The Story Behind the Jayne Mansfield & Clint Eastwood Meeting

So we've all seen a handful of photos of Jayne Mansfield and Clint Eastwood on board a jet plane but the full story behind their meeting was never really published alongside the photographs. Below is the story you've been waiting to hear.

 "A recent file of photos caught my eye when I recognized a young Clint Eastwood, but the shot’s setting seemed odd and I didn’t recognize anyone else. No written information was included on the back of the photos, but one of the subjects turned out to be actress Jayne Mansfield, the Hollywood actress and performer who was one of the best-known blonde bombshells of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

She and Eastwood were going to appear at San Francisco’s Barbary Coast Fandango, an Old West-themed festival sponsored by The San Francisco Chronicle and California Historical Society.

Eastwood and Mansfield were to join San Francisco Supervisors Peter Tamaras and Charles Ertola and artist Lorrie Bunker to judge the costume contest. Attendees could ride a Wells Fargo stage coach that was robbed 15 times by Black Bart, pan for gold or try to win a new sewing machine by finding a needle in a haystack. On the final day of the Fandango, Mansfield would present a trophy to the winners of the fast draw competition, one of the highlights for the lucky few who attended the Fandango along side the celebrities."

read the full story here: http://www.sfchronicle.com/thetake/article/Come-one-come-all-to-the-Barbary-Coast-Fandango-5985854.php#/3

Goodbye to The Empress of China

This New Years Eve the Empress of China goes out with a bang. The restaurant was opened by Kee Joon Lee back in the 60's and he has been operating the business ever since. You will no doubt recognize the below image of Jayne signing the guest book with Kee Joon Lee by her side. The restaurant has always been very popular with bookings being made 2 years in advance for large functions. Sadly Kee lost his lease and the owners of the building are selling up for a cool $25 million. This Wednesday (New Years Eve) is the Empress' final day in operation. We say farewell to a well known and much loved Jayne Mansfield visited landmark.