LONDON DAY 15 – au revoir!

Charles got up and took the storymobile in for service – the air conditioner is on the fritz!  So, I packed up our hotel and we met the awesome Andrea and lovely Lisa from Downtown London for lunch at Che – a mouthwatering new downtown resto. Then to the office to pack up from yesterday’s brown paper presentation, a quick stop for Christmas cards from Kingsmill’s sidewalk sale (I just HAD to – after all we’ve heard about it), and we were OFFFFFFF!  So long farewell London Town!  We hope to see you sooooooooooon!!!!!

Check out some of the stories we collected in London on our SoundCloud story map by visiting our website thetaleofatown.com, and listen to our radio broadcast A Walk Down Main Street - London Edition!

LONDON DAY FOURTEEN – from me to you.

This morning I wrote a quick rhyming diddie to add to our presentation so that in hopes of getting everyone out of their seats and on to the streets at the end of the presentation today.  It was quick and dirty and I think quite clever!  If you want to hear a bit, listen for it in the middle of our radio podcast A Walk Down Main Street - London Edition.

Downtown London, The London Arts Council, The Heritage Council, The Grand Theatre, The City of London, The London Fringe all gathered together at the Downtown London office and we unveiled our proposed plan.  That’s all I can tell you today.  There’s lots of work to be done but it’s going to be very very very… FUN!

After the presentation, we had a beer, ordered a pizza, and slept for many hours.  LONDON Town was done for now, but the tale continues…

LONDON DAY TWELVE – do you hear what I hear?

Ohhhhhh – it’s time to listen.  And we need help.  We called in our friend, Sandy Gribbon, an incredible theatre artist who lives here in London and teaches at Fanshawe College.  We also needed a few more sets of ears, so I called Tyler from City Lights books (he seemed way smart), and although he couldn’t come on the drop of a dime, he sent us two awesome people, Andrew and Chris.  Thanks guys.  Your ears let us hear so much more. Thanks to Bob Usher we had the Labatte Lounge at the market for a spell, making lunch time selections a highly anticipated part of the day… salads and smoothies and sandwiches and smoked salmon, and… the list goes on.

As we always seem to do – we lined the walls with brown paper and started scribbling time codes and character ideas and quotations all over until bit by bit lines began to bunch together and singular stories became tales of the town.

Even though we had vowed that we were not interviewing another person, Charles checked out for a quick chat with the mayor – we did not want to pass up the opportunity to catch this man while we can…. I mean while we could.  what tense am I in here?  Whatever, it’s better to rhyme.  bed time!

LONDON DAY ELEVEN – morningstars and ceaser salad

The day began with a delightful interview a la Dana Morningstar.  Dana is the chair of media arts at Fanshaw college and a Londoner through and through.  She told us tales about that market parrot swearing at her when she was a kid at the market, and stopping off at The Bay downtown on way to work to get a squirt of perfume in the early days of her career.  After the interview, Dana treated us to a tour of the INCREDIBLE Fanshawe College media facilities. Wow.  Those students are spoiled, as they should be.  And very lucky to have what they need to get their waves flowing and their bytes dining.  Things have changed a bit since Charles graduated from their Music Industry Arts Program, but the tour still led him on a sound scape down memory lane (just go with the metaphors people – I’m trying to keep it interesting…)

The afternoon took us to an interview with the fascinating memory making machine Jack DiCarlo at Michael’s on the Thames.  Oh Jack – he is retiring this coming Tuesday after almost 40 years serving up silver service tableside a la flambée here in London Ontario.  His heart bursts with passion and his dedication to his patrons is beyond measure.  He reminds me of my “nonno” (Italian grandpa) and I feel that somehow I know him.  I think Jack just has that effect on people – he makes everyone feel welcome and his personality is warmer than a hot toddy.  In fact, a hot toddy shrinks in comparison to “Jack’s Coffee” – one of the specialties that combines ice cream and liquers on fire that we had to cap off our meal on Saturday when we came here to Michael’s on the Thames for Londonlicious.  After that coffee, we couldn’t help but wonder about who this “Jack” was, and that is brought us here today to meet him in the flesh.

To hear more about the real life legend of Jack DiCarlo, listen in to the Huntsville Edition of our podcast A Walk Down Main Street!

