Blasphemy! Fior d'Italia To Offer Tommy Lasorda Wine?!

Fact: Fior d'Italia is a San Francisco institution that bills itself as the oldest Italian restaurant in America.

Fact: Tommy Lasorda, onetime manager of the rival Los Angeles Dodgers, is one of the most despised men in San Francisco lore. This is the same man who would respond to his nightly chorus of Candlestick Park boos by blowing kisses to the crowd. Even in his retired state, if Lasorda, now in his eighties, makes an appearance on the Jumbotron at a Giants' game, boos and hisses descend upon Pac Bell faster than those mutant superseagulls. In short, he's the one man that our peace-love-dope city has always loved to hate.

So, naturally, our minds were blown when we heard that the Fior would be the first Northern California restaurant to offer Lasorda's wine and sell his book. Really, San Francisco? What self-respecting San Franciscan would order a bottle of Tommy Lasorda wine, let alone buy his book? *condescending head shake* It's like Chez Panisse promoting a cruise on a Cosco Busan ship. With a newfound loss of respect for society, we present the PR color:

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - November 15, 2007) - Legendary Baseball Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda is teaming up with another legend, San Francisco's Fior d'Italia, America's Oldest Italian Restaurant, to launch his new collection of Italian table wines. "The Fior" is the first Northern California restaurant to carry his wines. Lasorda, known for his good humor and love of Italian cooking, said, "I've been going to The Fior for years, and couldn't think of a better place to introduce my wines to Northern California."

Carefully selected by Casa Torelli Imports, of the six varietals in his collection, Lasorda is most proud of the Trebbiano and Montelpuciano D'Abruzzo wines. These varietals hail from the homeland of his father, Sabatino Lasorda.

In celebration of Tommy's 80th birthday and his ten-year anniversary into baseball's Hall of Fame, Fior d'Italia's award-winning Chef Gianni Audieri has designed a special menu to complement the Lasorda collection that includes a bottle of Tommy's wine to take home. Tommy's wine and book "I Live for This! Baseball's Last True Believer!" are available for purchase at The Fior.

Owner Bob Larive comments, "Our restaurant is proud to serve Lasorda wines; we love Tommy as he is a friend and a great American and we know our customers will enjoy his selections."

Fior d' Italia, America's Oldest Italian Restaurant, has proudly served the citizens of and visitors to San Francisco since 1886. Located in the North Beach section of San Francisco in the historic San Remo Hotel, "The Fior" specializes in traditional Northern Italian cuisine and old world hospitality. A favorite of locals and visitors alike, the restaurant is the ultimate San Francisco dining experience. It has been said, "If you haven't dined at 'The Fior' you haven't been to San Francisco."

For information or purchase Lasorda wines on line visit Fior d' Italia at www.fior.com or www.lasordawine.com.