Facing the final curtain

That may be the way Johnny Recine would have put it, in the vocal stylings of Frank Sinatra.

But Recine no longer - that we know of - has a venue for his show of shows now that San Gennaro in Culver City has closed after a 12 year run.

The sometimes very good Italian restaurant with less than good service was a place that harkened back to another tiime where you could get a bottle of wine, two meals and dessert - plus an hour of song - for about $40.

Once we came in for a Seinfeld dinner at around 4 p.m. Johnny arrived shortly after, popped in a CD and started singing. He did three songs, having to retake one from the top, and we were the only people in the restaurant.

In a black suit and white shirt, he headed over to our table. He apologized for his voice and for bothering us. He said it was scratchy and he had a headache. This guy oozed Rat Pack and we were a little awed. He needed to practice for the dinner crowd having just driven in from Palm Springs - how Sinatra is that.

Well maybe Frank would have bought us one of San Genarro's famous $12 bottles of wine.

It's unclear what's going in to the space, two doors down from Ford's Filling Station. But it looked like someone ripped up all the seats and '80s decor inside the restaurant.

According to the City of Culver City's Website:
The Hull Building in 1925 to be the first hospital in Culver City. The architecture is recognized as Neo-Classical in style, with construction materials of tan and rose colored brick.

Although the uses have changed numerous times over the years, the Hull Building retains most of its original character. Its many occupants have included Freeman Furniture, the Sunset Drug, Ed Tinger's Culver City Flowers, Al Simon's Sada's Flowers, Kamin's Shoes, a boarding house on the second floor, the Bank of Orange County, and Italian restaurants-Riccardo's Restaurant, Bella Pasta and San Gennaro.

It was named after its first owner and builder, Dr. Foster Hull, Culver City's second City Health Officer. The Hull Building was recognized by the Culver City Historical Society as Historic Site Number Two. Stu Freeman of Freeman Property Management now owns the building.