Photo Okayed - Matchmaking with a Happily Ever After Ending

One day a proposal came to my father from the prospective suitable boy's maternal uncle.  Our family was known to them.  After the initial proposal, the uncle and the prospective boy's father came to discuss the proposal with my father one evening.  Maa made necessary preparations to receive the important guests.

During the meeting the suitability of the boy was discussed which included his education, which was pretty impressive, his profession and family.   The uncle then asked baba about me.  Both seemed to be satisfied and agreed to progress.  Photographs were exchanged.  The boy's photo was shown to me and my opinion was sought.  I saw the face of a reasonably personable young man and decided he would do. I guess the young man also thought the same, for it was rumored his telegram to his parents read 'Photo Okayed'. 

Henry Ford The Great Believer

Although Henry Ford and Clara Bryant grew up within eight miles of each other, they first met at a New Year's Eve Ball when Clara was 18. They spoke for only a few minutes, but Henry Ford would always recollect that he knew Clara was the girl for him right away. Henry Ford, who loved dancing, attended many more dances that season, but it was nearly a year before he saw Clara again. The young couple soon became engaged and were married on April 11,1888, the bride's twenty second birthday.

Henry Ford often referred to his wife as his great believer. Clara always showed faith and confidence through all the years of hard work and challenges.

Her support was rewarded.  After living in a total of ten rental homes, Henry's dream of success finally came true. They bought 2,000 acres along the Rouge River in Dearborn, and Fair Lane, the home where Clara and Henry would live the rest of their lives, was constructed.

In Dearborn, Clara and Henry would entertain friends and family at Fair Lane. The Fords also continued to enjoy dancing; Henry saw to it that Fair Lane had a large dance floor and that it was regularly used.

In a 1938 issue of The New York Times Magazine, Henry Ford was quoted as saying, "The greatest day of my life was the day I married Mrs. Ford."  Apparently Henry Ford was a great believer,too.

http://corporate.ford.com/news-center/press-releases-detail/651-clara-ford

George and Martha

 

George Washington was about to emerge a hero from the French and Indian War when he proposed to Martha Dandridge Custis.


 She was a young, beautiful, recently widowed and very sought after prize in the affluent and powerful Chesapeake society. Chances are good that George and Martha had known each other through mutual friends. They became engaged sometime in early summer 1758 and were married on January 6,1759.



There is always strong speculation that George Washington was passionately in love with Sally Fairfax, the wife of his best friend George William.  It seems, however, that all parties "moved on" and the Washingtons and the Williams remained the closest of friends. 

When George proposed to Martha he was undoubtedly enamored by her independence and diminutive beauty (she was a full 13 inches shorter than he), but there is no doubt that Washington was taking care of his future and marrying someone with more wealth and power than he possessed. 

The marriage ended up to be a wonderful one. Martha had two young children by her previous marriage, and George Washington raised them as if they were his own. He was heartbroken over the loss of 17 year old, Patsy and had tried all attempts to save her from her illness. When his step son, Jack, now a young father himself, died from typhus,Washington raised his children and assumed responsibility for their futures.


Martha proved to be the perfect match for this straight forward, yet ambitious, man. She hated being away from home and hearth, but dutifully traveled to Valley Forge each year during the war campaign to bolster the morale of both the troops and her husband. I think the most telling aspect of their marriage is George's instruction to Martha that she destroy all correspondence between them in the event of his death. Clearly he poured out his heart and soul out to her and, being the very discreet man that he was, did not think that history should intrude on this private love.


During this president's weekend we will see the familiar image of an old George Washington on everything from dollars to car sale signs. Martha has been forever enshrined as the old woman wearing the bonnet. Let's, though, remember them for who they really were; he, a 27 year old handsome soldier just home from the battle front , and she a 27 year old, diminutive Southern Belle, mother of two, who wore purple silk shoes with spangled buttons on her wedding day.

 Love comes suddenly to some and gradually to others; the test is in the time. The Custis-Washingtons were happily married for 40 years.

Coretta Scott and Martin Luther King, Jr.

On a hot day in August in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. led almost 300,000 people in the March on Washington. 

King addressed this huge crowd standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial. 