LONDON DAY TEN – organizing chaos and dr. lendt

Today we tried to organize the many interviews we have taken in, and make a plan for the week to come.  How will we listen to over 70 hours of tape before we leave London next week?!  And the interviewing isn’t over yet!  London has so many downtown stories, and as always - there are so many sides to each story.  But alas, that is where creativity comes to play, and artful decisions will rule the day, as we make something beautiful from what the people say….  That rhymes, non?! In the midst of the organizing of tracks and tapes and papers and plans, I skipped off to meet with Dr. Barbara Lendt who had an office in downtown for many years where she delivered babies and promoted health.  Barbara painted a picture of downtown from the perspective of a Torontonian who came over 30 years ago, just for a short time, but was drawn in.  Above and beyond the insight this interview provided, I loved hearing Barbara’s love for the downtown store Novak’s – that’s one for the story map for sure!

The weekend has come.  And my friend Jo from London, England is getting off the via rail train tonight to visit us here in London Ontario!!  I can’t wait to show the downtown off and take her out Londonlicious!  (I wonder if Jo will feel more at home here with The Covent Garden Market and the forks of the Thames nearby…)

LONDON DAY NINE – bob, books and fanny goose

The day began again in the market.  Bob usher uncovered the tale of the swearing parrot in the old market whose name was Mac.  Bob recounted market memories, both the old and new and what happened in between.  It was impressive to hear that there are no chains or franchises allowed, and the farmers who share there are local tried and true.  Bob did a few market adverts for me in his booming radio voice, and I was correct I suspected he was a pro… You can hear the voice of Bob on 98.1 Free FM.

Off we went to City Lights Bookstore and it was there we heard the gritty and underground tales of downtown culture.  We heard about the days of the Talbot block and the Brunswick House and noise bands and second run movie theatres.  We heard about a time when London was packed with young people cruisin’ around the downtown between record shops and comic shops and bookstores to bars.  Here are the gents we spoke to, along with one other who wishes to remain anonymous.

Next we rushed to the famed Fanny Goose.  We found her at the Richmond Retirement Centre – and a beautiful one it was.  It struck my funny bone, as it was a microcosm of downtown London, Ontario inside, replete with the Blackfriars pub and the Covent Gardens – just as London Ontario is a microcosm of London, England, one could say…  Fanny’s story is second to none.  She even has a book about it.  Fanny came to London Ontario from Poland, began selling wares from a suitcase, moved up to a flat bed truck and finally opened a shop downtown called J. Goose Family Clothing which she ran successfully for over 50 years, until she was 88 years old.  Anyone who knows anyone back in the day in downtown London will remember Fanny and her wily ways.

Friday tomorrow.   Looking forward to the weekend to digest all of these new stories….!

LONDON DAY EIGHT – a grand downtown day!

8:30am ghost stories at The Grand!  This theatre is a lively place with some super smart women at the helm.  We were thrilled to talk The Tale of a Town with them and hear their spin on what is turning around downtown. Here they are – Susan, Andrea and Deb – the leaders of the pack!

Next, we took off to the marked.  HOLY MOLY THIS MARKET IS SOOOOO COOL!  I can’t believe we haven’t been inside yet and Charles literally had to drag me out later.  While inside, we met with the unofficial mayor of the market, Ian Greasley - owner of BLOOMERS in the Market.  Ian is a man who knows how to tell a story.  The best one was about when the rolled up sleeves of his leather jacket caused a dozen glasses to break at Birks Jewelry in the 70’s.  The manager came over and told the long haired, misfit seeming young man, not to worry about it – “these things happen”… and that is why Ian, to this day, has never held anyone up in his store for breakage.  But Ian told us that once you've heard the story, you don’t get off the hook so easily if you break something...  so we were still careful weaving through his delicate goods on our way out.

Next, we rushed over to City Hall to meet Judy Bryant, the city councilor for downtown London.  She took us up onto the top floor where we could overlook the entire city.  Judy does lots of her thinking and planning from up here, she told us.  She sees more density and high-rise buildings in the future.  Here’s the view of downtown from above today: 

The afternoon took us to The Sentimentalist where we met with rad Miranda in her vintage clothing shop.  Miranda gave us the goods on the punk scene, the new wave styles and the Brunswick, or “The 'Wick”, as it was called to those who frequented it.  We heard about the sadness that surrounded the tearing down of the Talbot block and other indie cornerstones of downtown.  It was a real treat to talk to Miranda, and it was really difficult not to buy everything in this wicked shop…

Later, we had our long awaited tour with the one and only Kathy McLauglin.  She took us on an in-depth walk through downtown pointing out almost every building to tell us its story - the dreams of the business owners, the desires of the landlords, the history, the architecture, the revitalization plans…   While walking with Kathy we felt somewhat like celebrities, because she knew so many people along the way – and always introduced our project and us.  It is so key to us to have people like Kathy ready and willing to make space and time for artists and new ideas…. And we highly recommend her tour.  You’ll never see the downtown the same way again!

