Forest Hills Woman Works to Create a Community Art Bus

Her next stop to bring creative programming to the borough comes in the form of an “art bus,” a traveling studio that will bring arts education directly into local communities. She plans to launch a Kickstarter to make the project reality in June or July. 

Read the full story here: http://qns.com/story/2018/05/22/forest-hills-woman-works-create-community-art-bus/

“Rad Girl Revolution” - an Empowering Children’s Book Featuring Photos of More Than 50 Girls from Queens - is Live on Kickstarter

Rad Girl Revolution, an upcoming children's book that empowers young girls and encourages gender equal mindsets in young boys, recently launched a $15,000 Kickstarter campaign.

Created by two Forest Hills moms, “Rad Girl Revolution” fills a gap in the girl empowerment book market.

“We love reading inspiring books such as “Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls”, “She Persisted”, and “Little Leaders” to our children, but we saw a void we needed to serve. As a mother of two girls, I believe it is very important to teach my children about the incredible women of the past, but also feel it’s essential for young girls to be able to picture themselves becoming the inspiring women of the future!” said Sharita Manickam, author of Rad Girl Revolution. “We also wanted our book to be primarily for a younger audience. Gender stereotypes are set in children as early as age 6, so it is crucial to expose them to empowering books and reach them during the critical developmental ages of 3-7 years old.”

RAD stands for Rise Above Doubt and Reach Any Dream. The book will feature 30 inspiring storybook-style photos of real little girls in fields typically under-represented by women, along with a rhyming verse describing each career. The book showcases occupations including Scientist, Judge, Artist, Astronaut, Doctor, Pilot, Journalist, Director, Chef, Author, CEO, Engineer, Paleontologist, and President.  

“We felt it was important to use photographs for our project. We are showing young girls career opportunities they may not otherwise know exist, and we believe photos of real girls help further drive home the reality. We don't want our message getting muddled in the fantasy of typical picture book illustrations,” explained Jen Bruno, photo-illustrator for “Rad Girl Revolution”. “We also made it a point to cast diverse models as we want every little girl who picks up our book to see themselves represented in the pages.”

Two-year old Frankie, who has Down syndrome, posed as an artist at a photoshoot done at Little Pulp, a collaborative art and printmaking workshop for kids located in Glendale.  "This project gives us a platform to show a child with a disability in a viable profession and will hopefully challenge the preconceptions of its readers and make them say "Why not?'" said Frankie’s mother, Farah Lyner.

Four-year old Sofia posed as a chef at Tuscan Hills, a popular Italian restaurant in Forest Hills co-owned by her father. “When I grow up, I want to be a chef like my daddy” Sofia declared.  “We are very happy that Sofia had the opportunity to participate in a project like this that encourages girls to dream big,” said her mother Juliana Ramirez.

The 30-day Kickstarter runs through May 5, 2018. Funds raised will be used to finish the remaining photoshoots and print and ship the first 1,000 copies of “Rad Girl Revolution”.

 “We are encouraged by the increased momentum toward gender equality, and feel that putting these images and rhymes in front of today’s youth can help better level the playing field from the start,” stated Manickam.

The book and additional rewards can be pre-ordered now on Kickstarter at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/radgirlbook/the-childrens-book-for-little-girls-who-dream-big

2/12 Art Sale To Benefit Forest Hills History Mural

Meet Marvel & DC Comic Book Artist John Stanisci Today

Forest Hills Filmmaker's "It Happened in Havana" to air on THIRTEEN

Forest Hills resident Judy Schiller's new documentary “It Happened in Havana: A Yiddish Love Story,” will air Thursday, April 14th on THIRTEEN, New York’s public television station, at 10:30 PM, and it will be rebroadcast on Tuesday, April 19th at 4:30 AM ET.

“It Happened in Havana: A Yiddish Love Story” is a documentary about an elderly Jewish couple who look back at their childhoods on the Lower East Side of New York City and Eastern Europe, their courtship in Cuba, and their life together in New York. It features personal and archival photographs, poignant period footage and priceless home movies from the 1920's through 1950's.

The documentary is written, produced and directed by Judy Schiller. A native New Yorker, Schiller is a professional photographer, mainly working with musicians including Miles Davis. She began in film at Flying Dreams Productions and has worked at every major TV network in New York City. “It Happened in Havana: A Yiddish Love Story” is her directorial debut.