When Mahalia Jackson called out, urging Dr. King to 'tell us about the dream', he set aside his prepared text and delivered one of the greatest speeches in history.

This April will mark the 50th anniversary of the murder of Dr. King. 
We strive, particularly through these dark times, to honor and esteem  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for his enormous contribution to world peace, justice, and humanity, and we still thrill at the words "I Have a Dream".

 We also know of the great work of Coretta Scott King as an author, activist and civil rights leader. 

But when trying to find out how M.L. and Coretta met, there was not much information. 

History has focused on the couple's working partnership rather than on a boy meeting a girl and finding a lifelong friend and soul mate. In the Fall of 1951 Martin Luther King, Jr. had arrived in Boston to continue his studies at Boston University. He called an old friend from Atlanta, Mary Powell, and asked the age old question; could she fix him up with a friend? King, however, was not chasing girls, he was looking for a wife. 

Mary had met a young woman while studying at the New England Conservatory of Music who she thought might be just the right choice for her friend. Coretta Scott has been described as a poised, attractive, independent thinking woman. She could also be described as brilliant and talented. Coretta grew up in Marion,Alabama the daughter of hard working parents who, though uneducated themselves, were determined that their children receive good educations. Coretta was awarded a full scholarship at Antioch College and went on to continue her study in music at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. 

When she met M.L. she was unimpressed with his 5'7" stature, but she soon became impressed with his mind and heart. M.L. told her, "You have everything I have ever wanted in a wife. There are only four things, and you have them all...character,intelligence, personality, and beauty." Coretta Scott and Martin Luther King, Jr. were married on June 18, 1953 on the lawn at her mother's house. The ceremony was performed by the Martin Luther King, Sr. Coretta completed her studies and graduated from the  New England Conservatory with a degree in voice and violin. She and her husband moved to Montgomery, Alabama in September 1954.The rest is history!

The Papers of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Volumes 2-3; Martin Luther King, Jr.,Clayborne Carson,Peter Holloran,Ralph Luker,Penny A. Russell
http://books.google.com/books
www.wikipedia.com/Coretta Scott King

Le Baiser de l'Hotel de Ville

Robert Doisneau

My heart always lies in Paris...especially this weekend.
Pour Paris avec amour...


One Valentine's Day, my very romantic husband gave me a framed copy of Robert Doisneau's Le Baiser. It has always hung over my writing desk offering inspiration and invitation to travel and romance. Dreams do come true, and we have been to Paris many times, each time discovering romance in another part of the beautiful city, all looking like the background of the wonderful Doisneau photographs.


 Robert Doisneau is one of France's best known photographers,and is known for his street photography and the many images of everyday French life. He is quoted as saying,"The marvels of daily life are so exciting; no movie director can arrange the unexpected that you find in the street." 


The famous kiss in fornt of l'Hotel de Ville has the spark of spontaneity in its action. The lovers in the photo,were Françoise Delbart, 20, and Jacques Carteaud, 23, both aspiring actors. In 2005 Françoise Bornet (née Delbart) remembered that

 "He told us we were charming, and asked if we could kiss again for the camera. We didn't mind. We were used to kissing. We were doing it all the time then, it was delicious. Monsieur Doisneau was adorable, very low key, very relaxed." 

Although the relationship between Delbart and Carteaud only lasted for nine months, the The Kiss is one of the most celebrated photographs of modern times.


Robert Doisneau had his own romantic meeting. When a lovely French girl, named Pierette, came cycling through the village where he was on holiday, the two fell in love and were married. Unlike the lovers in Le Basiere de l'Hotel de Ville, Robert and Pierette Doisneau were married and remained together until death parted them in 1993. 

Vive le baiser et la romance!

Robert Doisneau


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Doisneau

John and Annie Glenn

John and Annie Glenn

John and Annie Glenn don’t really have a very exciting “how they met” story. John and Annie have known each other their entire lives. Growing up in Ohio, their parents were close friend, and often plunked their baby boy and girl together to share a playpen. The childhood friendship blossomed, and all through high school. everyone knew that any event would have John and Annie coming together. They shared a love of music, a love of each other, a deep bond, and an unbreakable trust.

As John’s fame catapulted his young bride into the public spotlight, Annie’s secret struggle, her disabling stutter,became even more of a burden . Never a problem with her best friend, John, Annie was rendered literally speechless when in any public setting.

