Once upon a time, there were movies stars like swimmer Ester Williams, the skater, Sonya Heine, Brazilian Carmen Miranda – all originals – and then there was the original Shirley Temple, a star no one will ever forget. This week the passing of Shirley Temple Black has saddened me and the world.

Shirley once said that she stopped believing in Santa Claus when she was 6 years old. Shirley visited Santa at a Los Angeles department store at Christmas. She sat on his lap and he asked her for her autograph!

Lucky are those folks who knew Shirley as a delightful child and delightful as a lady Ambassador. I am happy our paths crossed – once upon a time.

I still believe in Santa –and here is a photograph of the Hollywood Suite at Mackanac Island’s Grand Hotel, where we have a pool names after Esther Williams. Shirley Temple will always have a place of honor there in our hearts.