Kings Bloody Cross: Piccolo Queen

Jaimie Leonarder aka Jay Katz has been involved in underground artistic ventures for well over thirty-five years. He and his wife Aspasia, the subject of a Pagan/SBS independent film called “Love & Anarchy” are devotees of independent cinema running screenings in venues throughout the city for the last twenty years and are curators of the Mu-Meson Archives; their own personal collection of film, books and obscure media. Avid collectors of lost film footage, they have became Robin Hood figure’s to the ABC, finding them more original lost footage of their T.V shows from the early 60s than any other organisation.

Jaimie started his career in nursing and then went on to welfare, spending the best part of the eighties working in the St George area as a detached youth worker, then managing the Hurstville C.Y.S.S Centre. During the '90s Jaimie focused on the homeless in Sydney and became a Missionbeat driver. His wife and creative partner Aspasia was working as a diversional therapist when they met and is now an avid archivist of lost and contemporary film culture. Jaimie and Aspa both have an affinity to young people and their creative needs.

Jaimie was also one of the co-hosts on SBS’s The Movie Show from June 2004 to June 2006. He has been MC and or DJ for many different events, The Aroma Coffee Festival for several years, Surry Hills Neighborhood Festival, The Sydney University film Festival, The Sydney Art Gallery Fundraiser, The Bundy Bowl Off, Jeff Wayne’s War of the World Publicity Tour and MC for many bands, national and international. Jaimie has conducted many interviews with local and international identities in the film and entertainment world, e.g. Popcorn Taxi etc! He was also the co-host of the popular ‘Naked City' on FBI radio from 2002 to 2008.

Vittorio Bianchi is the owner of the Piccolo Bar cafe, a Kings Cross icon. The opinionated and colourful Bianchi is as much a Kings Cross institution as his quaint, little coffee shop which for decades has been patronised by the suburb's diverse characters, artists and musicians.

Vashti Hughes is an actress and creator of Piccolo Tales.