And, if that’s not enough – as I type this, Charles is out with Doug Allen – a former owner of a downtown theatre and a known storyteller.  Hearing Doug's rendition of certain key events that we are following from the past will certainly be a treat because I hear Doug has a few great tales to tell about downtown London…  I look forward to listening to this interview when we start logging all of this material next week!!

A demain!!!!

LONDON DAY SEVEN - one by one...

We had so many interviews jammed in today that Charles and I had to split up.  And for those of you who know the two of us, you have probably noticed we do almost EVERYTHING together.  In fact, I'll let you in on a little secret - we're married too!  So put that in your pipe and smoke it, while you read on... Well, to be honest, the day got off to a slow start with an early morning interview scheduled at the tatoo parlour which did not happen because no one was there yet!  In retrospect, it probably was not the most ideal time to schedule an appointment with a tatoo parlour - but we'll try to catch up with them later...

Next, Charles went off to see the all knowing Mary Brae, a long time Londoner who bought and sold many properties downtown, and I went off solo to an INCREDBLE visit at My Sister's Place.  The women at this drop-in centre awaited me and they were full of nostalgic stories about downtown and opinions on what could be done to improve the city.  I was lucky to get a tour around this beautiful restored heritage house that they call home, and find out about the wealth of programming in this truly welcome, inclusive and positive space which some women told me saved their lives.  I promised to return with ice cream.  And I shall!!

Here I am interviewing one woman who told me that The Forest City has become the Butt City because of all the cigarettes on the streets.  She is lobbying to see this change and she also imagines a future where people on the streets will be more friendly and accepting to everyone who passes by - regardless of social economic class or colour.   I like the way she thinks...

While I trotted back from this glorious place, Charles was interviewing Long Phun at the amazing Tamarine and then we both headed to meet JOEeph KOOLafski, a.k.a., Mike Smith.  He told us about the good ole’ days downtown, and tales of the buildings, the businesses and the bureaucracy.  We LOVED hearing about the character of JOE KOOL who sometimes makes an appearance in his leisure suit.  Costumes, alter-egos and public displays of goofery – now THAT is something we can dream around for our show!  Thanks Mike / Joe!

Here he is in front of his wall of memories…

LONDON DAY SIX – just another magic monday!

Just going into HERO’s downtown is magical – full of fantasy and fun this is THE comic shop to stop into.  Meeting the owner Bram takes all that to another level.  We were interested to hear his story of slowly working his way up in the comic world, from employee to building and business owner, he told us about the alternative shopping scene in London and why the downtown in any city is the place to get great records, comics, books and art.  Bram also spoke to us about students who shut down Dundas and Richmond in protest and it sounds like it was a sight to see!  

ANYONE GOT PICS OF THIS PROTEST??  SEND THEM INTO US!

http://www.thetaleofatown.com/tell-us-your-tale/

Today we got the storymobile parked right out front of the Downtown London office.  I was on the megaphone and Charles set up the equipment.  We heard from ALLLLL kinds of people who had differing views about downtown and what it means to them.  Ice cream was traded and stories were recorded.  We truly cannot wait to listen closely to what everyone had to say.  It is in the layering of contrasting views with the points of connection that will allow The Tale of LONDON Town to resonate with everyone who comes to celebrate downtown with us when our show takes the stage of the streets next year! Stay posted for more details….

LONDON DAY FIVE - day off!

Today we took some time to see the sprawling suburbs where one long strip mall followed another and the sound of the chains rang out loud and clear.  Arteries pumped full of whatever you need just a car ride away…  But we all know the true heart of any town is downtown, and we were happy when we back there to recharge and get ready for a busy week ahead…

LONDON DAY FOUR – downtown in the park

Home County Fair @ Victoria Park!  Incredible to see this plethora of people in this AMAZING park downtown London!  As I explored this festival, I felt like I was walking down a busy main street with all of its food stalls and shopping vendors and stages.  It seemed to me that this festival set up was a true microcosm of a vibrant and vital downtown replete with independent owners, a diverse mix of people, and a clearly defined public space accessible to everyone.   And Londoners clearly enjoyed it!