Schiller explains, “With Cuba so much in the news, the film is a timely one. It's a personal story about my parents and the story of how they fell in love. It is equal parts romantic tale and history lesson.”

Forest Hills Inn Yard Sale this Weekend

The Forest Hills Inn (Station Square Inn Apts) will be hosting a yard sale this Sunday, Sept 20, 2015 from 10AM until 4PM in the Tea Garden behind the building at One Station Square in Forest Hills. Also, local historian Michael Perlman will be holding a book signing during the yard sale. The Inn is looking to raise funds to assist its continuing effort to beautify the building.

     First Annual Yard Sale

Forest Hills Inn Tea Garden

One Station Square

Forest Hills NY 11375

September 2oth 2015

10 am to 4 pm

Rain date-Sept 27^th

Book Signing by Michael Perlman- author of “Legendary Locals of Forest Hills and Rego Park”

Media Descends on Forest Hills After Train Crash

The engineer of the Amtrak train that crashed is a resident of Forest Hills and the media has been camped out in front of his apartment since yesterday. The train was reportedly going twice as fast as it was supposed to when the accident occurred.

The scene in front of his building last night. Lights and cameras were trained on the front of his building and I noticed reporters sitting in cars along the block waiting for any sign of him. I also saw a pack of reporters interviewing residents of his building outside.

Forest Hills Book Signing this Saturday

Michael Perlman will be signing his book tomorrow. Perlman, one of the earliest friends of this blog, is one of the foremost experts in local architectural history. This book takes a different direction, looking at the history of the many notable people who have made Forest Hills and Rego Park their homes over the years...

Signing & Presentation at Barnes & Noble To Launch New Book on Forest Hills & Rego Park Notables

Local author Michael Perlman

Introducing "Legendary Locals of Forest Hills and Rego Park," a new 128-page book written by native Forest Hills resident and preservationist Michael H. Perlman and published by Arcadia Publishing. On March 6, 2015 at 7 PM, Perlman will conduct a book signing, presentation, and question and answer session at Barnes & Noble at 70-00 Austin Street in Forest Hills. Readers will discover the unique stories of over 200 Forest Hills and Rego Park notables including celebrities, who have shaped its culture and history, and may have impacted society. 

“My book features an array of quotes from notables including celebrities, as well as descendants of notables, which grants an eternal presence to their voice,” said Perlman. “The average individual that I encounter is unaware of the heavily concentrated quantity of celebrities whose lives were influenced as a result of living or working in Forest Hills or Rego Park, where its historic surroundings are a breeding ground for culture, the arts, and various trades.”  

A diverse showcase will offer insight on musicians, actors, artists, sports figures, politicians, farmers, architects, developers, inventors, philanthropists, and longtime business owners. Wherever possible, home addresses are featured. Notables include Jerry Springer (wrote the book’s foreword), Helen Keller, Carol Channing, Ray Romano, Burt Bacharach, Stevie Wonder, Sid Caesar, Carroll O’Connor, Donna Karan, Geraldine Ferraro, Grosvenor Atterbury and Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr, Philip Birnbaum, Ascan Backus, Walter Dorwin Teague, Simon & Garfunkel, the Ramones, Dale Carnegie, Malthe Hasselriis, sisters Gypsy Rose Lee and June Havoc, Dennis Tito, Bob Keeshan (“Captain Kangaroo”), John Beltzer, Doug Leblang, and Michael Chaut.     

 Also featured are several community destinations, which are associated with the appearances of notables. Some “landmarks” are the Forest Hills Gardens, Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, the Midway and Trylon theatres, Eddie’s Sweet Shop, Knish Nosh, Ben’s Best Delicatessen, and the former Fairyland Amusement Park, Hamburger Train, and Boulevard Tavern and Stratton entertainment venues.  

Michael H. Perlman is a writer, news columnist, editor, and public relations consultant. He is chairman of Rego-Forest Preservation Council and a recipient of the Historic District Council's 2014 Grassroots Preservation Award. His pursuits range from singing in Carnegie Hall to photography, graphic design, and tree giveaway events.

Perlman stated, “I hope my readers will explore the historic neighborhoods of Forest Hills (1906) and Rego Park (1923), as well as acquire an interest in their neighborhood’s history. I envision a greater audience feeling inspired by the accomplishments of their past and present neighbors to become notables on either a personal level or in their community or society.” 