After years of frustration and struggle, Annie finally found an intensive speech therapy program which worked. John Glenn wrote of his wife’s experience,

"I saw Annie's perseverance and strength through the years and it just made me admire her and love her even more...I don't know if I would have had the courage."

They’ve loved and supported each other through trying times and dangerous journeys. 

 As a Marine, John flew nearly 150 combat missions and later flew the famous Friendship 7 mission on February 20, 1962. Before dangerous deployments, or the terrifying 4 hours:55 minutes:23 seconds of space travel, the Glenns practiced the same good-by ritual. Using the lyrics of an old song, John would say,

 “I’m just going down to the store to get a pack of gum.”

Annie replying,

“Don’t be long.”

When John Glenn went up in the Space Shuttle Discovery, on October 29, 1998, he handed Annie a small pack of gum to hold until his safe return.

This week on April 6th, 92 year old Annie and 90 year old John will celebrate 68 years of marriage. Here’s to a wonderful life of love and adventure….God speed, John and Annie.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Glenn

Love-All

The U.S. Tennis Open is on, and present will be tennis champion, John McEnroe. Known for his devastating serves and volleys which led to his 17 Grand Slam titles, McEnroe is also known for his on court tantrums and abusive language which led to his being known as something of an...well,you know ... anyway, McEnroe has left the bad boy image behind and has emerged a favorite commentator and participant of today's world of tennis.   His most important match, with Patty Smyth ended in a Love-All score.

 In 1993 Patty Smyth,former lead singer of The Scandals, was focusing on a single career both as a musician and a mom. She remembers meeting John McEnroe at a Christmas party in Los Angeles.  "His three kids hung onto him like monkeys," she says of Mac,  "His sweetness was surprising." McEnroe recalls that a mutual pal intended to set him up with Smyth that night but forgot to tell her. "I tried in my own pathetic way to ask Patty out," he says, "but she was going away the next day." Their first real date was nearly a year later, and she says, "I knew that night I was safe with him."

Many years and six kids later the couple have a very successful match...at least off the court.

He still needs work on one part of his game. "John is banned from playing tennis with us," says Smyth. "He tortures me. We all get too mad at him."

McEnroe says fatherhood keeps him mellow. "The good part of having six kids," he says, "is there's always one who wants to hug you and say, 'Daddy, I love you.'" In lieu of date nights, he and Smyth watch movies and play Scrabble with the kids. And while he's not big on flowers, she says, "He's affectionate and totally devoted." 

McEnroe-Smyth  final score  Love-All

http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20271190,00.html

Carole Lombard and Clark Gable

On this April Fool's Day, famous internationally for well timed practical jokes, let's celebrate the love of Lombard and Clark, one of Hollywood's most beloved couples both on and off the silver screen, and one who kept their romance alive with humor and a  passion for extravagant pranks.
 

It was 1936 and two legends from the silver screen, Carole Lombard and Clark Gable, met, fell in love, married, and became one of the most famous couples during the Golden Age of Hollywood. 

Carole Lombard was a gorgeous, sexy, blond whose brilliance as a comic actress made her the highest paid star in Hollywood. Off screen she was much loved for her unpretentious personality and well known for her down to earth sense of humor and acerbic quips. Clark Gable was everybody's favorite leading man. handsome, charming, and always the romantic lead, he had a fan following unmatched by most.

The two originally met in 1932 during the filming of  No Man of Her Own, but met again in 1936 at a ball organized by Lombard. Gable proposed to Lombard in 1939 in a telephone booth at the very famous Brown Derby restaurant. Humor, intelligence, and a passion for jokes kept the original spark alive all through their marriage.

After a fight one time, Gable awoke to a flock of doves in his hotel suite. A request for a kitten resulted in the arrival of a baby cougar brought back from a Gable safari.

In 1941 returning home from a trip to boost morale for U.S. troops heading off to WWII, Carole Lombard was killed when her flight crashed shortly after take off in Las Vegas; she was only 33. Clark Gable was inconsolable and joined the U.S. Army Air Forces. he was later in attendance at the christening of the SS Carole Lombard.

