January 2, 2017 In Leslieville Lives

Leslieville Lives; Stories from the ‘Ville – Jungle Ling

Meet Jungle. I (unknowingly) knew of him before I’d met him. At my neighbour’s one night, who had bought my photo book, he told me that a few of the mural photos in the book were ‘that guy’s art’, and pointed to a long-haired Chinese guy talking to a few other people who were there. Excited to meet him, I went over and introduced myself. Jungle and I have been ‘regulars’ at this friend’s weekly drop in, so we’ve gotten to know each other a bit more over the last few months. I knew his was a story in the making.

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December 18, 2016 In Leslieville Lives

Leslieville Lives; Stories from the ‘Ville – Rob Torr & Stephanie Graham

Meet Rob and Stephanie. I didn’t know them before a few weeks ago when my friend Stephen, who had worked with them,  suggested they’d be great for this project. I said sure and noted to get in touch. He’d told me a bit about them and the show they were putting on. Less than a week later, I was working at an arts market and into the market that Sunday afternoon, swings Robin Hood and Maid Marian (Rob and cast member Cynthia Hicks) doing a little live PR for their show, Robin Hood: A Merry Magical Pantomime. I said ‘Rob’? He looked over and after I introduced myself, he laughed. What were the chances that we would meet by happenstance just a few days after I’d heard of him/the show? As my mom used to say, the universe works in mysterious ways.

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December 4, 2016 In Leslieville Lives

Leslieville Lives; Stories from the ‘Ville – Ryan O’Brien

Meet Ryan. I first crossed paths with Ryan about 2 years ago walking my dog. He had just rescued his dog, Junebug, and she was having a grand ole time barking up a storm in Sunshine’s face. I could see he was in the throes of training her. We exchanged a few pleasantries and went on our merry way. We bumped into each other numerous times over the next few years, chatted a few times; the usual small talk passing on the street or in the dog park. It wasn’t until recently that I got talking to him more in depth one day in the park. Mind blown.

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November 20, 2016 In Leslieville Lives

Leslieville Lives; Stories from the ‘Ville – Scott Savoie

Meet Scott, aka Cheffie. Many of you may know him from Culinary Adventure Tours and now Toronto Food Tours. I first encountered Scott on a cold October day in 2015 walking down Queen St. It was a Sunday. He was surrounded by 8-10 people holding court near Jimmie Simpson park. We didn’t talk, but I ‘suspected’ he was giving some kind of tour. At first I thought it was a Jane’s Walk, then realized it wasn’t May. It wasn’t until March of this year when I was interviewing Jo-Anne Cameron, who had worked for Culinary Adventure Tours, that my guess was half right. It was a tour. A food tour.

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