For more information, visit and “Like” his Facebook page or the Barnes and Noble events page  

Middle School Students Trying to Save Math Team

The Math Team at the Russell Sage Middle School on Austin St. in Forest Hills is in need of donations.

It is a unique group of talented middle school kids with the drive, ambition and dream to compete in math competitions and improve their chances for a future in careers that involve math!

The coaches for this team donate all of their time and work with the team multiple times each week. The team has been an ongoing successful project changing the lives of many middle school kids who credit the team and the coaches for their confidence and success in a world that usually only supports athletic teams.

The math team will donate an hour for every hundred dollars donated to the NYC Food Bank. They believe in paying it forward. They need some financial support to continue competing and getting the word out that there is a place for every talent and gift.

Please click here to make a donation:  Help Russell Sage Math Team

Local MLK Day Event: Freedom Rider from Forest Hills to Speak

Martin Luther King Day will be marked in Forest Hills with a talk by a local man who was one of the Freedom Riders in 1961. On Monday, January 19, at 1:30 p.m., Lew Zuchman will speak at the Central Queens YM & YWHA in Forest Hills, on the historic journey as a teenager which transformed his life. Lew Zuchman’s talk is open to the public, with a $8 donation suggested. The event is at the Central Queens Y, at 67-09 108 Street, Forest Hills, NY 11375.

In 1961, black and white Freedom Riders traveled to the South to challenge local segregation laws. Their journey became one of the turning points in the civil rights movement when the activists were met with mob violence in Mississippi and Alabama. Astoundingly, more than half of the white Freedom Riders were Jewish, including one 19 year old from Forest Hills, named Lew Zuchman. Still active today in social justice issues and civil rights work, Zuchman will talk about this historic and personally transformative journey, about his troubled teenaged years, and the story that led him to join the Freedom Riders and his life’s journey since then.

Art Opening and Holiday Party at OvoSodo Restaurant

OvoSodo Restaurant in Forest Hills (owners, Roberto Lamorte and Marco del Peschio), is sponsoring local artists by offering art shows and receptions with refreshments free of charge to the public. The Grand Opening Art Show and Holiday Party will take place on Thursday, December 18 from 3-5pm. It will feature the beautiful and fascinating works of magic-realist photographer Katherine Liepe-Levinson.

Admission and refreshments free of charge.
Join them for great food, great art, and Holiday Cheer.

Time: 3-5pm.
Place: OvoSodo Restaurant
110-60 Queens Boulevard, Forest Hills NY 11375

KATHERINE LIEPE-LEVINSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Katherine Liepe-Levinson is an award-winning Photographer. Her works have been featured on the cover and in articles of books, magazines, and newspapers. Her client list has included museums, corporations, small businesses, and performing artists. Katherine’s Fine Art Photography continues to be exhibited in Long Island galleries, both invitational and juried shows, where she has won several awards for her work.

In addition to photography, Katherine has performed as a professional dancer, actor, and writer on and off Broadway. She has been a resident of Forest Hills for more than thirty years.

The exhibit at Ovo Gallery, OvoSodo Restaurant includes eleven large size works of Kathy's. Here, she describes what will be on display:

SHOW SUMMARY

The works for this show come from a new series I have been working on for the past two years called, The Pond Series. All works were shot at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge on Long Island,  New York.  The subtle fresh water pond, with its changing water tables and interdependent flora and fauna, is a testament to the preciousness of our natural resources, which we too often take for granted or neglect. The unusual vibrant colors and patterns in my Pond Series photographs are natural results produced through: watching and working with the available light; the camera angles, the shifting wind patterns both on the water and in the trees; the reflections on the water surface coupled with life in the water; the use of cropping or zooming in for close ups; and very fast shutter speeds.
The images are captured with high-end digital cameras.  All images are single exposures with NO Photoshop additions, filters, or manipulations. I use the basic adjustments that darkroom photographers use, but through Lightroom, which is a digital processor. I processed and printed each image myself using Epson wide format printers, archival pigment ink, and Epson Velvet Fine Art paper.  Unlike working with the more traditional glossy or semi-glossy photographic papers, matte fine art papers also allow the ink to spread minutely, which adds to the painterly look of The Pond Series.