When he died in 1960, Clark Gable was buried alongside Carole Lombard in Glendale, California.

www. wikipedia_carolelombard.com

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

 

When romantic meetings occur, usually one person has to take the initiative to ensure that the relationship progresses beyond the initial spark. Queen Victoria had no reservation in expressing her desire to marry Prince Albert of Saxe- Coburg in 1839. Victoria knew that he was "the one" after the Prince visited Windsor with his brother on October 10th. They could not make an appearance at dinner, due to the fact that their luggage had been lost in a stormy Channel crossing, but Albert appeared after dinner in more informal attire. Victoria found him extremely attractive and charming, and found her own heart "quite going".
Albert was summoned to a private audience during which the queen proposed marriage. Albert joyfully accepted and the couple embraced "over and over again". Their engagement was filled with kindnesses and kisses and their marriage filled with love, support, and mutual respect and admiration.

Weintraub,Stanley;Victoria. EP Dutton,NY 1987

The Gift of the Magi

We are never told how Jim and Della meet in O.Henry's famous Christmas short story, The Gift of the Magi, but their deep love for each other is demonstrated by the sacrifices they are willing to make to assure the happiness of the other. The story tells us that...

... there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair. Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy. 

It's the day before Christmas and there is no money to be had in the Dillingham Young household to buy a gift for her beloved Jim. In desperation Della decides to sacrifice her greatest possession to get enough money to buy Jim a beautiful watch chain for his prized gold watch. She rushes out and sells her long flowing hair before she has time to change her mind.

Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson

I am a shameless Barack and Michelle Obama supporter and really admire the Obamas as a couple.


Michelle Robinson is an attorney and was, at the time of their meeting, working at the very prestigious firm of Sidley Austin in Chicago. In June 1989 she was assigned a summer associate to mentor,Barack Obama.


By all accounts, Barack had a pretty good opinion of himself, and I would bet that Michelle's first impression was one involving eye rolling and raised eyebrows, but...that Obama charm, personality, and smile eventually won her over.


Barack and Michelle attended many social functions together and, although she was impressed by his intelligence, sense of humor, and good looks, she always declined Obama's requests to date. Finally at the end of the summer she gave way to her feelings and their friendship evolved into a relationship. Michelle Robinson and Barack Obama became engaged in 1991. They were married on October 3, 1992.

So, here's to a couple who inspires me everyday and provides truly great role models for couples everywhere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Obama

John Keats and Joseph Severn

 If you find yourself over on the Spanish Steps in Rome, take time to stop in at 26 Piazza de Spagna to view the rooms occupied by John Keats in his final months of life.

On Spetember 17,1820 Joseph Severn accompanied Keats to Rome in an attempt to find a cure for Keat's lingering illness. For Severn this trip was a sacrifice born of the love and admiration he felt for the young poet. Severn was leaving England as his own artistic career was beginning to flourish. His decision also marked the end of  his relationship with his father. He writes about their farewell that (his father)"in his insane rage he struck me a blow which fell me to the ground."

Severn provided constant care to Keats as his health failed and he began to slip away. Often watching his beloved friend endure the horrific attempts of 19th Century medicine to cure tuberculosis, Severn was at a loss as to how to relieve the emotional and physical suffering barely endured by Keats.

Recognizing his friend's selfless devotion, Keats wonders aloud to Severn,

""Severn I can see under your quiet look -- immense twisting and contending -- you don't know what you are reading -- you are induring [sic] for me more than I'd have you -- O! that my last hour was come --"






Severn's poignant sketch of Keats, finally sleeping peacefully just before the end, revelas a patient and enduring love for his subject.

Joseph Severn lived the remainder of his life in Rome. After a successful marriage, art career, and service as British Consul in Rome, along with fathering 7 children, Severn died at the age of 85. He is buried in Rome alongside his once loved friend and poet, John Keats.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Severn

Maria Callas and Aristotle Onassis

 

The romance between Maria Callas and Aristotle Onassis remains one of the legendary and tempestuous ones of modern times. Maria Callas, an American born Greek soprano, was considered one of the most renowned opera singers of the twentieth century. 

