Nancy Ruhling's Astoria Characters

There aren’t any ballet dancers in Kilgore, Texas. You should be aware of that before you hear the story of Eric Ragan. Eric is the founder of the Long Island City School of Ballet and the Long Island City Ballet. Eric, the founder and director of the Long Island City School of Ballet and its Long Island City Ballet, was born and raised in that tiny town, whose only other claim to fame is that it was the home of the celebrated classical pianist Van Cliburn. Early on, Eric showed an interest in…

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John Patrikis is standing in the back of Ditmars Flowers & Gifts putting the finishing touches on a towering arrangement. John’s the owner of Ditmars Flowers & Gifts. He adds a couple of roses in strategic spots and stands back to assess his work. The Love Forever Tribute, which is 2 feet wide and 3 feet high and made of ruby roses and blood-red gladiolas, is destined for a funeral. John working on the Love Forever Tribute. John, who has been a florist since 1971 and who opened this…

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Don’t let the rocking chair fool you. Yes, Leonard Vogt is sitting in it, sipping coffee from a dainty China teacup rimmed in gold. Leonard is a retired LaGuardia Community College professor. Yes, he’s a bespectacled, 74-year-old retired college professor. But that doesn’t mean that he’s idle. Even his rocking is vibrant and vigorous. As he starts listing all the things he’s involved in, Phryne, his 4-year-old chocolate-color rescue dachshund, comes scampering into the living room waving…

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Standing at a silver slicing machine, John Gordon looks out at the crowd of customers at the counter and smiles. Sal, Kris & Charlie’s Deli, a.k.a. The Sandwich King of Astoria, at 33-12 23rd Ave. The stretching sun hasn’t even taken a bite out of the morning, but already hungry people are lined up, mouths watering, for the jaw-dropping, jumbo subs of The Sandwich King of Astoria, a.k.a. Sal, Kris & Charlie’s Deli. “My favorite thing,” he says, “is to stare at them when they…

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“My work,” says Alex Markwith, “is meant to inspire a conversation.” Alex grew up in Pennsylvania. Alex, who is dressed in all black, brings a black and white painting into his black and white and gray living room. He places it on the floor, artfully leaning it against the leg of his black and white desk. Alex’s . , which is what Alex calls this work, is a black canvas edged in blood red inscribed with a single word that is cut in half: CON TEXT. It has a double meaning – there’s…

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