Budding Local Filmmakers

A reader sent in a link to this short film shot by two young residents of Forest Hills. As she explains:

"This video was made by two 13 year olds who are big fans of Assassins Creed and who have spent all their lives in Forest Hills. It's their turf, main terrain, home field. Anyway, Forest Hills never looked so dangerous!"

So grab your popcorn, sit back, and enjoy. Personally, I think we may have found our next Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams: Epic Assassin's Creed Journey

Project Runway Contestant Lives in Kew Gardens

Despite his success, Budhu plans on staying in Kew Gardens, where he moved a few years ago. "I'm a more reserved guy," he said, "and I like a place that is more quiet and serene."

Read the story here: Queens Designer Ven Budhu Turning Heads on 'Project Runway'

An Edge of the City Profile: Local Artist Nicholas Ruiz

Nicholas Ruiz

From time to time I will be featuring Q&A’s with interesting residents of Forest Hills. I recently had the chance to sit down with Nicholas Ruiz. This 23-year-old Tampa, Florida transplant is a budding local artist/fashion designer who has been designing bow ties with some, shall we say, rather interesting twists. So far he’s made bow ties from guitar picks, soda cans, computer parts, film negatives and wine corks, just to name a few.

As you will see, our conversation covered not only his passion for his unique designs, but also his ongoing passion for Forest Hills. In fact, he ties the two together in his website Made In Forest Hills. Who knows, some day you may soon see Nicholas behind the counter of his own store selling his bow ties and other men’s accessories right here on Austin Street.

Edge of the City: How’d you come up with the idea for your bow ties?

Nicholas Ruiz: In November of 2010 we had our annual Film Benefit at the Museum of Modern Art, where I work in the Special Events Department.  At the event I met singer Janelle Monáe, who wears this fantastic bow tie in her music video "Tightrope.”  She told me a friend (singer Erykah Badu) purchased it at a shop in London and I was immediately jealous.  I started looking for a similar bow tie around NYC – but couldn't find one that spoke to me - so I decided to just make one myself.  I planned on making the first bow tie out of guitar picks for the opening of the Picasso: Guitars 1912-1914 MoMA exhibition in February 2011.  

It was a blast to make and I received such a great response from colleagues and friends that I decided to continue making bow ties inspired by the different exhibitions and events at MoMA throughout 2011.  There are style and design influences from the artists' works  and also a sustainable aspect with each each bow tie because the materials are found and recycled from my day-to-day life.  

This past November we held our 2011 Film Benefit, for which I wore a bow tie inspired by our honoree, Pedro Almodóvar.  I just recently completed the entire Bow Tie Collection with our final exhibition of the year and the 11th bow tie for Sanja Iveković: Sweet Violence.  

What began as a fun way to look sharp at my events, turned into a year-long project where I could combine my passion for art and love of fashion.  Some could say I've become a little bow tie obsessed, but really, who doesn't love a bow tie?

E.O.T.C.: Any plans for your bow ties to actually be exhibited at MoMA, or anywhere else perhaps?

N.R.: They’re not being exhibited at MoMA, but a gallery in Connecticut will be showcasing the eleven bow ties from the Bow Tie Collection next year.  Although every bow tie is wearable, the originals will be shadow box framed for the gallery display.  A series of bow ties from this Collection will also be available to buy framed or unframed, and because each one is hand made by me and will vary slightly in material design, there will be a bit of a waiting period for each order.  I've also chatted with Art World, which is a neat frame store on Metropolitan Ave. (formerly on Austin St.) about displaying them.  The Collection is really important to me, so it's excited that they're catching people's eyes. 

E.O.T.C.: I find it interesting that you play up the fact that you are from Forest Hills, even calling your website “Made in Forest Hills.”

N.R.: The name of my website is pretty literal.  I make all of my bow ties right here in Forest Hills.  I grew up visiting my uncle every year in Forest Hills, and then eventually moved here in March of 2010 after graduating from college.  When I first arrived I spent a lot of time fixing up my apartment while exploring the neighborhood.  There are so many hidden gems like the vintage shop, Instant Replay, where I found the brooch for the last bow tie in the Collection or Bangkok Cuisine, which serves hands down the best papaya salad.  Also, nothing beats an indie flick at the Cinemart followed by an ice cream sundae at Eddie's on Metropolitan. 