Aristotle Onassis, an émigré from Turkey, established himself over time as one of the world’s wealthiest men. When the two superstars met in Venice in 1957, both were at the height of their power, fame, and attraction. The fact that Callas was married at the time of their meeting, did nothing to dissuade Onassis from pursuing what he wanted. He extended several invitations to Maria and her husband to join him on his yacht, the Christina, and each time the invitation was refused.

Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied

The closest I came to watching the brilliant, yet disturbing film, "Black Swan" was surreptitiously glancing at my seatmate's movie screen on a transatlantic flight.  Even with the cushion of visual distance and no sound, I watched the tortured Nina through fleeting sideways glances, unable to endure her emotional and physical despair. So, it was with great joy that I learned the true ending of the film;the happy union of Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied. For those of us who love a "happily ever after" ending...thanks!


The brilliant and beautiful Natalie Portman was swept off her feet by NYC Ballet principal dancer, Benjamin Millepied during the filming of Black Swan. Millepied trained Portman to execute her amazing Oscar winning role as Nina, the lead dancer in the company's rendition  of Swan Lake.




Millepied also played the role of Nina's dance partner, and found himself in awe of Portman and her performance. Natalie and Benjamin are engaged and had a son this past June. In her Oscar award acceptance speech, Portman thanked her fiancee' for giving her "the most important role of her life".
Happy endings to all!

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett

Will Smith met Jada Pinkett in 1990 when she tried out to play his sassy girlfriend Lisa on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

 Though she lost the part to actress Nia Long (due to her small stature), Pinkett brushed past the 6’2” Smith while leaving the set.

He stopped her and asked, “What’s up?” She responded coolly, “Yeah, how you doing?”

It wasn’t exactly a sparks-filled start, but the two soon discovered they had mutual friends and started hanging out and speaking in more than three-word sentences.

Pinkett supported Smith during his split from his first wife, and shortly thereafter, the pair realized they were meant to be. They wed in a lavish, very private ceremony in 1997 and have been together ever since.


www.dailybeast.com 

Close Your Eyes And Defy Gravity

Sometimes when love comes along, you just have to have a little faith...faith in your friends, faith in the guy, and faith that everything will work out. Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith and just close your eyes....and defy gravity.

 
The story of how we met began in November of 2007.  My best friend suggested that I go to her company Christmas party with a coworker she wanted me to meet.  I have never been the type of person eager to be set up, so I was happy to tell her that I had plans for that same day.  Time passed, and my family and I paid a visit to this same best friend on New Year's Eve.  She made mention of this coworker again.  Once again, I blew off the idea of getting set up.



Flash forward to April of 2008.


 
My  friends and I found ourselves  at Sea World for the day.  For dinner, we decided to eat at a local Korean BBQ restaurant.  When we got to the restaurant, my friend told me that we needed to leave one extra seat empty.  Apparently, "the coworker" was meeting us there.  I didn't want to sit next to him, so I made another friend sit next to me.  I didn't know the guy, there was no way he was going to sit next to me while I ate! Knowing he was coming made me so nervous.  Instead of looking for what to order, I spent most of the time watching the door, trying to figure out which guy was going to walk through and come straight to our table.  It felt like an eternity for him to arrive.  It seemed like at the very moment I decided to look away from the door was the very moment he decided to walk in.


He introduced himself to the group, sat across from me, and we all had a nice dinner.  There was something about him that seemed different from every other guy I had met.  I don't know if it was "sparks" or if it was "love at first sight."  All I know was that this first meeting was definitely not going to be the last.  He made me feel comfortable.  He was easy to talk to and joke around with.  I even ended up sharing some of my rice with him.  He was that kind of guy that made you feel like you had known him forever.


We left dinner that night, but we didn't exchange contact information.  We just ended the night with a "nice to meet you" and "good-bye."


A few days later, my best friend gave me his cell phone number because she wanted me to ask him for help on something.  We've never stopped texting each other since.


Our first date was in April at Disneyland.  We got married the following October and are now happily together with a new family.

http://artsyprincess.wordpress.com

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner

 
In June, 2011, while living in Berlin, I picked up a German Vogue magazine in an attempt to brush up on my language skills. One of the interviews in Vogue that month, was a charming interview with Jennifer Garner.