A highlight of the festival was hearing the sweet sounds of Celine Murray, a fourteen year-old fiddle player from the area and The Marrieds who entertained us between acts.  WOW!  It was great to see first hand just how incredible the talent is here in London!

Before the nights main stage shows began we headed down to Old East London, to hear some different perspectives about downtown from the ground level. 

LONDON DAY THREE – water, stones, suits, and ice cream!

A walk around town with Sean Galloway is something we highly recommend.  This is a man with a plan!  Sean took us through the future ideas for downtown, including streetscape and sidewalk renovations, an urban beach at the Thames, plans to fill in some of the superfluous parking lots and his personal vision for the future… and we must say, if Sean gets his way, the future looks so bright you’re going to have to buy a pair of shades at a downtown shop! Here’s Sean at the site of some of his downtown dreams…

Next we me with Jonathon Bancroft-Snell at his breathtaking gallery at 258 Dundas Street.  Jonathon opened in Galleria Mall during its heyday and then moved to his current location. Jonathon is a true storyteller and we had a ball interviewing him.  We especially loved the story of one of his fantastical customers who comes in and picks out a whole shelf of ceramics as a gift for someone and asks to have the items wrapped and ready for when he returns.  Jonathon plays along with this fantasy, knowing full well that this customer will not really be returning to complete this purchase.  He enjoys meeting everyone who walks into his gallery and being part of the world of downtown.

We loved this piece.  It feels at home here in this spectacular downtown gallery.

In the early afternoon we met with THE David E. White.  This gentleman, (and he is a true gentleman), takes care of the men of London.  In his realm on Richmond, he not only has a men’s wear shop, but also a barbershop to get a cut and shave, a dry cleaners to keep it clean, and a little art gallery where you can buy a piece of art for your wife, perhaps.  David spoke to us of the old days in London where there were over 50 men’s wear shops among a bustling downtown.  The secret to success according to David E. White?  Perseverance.

Finally, we made it out onto the street with our storymobile!!!  Trading Chapmans Ice Cream for stories is our game, and many people were eager to play along.  Young and old ducked inside to tell a story and 24 ice cream sandwiches later, we packed up and headed to have a pint at Joe Kools and then celebrate Londonlicious at Garlics!

LONDON DAY TWO – more talk on tape…

Hey there!  Today was full of interviews, which are proving to be indispensable in providing us with a base from which to launch our questions that we will ask the public from our story mobile on street level. Today we spoke to Kathy Novackas, the extraordinary founder of the London Fringe among a list of other grassroots initiatives.  Kathy told us of the movers and shakers in the arts community downtown and the venues and theatres that pop up around town.  She recounted her own memories of visiting Kingsmills and Roland Hill Shoe Store as a child where her mom would buy her oversized clothing for the year ahead, that she would have to grow between her next annual visit to London Ontario from London England where she spent her childhood.

Next we met with Michael Gibson, who has had an art gallery downtown since 1984, and in its current location on Carling Street since 1997.  Michael wowed us with stories of the 80’s and 90’s on the scene and then how it felt to be part of the circle of people who held hands around the entire Talbot block to protest bulldozing it to build the John Labatt Centre.  When asked about the stigma of downtown London, Michael brought our attention to his flower basket and the two benches he had the city put in across the street from his gallery.  He wishes everyone would follow suit, knowing all the businesses have a vested interest in the improvement of downtown, but what he says is that not everyone agrees with the best way to make it happen…

GIBSON GALLERY

Finally, we had a quick visit with Natalie Boot of Renaissance Massage Therapy and Spa Ltd.  Natalie’s business is inside the Citi Plaza, which used to be the grandiose Galleria Mall.   The Galleria Mall used to house Eaton’s, The Bay, The Gap, Eddie Bauer, and Ralph Lauren, to name a few.  Those stores are long gone, and now there is a beautiful public library, among other smaller stores and services and empty spaces.  We are curious about this enormous structure right smack downtown.  There’s a story there, we are sure of it, and perhaps it will help shed some light on just what happened over the past few decades downtown….

As we walked back into the downtown office a gift awaited us… Felicia, who was visiting London from Vancouver regaled us with her stories of waitressing at the Mascot, and a Casino bar on Dundas Street, and her one day of working at the lunch counter at Kresge’s where the lights were bright outside the building and flickered on and off all day!