 I'm also a supporter of preserving the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, which is such an iconic landmark to the community.  The neighborhood has directly influenced most of the bow ties in the Collection because many of the materials were found right here in Forest Hills.  The chandelier crystals for the Party in the Garden 2011 are from a local lighting store and the wire casing for Diego Rivera: Murals for The Museum of Modern Art is from my hardware store around the corner.  Even the de Kooning: A Retrospective bow tie is made from a Queen's Chronicle newspaper, and the parts for Talk to Me are from an old computer I found on Queens Blvd.  I'm always telling friends not to judge FoHi until they've been – I even made an About Forest Hills section on my site so people could plan their visit.

E.O.T.C: So what would you say is your ultimate goal with your bowties?

N.R.: It would be a dream to be able to make bow ties from when I wake up to when I go to bed.  Who knows, maybe one day I'll have a little bow tie shop here in Forest Hills.  All of my bow ties are unique and speak to different people for different reasons.  A wine lover may like the one I made out of wine corks for German Expressionism: The Graphic Impulse or a kid at heart would dig the one made out of Legos for The Armory Show 2011 after-party. One of my personal favorites was made out of expired Acetaminophen pills for the Contemporary Galleries: 1980-Now exhibition.  Right now, I'm developing a clasp system to make them easy to wear and working on designs for a limited edition Forest Hills Collection, which will be available in early 2012.  I'm also always searching for new materials, and people can email me at info@madeinforesthills.com with ideas. 

You can follow Nicholas on Twitter at @bowtieboy, check out his Bow Tie Blog, or visit his website, Made in Forest Hills:  http://madeinforesthills.com/

Are you interested in being profiled on this blog, or know someone who is? Shoot me an email at edgeofthecity@gmail.com.

Edge of the City Review: Liang's

I paid a visit to Liang's tonight for some Chinese takeout and to try to solve one of the biggest mysteries in Forest Hills in recent weeks: is Liang's really just the former Peking Duck Palace disguised by a new name? Or is this really, truly a genuine new restaurant?

Well, while having not actually asked the proprietors, I can only report what I see with my own two eyes, and, of course, taste. And my suspicion after actually eating the food and comparing it to Peking Duck's is that Liang's food is just too damn good to still be Peking Duck!

Yes, I am happy to report that a decent Chinese restaurant appears to have finally set up shop in the heart of Forest Hills! Imagine that?

For about $27 (yes, quite a lot for Chinese food, but I wanted to sample a wide range of offerings), I took home the hot and sour soup; an egg roll; BBQ spare ribs and Moo Shu Chicken. Oh, and a can of Pepsi.

Here's my review of each:

I started with the Hot & Sour Soup: This was ok, not great. It was very peppery but lacked the sour part to any noticeable degree. Even so, it was still a pretty good soup and I would order it again. (I ordered the meat version, by the way. They offer it without meat as well.) Grade: B

Egg Roll: This I enjoyed a lot more than the soup. It had a perfect crunch and starts off hitting your tongue with just a hint of cinnamon flavor, followed quickly by all the nice veggie and pork flavorings of a good egg roll. And it wasn't overly greasy, either. Grade: A

BBQ Spare Ribs: Now this was the biggest surprise for me. These were delectable. I even breathed an involuntary "Yum!" as I ate the first one. The most noticeable feature was how tender they were. Quite different than an everyday spare rib. And the tangy flavors were spot on. Grade: A+ for some of the best spare ribs I have ever had. (And I cannot believe I just wrote that about a Chinese restaurant in Forest Hills!)

Moo Shu Chicken: This was a pretty good version of the popular Moo Shu Chicken dish, which is served with pancakes and hoisin sauce. I found it to be lighter on the eggs than other Moo Shus I've eaten and more heavy on the veggies, which is a very nice change in these health-conscious days. And it wasn't overly greasy either. I also liked the smoky flavor that came through. My only complaint was the chicken itself seemed a bit light on flavor. But overall, not bad. Grade: A

Overall grade for the new Liang's: A

Liang's is located at 107-12 70th Road (Restaurant Row) in Forest Hills. Here is their menu:

Please Vote for Max !

A longtime reader of the blog asked me if I would help him out a little, so I said, of course! He is trying to get votes for his child to appear on the cover of Parent's magazine.

Here is the link where you can add your vote for Max:
http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/926357

(By the way, he tells me the extremely delicious-looking cookie Max is enjoying is from Martha's on Austin St.)