Along with discussing the actress's current work and overall career, Ms.Garner found herself talking about her husband, Ben, and what a great dad he is. Interviews, unlike tabloids, focus on areas the celebrity chooses. In this article it was clear that the Garner-Affleck family, like many others, had funny stories about life at home that they were delighted to share with the reader. One part of the article was particularly difficult to translate, it had something to do with Ben Affleck and his daughter's hair.

After struggling a bit, I finally figured out what the article was discussing. It ended up that Jennifer Garner was saying that one could always tell when Dad was in charge of the two girls by looking at the way their hair was "arranged" when they left the house.

 This image made me remember when my husband brought my two daughters into the hospital to see their new baby sister. The girls had chosen their own outfits and had asked my husband for help braiding their hair. The result was wonderful; a wild mix of independence, attempt at symmetry, and a feeling of huge accomplishment.

At the time the 2011 interview was published, I was delighted to learn that the couple was expecting a baby boy. Now all interviews contain the sad news of Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck splitting up.

I hope that somehow they continue to find some happiness together in their parenting and with their growing family, and eventually learn to laugh with one another again.

Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

In 1844 Elizabeth Barrett's collection, Poems, was published and made her one of the most popular writers in the country. Robert Browning, an emerging poet in his own right, was so inspired by her work that he wrote to her stating,

"I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett"

A meeting was arranged, and Robert was introduced to the frail Elizabeth on 20 May 1845. So began one of the most famous courtships in literature. At the time of her success, Elizabeth was living in her family home under the influence of a very domineering father. She also suffered from poor health and was considered an invalid.

Despite this, and the fact that she knew her father, and even her brothers, would disapprove of her friendship with the handsome and dashing Robert, she took the courageous step toward love.

Elizabeth Barrett began her love sonnets to Robert Browning immediately after their first meeting. Robert was smitten, and the couple secretly corresponded for nearly two years before Elizabeth eloped with Robert. He whisked her away to a life in Italy. Her health and her heart grew stronger. And a son was born several years later, whom they nicknamed, Pen.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight 
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. 
I love thee to the level of everyday's 
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. 
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; 
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. 
I love thee with a passion put to use 
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. 
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose 
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath, 
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose, 
I shall but love thee better after death.

www.wikipedia_Elizabeth Barrett

The Story of San Juan
Capistrano's Mission Swallows

The miracle of the "Swallows" of Capistrano takes place each year at the Mission San Juan Capistano, on March 19th, St. Joseph's Day.

Each year the "Scout Swallows" precede the main flock by a few days and it seems to be their chief duty to clear the way for the main flock to arrive at the "Old Mission" of Capistrano.

With the arrival of early dawn on St. Joseph's Day, the little birds begin to arrive and begin rebuilding their mud nests, which are clinging to the ruins of the old stone church of San Juan Capistrano. The arches of the two story, high vaulted Chapel were left bare and exposed, as the roof collapsed during the earthquake of 1812.

This Chapel, said to be the largest and most ornate in any of the missions, now has a more humble destiny--that of housing the birds that St. Francis loved so well.

After the summer spent within the sheltered walls of the Old Mission in San Juan Capistrano, the swallows take flight again, and on the Day of San Juan, October 23, they leave after circling the Mission bidding farewell to the "JEWEL OF ALL MISSIONS" San Juan Capistrano, California.

http://www.sanjuancapistrano.net/swallows/

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall

Humphrey Bogart was known as a cool, commanding, and compelling film actor whose glib "one liners" are highly recognizable and often quoted.

He met his perfect match while filming "To Have and Have Not". Lauren Bacall was only nineteen when she auditioned for the film's leading lady role.

She reported that she was so nervous she tucked her chin into her neck and looked up at the camera, inadvertently creating a look that would be her signature. Bogart was in a miserable marriage which finally ended in divorce allowing him to marry Lauren Bacall on Mat 21, 1945. The couple had two children; a son, Stephen, named for Bogart's fictitious name in "To Have and Have not", and a daughter, Leslie.

They remained happily married until Bogart's death in 1957. When Humphrey Bogart was cremated, Lauren Bacall buried,with his remains,a gift she had received from him before their marriage. As a memento of the film where they met and fell in love, Bogart gave Bacall a gold whistle on which was inscribed, "If you want anything, just whistle."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humphrey_Bogart