was your favorite moment from the trip?
AM: I really enjoyed meeting Pete. Whether you agree with what Colorado is doing or not it was so interesting for me to meet someone who is knee deep in such a polarizing industry. He could not have been nicer and seeing someone so driven by their passion really set something off inside of me. Other than that, it was nice just to hang with Chris and catch up as weird as that sounds.
BravoTV.com: Did you have any idea your parents were surprising everyone with a big family with a trip to Italy?
AM: Nope. But screw it, just a little over a week before the wedding. What's the worst that could happen?
