RIP: Girasole’s Ermanno Tolot

Larchmont Boulevard has lost a genuine original. Ermanno Pietro Tolot, beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend, and restaurateur, passed away peacefully on February 8, 2013. He is best known to locals as the owner of Girasole, with his wife Sonia.

Tolot was born in Vittorio Veneto, Italy on July 11, 1935. He immigrated to Los Angeles, California in 1973, and lived the “American Dream.” First, creating a successful television repair shop in Manhattan Beach and then, partnering with his wife, Sonia, to create, Girasole, the popular Italian restaurant on Larchmont Boulevard.

In his spare time he spent countless hours building historic scratch model ships, which can be found in private collections and museums around the world. Anyone who has ever visited Girasole is familiar with the perfectly set model ship inside – lit so beautifully at night.

As a young man he was a mountaineer in the Italian Military and later became a proud Boy Scout father, actively participating in helping his son reach the rank of Eagle Scout. Ermanno is survived by his wife of 55 years, Nives Sonia Tolot, his daughters; Paola Tolot-Scott and husband Don Scott, Antonella Renyer and husband Paul Renyer, his son Elio Tolot and wife Barrow Davis-Tolot, his grandchildren; Daniele Capparelli, David Capparelli, Nico Renyer, Claudio Renyer, Luca Tolot, Alessandro Tolot and Sebastiano Tolot, his brothers; Milo Tolot and wife Rosalda Tolot, Alberto Tolot and wife Francesca Tolot, his cousins; Peter Boccato and wife Virginia Boccato, John Boccato and wife Gina Boccato, and countless other family members and friends that will miss him dearly.

A memorial service in celebration of his life will be held on March 9, 2013 at 11:00 a.m., at Christ The King Church, 616 N. Rossmore Ave, Los Angeles, 90004. Reception will follow at Girasole, 225 1/2 N. Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, 90004. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in his name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.StJude.org.