She was the last surviving credited cast member of the 1942 wartime drama, one of the greatest films ever made.
Today I am sharing the obituary of Madeleine LeBeau, a French actress who made a small though significant contribution to AFI’s second best film of all time: ‘Casablanca.’
Au revoir!
Casablanca 1942 retro image by Roberlan Borges, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.
No priming, no sanding. Just a little bit of effort can transform an every day piece of furniture to French Country. Visitors might think you’ve just been on a shopping trip to France! This is the second in a series on adding French flair to your home.
Source: How To Distress Furniture With Vinegar – White Lace Cottage
This piece was distressed using chalk paint.
French Country furniture often has a distressed look — like it’s been around the barn a few times. If you want to add a touch of French flair to your home, why not distress a piece you already own? Or one that you just bought at a garage sale and not sure of what to do with it? This method is super-easy.
Clean piece with a damp rag.
Using chalk-type paint, paint the piece at least 2 coats, allowing the paint to dry between coats. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the can for drying time. PIECE MUST BE FULLY DRY BEFORE DISTRESSING.
Fill a spray bottle (after testing it first, to verify it has an even spray) with white vinegar and water, using a 1:1 ratio for vinegar to water.
Spray mixture onto piece. Using a white rag, wipe off the mixture using varied pressure so that some areas have more paint removed. Continue wiping and spraying as needed.
You might want to paint the hardware separately; lay hardware on a white surface, such as a rag.
After piece has dried, apply wax to seal the chalk paint. Wax isn’t needed all of the time, but your piece will wear better if you do.
Au revoir!
Image of distressed piece using chalk paint by 5023 Creations from Pinterest, CCBY 2.0.
President John F. Kennedy’s Eternal Flame and grave at Arlington National Cemetery.
Today Americans pause to remember that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on this day in 1963 while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. The event is so seared in our memories that most Americans who were alive then remember where they were when they heard the President had been shot.
What many people probably do not know is that JFK’s eternal flame at his grave site in Arlington National Cemetery was requested by his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, at least in part because of the impression the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe had had on her when she visited France with her husband in 1961. President Kennedy and French President Charles de Gaulle had a good, diplomatic relationship based on mutual respect. Their relationship was further cemented by Mrs. Kennedy, who wowed the French people with her grace, her style, and her ability to speak French fluently. French President de Gaulle was equally impressed: He is said to have told President Kennedy: “Your wife knows more about French history than any French woman.”
The Eternal Flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France.
After her husband was killed, Jacqueline Kennedy requested an eternal flame be part of his grave site. There was some resistance to her request, but Mrs. Kennedy was insistent. The permanent John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame grave site was consecrated and opened to the public on March 15, 1967, which replaced a temporary grave and eternal flame used for Kennedy’s funeral three days after his assassination.
The site was designed by architect John Carl Warnecke, a long-time friend of President Kennedy.
Sadly, tragically, Kennedy was killed on de Gaulle’s 73rd birthday. Kennedy’s eternal flame and death on the French President’s birthday forever link the U.S. and France in friendship and sorrow.
Au revoir.
Image of JFK’s Eternal Flame and Grave Site by Klinton Smith, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of Eternal Flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe by Elsa L. Fridl.
References:
“JFK and Jackie’s Secret Life Between the (Book) Covers, ” by Thurston Clarke, blogs.wsj.com, published July 25, 2013, 12:00 P.M. ET. Clarke also wrote “JFK’s Last Hundred Days: The Transformation of a Man and The Emergence of a Great President,” published by Penguin Press, 2013.
“John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame,” by Wikipedia, CCBY 3.0.