Information provided by Mario Ortiz, Firehouse wine director, general manager and sommelier.
As is the case with most restaurants, winter – December in particular – is our busiest season.
With Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas and New Year’s Eve all in the same month, it’s easy to picture The Firehouse overflowing with families, co-workers, friends and – on occasion – an A-list celebrity, politician or athlete.
December 1981 was no exception, as Weinstocks, a Sacramento-based department store, chose to honor its “Art of Giving” campaign with a reception at The Firehouse. As part of the campaign, the store had commissioned legendary artist and pop-culture icon Andy Warhol to silkscreen the images of 10 of America’s most-beloved fantasy characters.
The reception was small, consisting mainly of Warhol, his entourage, Weinstocks employees and local art supporters. It was held in the Firehouse’s Courtyard Grill, which is known for being private, classy and a bit mysterious – a perfect match for Warhol’s personality.
I remember the night like it was yesterday. Warhol wore jeans, a royal blue blazer and tennis shows. His silvery-white hair had that “I just got out of bed” look.
I was working as the banquet manager at the time, which meant I played a large role in the night’s festivities. It also helped that I was close with the event’s organizers, Frank and Sue, who arranged for me to speak and share a glass of wine with Warhol.
We spoke of his art and the icons he chose, especially the Superman screen, which I was especially interested in. He told me to come by the store the following morning and he would personally sell it to me. I agreed, stopped by the following morning, made the purchase and remain fascinated by it to this very day.
He and I also spoke of restaurants. He told me about a dinner he had attended at Maxim’s in Paris. A dinner which Firehouse patron and legendary boxer Muhammad Ali attended, and where he spoke highly of The Firehouse.
No. 3 Wine and Dine Dispatch 