BEVERLY HILLS—Tina O Hillstrom along with Brad Hillstrom hosted a party in Beverly Hills last week to kick off Gianni Russo’s wine and spaghetti sauce in style and in WANNAWEAR DRESSES by Tina O.

Gianni Russo, still handsome dashing and dangerous, flew into L.A. to negotiate a film of his life last week. Some say he has mob connections and that his uncle was a soldier in the Gambino crime family. There are claims that the Gambinos persuaded Francis Ford-Coppola to cast Russo as Carlo Rizzi in “The Godfather.” Gianni states however, his father was a longshoreman and a musician who worked on the Brooklyn waterfront. Russo believes it’s his crooning that separates him from the mob of other on-screen wise guys. His debut CD titled “Reflections” pays homage to such legendary singers as Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. These icons inspired him both personally and professionally

 

Russo’s best known film role was as Carlo Rizzi in the 1972 movie “The Godfather.” Singing his way into wine and the sauce, spaghetti sauce that is, Gianni Russo co-hosted a dinner party for 16 guests at the home of Tina O and her husband Dr. Brad Hillstrom in Beverly Hill last week.

Imported by Gianni Russo Internation, Manhasset (Hamptons) NY, Gianni Russo Wine Collection just expanded into California and Florida as well as the countries of Canada and Mexico.

All of the guests dinned on the fine food Gianni prepared and his wine. Other guests include, Martin Genis, Carolina Bacardi (Bacardi Rum Family) Jane Fonda, Richard Perry, Kelly Sutherland and Brad Jr. the Hillstrom’s now pre med & Marine son invited his gal pal actress Jess Foldger. Ms Folger, who is as beautiful outside as she is in, just landed a role on ABC’s hit-soap opera “All My Children.” Also at the party were, Russo’s gal pal Jennifer Thompson, who reps the wine in the western part of the U.S., Interior designer Carol W and Sara who attended with her man Jeff, who is the P.R. manager for Gianni. All wore WANNAWEAR â„¢ dresses by Tina O at the party. So did Carolina Bacardi. Jeffrey and Sarah Dash were also fashionable and festive at the party.

Gianni asked Tina, “What took you so long to introduce me to all these beautiful women?” Tina O said, “I always save the best for last.” The spaghetti sauce was outstanding as well as the sausage and the chicken peasant dish that Gianni’s late Italian grandmother taught him to cook in his youth. The Prosecco (champagne), wine and crab martinis, which Tina O made, were accented by a request of crooning from the youngest lady at the party, Jess Folger. She asked Gianni to sing the theme song of the “The Godfather,” and he complied. The party went on until 4 a.m. And Tina concluded, “Tommy, I’m happy to say, the police didn’t need to stop by.”