ANYONE ELSE REMEMBER THIS?!  SEND US YOUR MEMORIES OF DOWNTOWN LONDON!

CALL 1-855-CAN-TALE  or email us at INFO@FIXTPOINT.COM and add your story to the collective community memory!

LONDON DAY ONE – good days sunshine!

Bright and early to the Downtown London office, on the corner of Dundas and Richmond, we were greeted by Kathy McLaughlin and Lisa Thomas, the most positive, cheerful, savvy women we could hope to collaborate with!  We moved into the office,  started booking interviews, making calls, and then went off to a fantastic lunch where we joined with another incredible Downtown London associate – Vicki Smith, to celebrate the birthday of their intern Sarah.  Over lunch we were fascinated to hear a base of stories from downtown; what used to be here, what is new, who we should talk to, who we were already scheduled to talk to (yes – these ladies have things organized!).  I was furiously note taking to try and take it all in.  London is no small town.  And at this first lunch, I got a hunch, that there are many many many stories in the living memory of this downtown waiting to be remembered…

The afternoon took us to the London Arts Council and London Heritage Council to meet with Andrea and Andrea. We heard about the vibrant community of artists downtown, and the history of some of the oldest buildings, the bulldozed buildings, the heyday of London visual artists in the 70’s, the selling of the London Free Press by the Blackburns, music venues like Notes and Call the Office, the food rotating in the old Albert’s Diner, City Lights, Mark Emery, and a great little anecdote about hiding in the fur coats in Simpsons department store.  We cannot wait to listen through that interview to mine all the little story gems.  One thing that struck us was hearing about a perceived stigma that surrounds the downtown.  Apparently, downtown London is unsafe, undesirable and unclean according to the gospel of the suburbs.  Bad press, or true?   One thing is certain – we are here to get to the bottom of this urban myth….

ARRIVING IN LONDON TOWN!

We arrived in London town in the evening. Walked around downtown. Not too many people around. Diners, boutiques, haircuts, pawn shops, restaurants, record stores, McDonalds, a library, beautiful old buildings, parking lots where buildings must have been before. A new place to dig. When the sun comes up we will see the light on downtown London. What will we see?!

Check out our article in the London Free Press HERE!

or read all about it below....

Seeking stories of downtown

JULY 16, 2012 CORE: A Toronto production company adds London to its list for its Tale of the Town By: KATE DUBINSKI, The London Free Press

Remember going to the movies in the underground Smuggler's Alley? How about shopping at the Simpson's department store, or visiting the monkey at the old Covent Garden Market?

Your downtown memories will become the foundation for a unique theatre experience coming to London.  

Members of Fixt Point, a Toronto production company, will set up in downtown London starting Thursday, gathering stories about the city's downtown.

They'll be here for two weeks, listening to and recording tales that they'll turn into a theatre and documentary project using the anecdotes and audio footage.

Eventually, they'll come back to London to put on an interactive performance -- a Tale of a Town -- in an empty storefront.

The exact show will be dictated by the stories Londoners tell.

"We know stories about pioneers and settlers, but one of our beliefs is that we should celebrate our recent past more," said Charles Ketchabaw, theatre director for Fixt Point.

"The stories should be in the living memory of people."

A story-mobile -- basically a trailer -- will be set up in various locations downtown from 2 to 4 p.m. daily for the next two weeks, starting Thursday.

People can come in and tell their stories with Ketchabaw and artistic director Lisa Marie DiLiberto. For those who can't make it downtown, a hotline has been set up.

"It's a multi-layered, site-specific documentary project," Ketchabaw said.

The production company will eventually use archives, props, costumes and artists for its performance.

Similar projects have been performed and are ongoing in Toronto, St. Catharines and Huntsville. Ketchabaw also is working on a Tale of a Town in Kampala, Uganda.

"We want people from all walks of life to share their stories," he said. "Everyone's story is equally important. We want to inspire change, to bring people back downtown, to celebrate the entrepreneurs, the owners, the people who live there, the eyes and ears of the place."

Cities, especially city cores, have larger-than-life characters and places that deserve to be highlighted, Ketchabaw said.

The production company has partnered with Downtown London.

"We want to honour the heritage on which our downtown was built," said Kathy McLaughlin, program co-ordinator at Downtown London.

"This is an interesting mix of creativity and technology. We love our past in London but maybe we don't celebrate our present enough."