Last weekend, Oksana and I spent Saturday at the Montclair Gay Pride Festival, the second that our town has hosted. Keller Williams was a sponsor, so we had our own table right near the YMCA and one of the [...]
Last Sunday morning, I found myself on Midland Avenue in Montclair walking against a tide of hundreds of runners. This is not really unusual; Midland Avenue is a straight wide street that starts at Bloomfield Ave and runs about a mile north. As a centrally located, not-very-busy street, Midland is often the first leg of the races or fun runs [...]
When I moved to Montclair, there was basically one main event in October: Halloween. When my kids were little, I’d take them trick-or-treating (like any good parent might do), and occasionally, we’d stop by the house that [...]
I’m always noticing how living in a walkable suburb feels different from other suburbs, but also how it feels different than living in a city. One of the walkable perks I notice again and again in Montclair are all the Little Free Libraries.
If you’re not familiar, these are little “book houses” people build that sit in their front yard, [...]
When I stop to think about it, it’s slightly shocking that this June marks Montclair’s first Pride event.
Shocking, I guess, because I’ve raised my kids in this town for the past 25 years, and it has always been a given that some of their friends would have two moms or two dads. Diversity, acceptance, and inclusivity are some of the many [...]
For all the years I’ve lived here in Montclair, the month of May has been an event. With winter in the rear-view mirror and everything flowering, May in Montclair always felt like a season unto itself -- 31-day celebration of the arts and culture of this special town.
These last two years, May in Montclair took a hiatus, and I was excited to discover that this year, it has started to make its way back. [...]
I recently read something in a real estate publication that both surprised me and didn’t surprise me: people were asked whether they would change their living situation for the benefit of their pet and 43 percent answered “yes.”
As a pet lover, I believe that most people moving from an apartment into a house are creating an improved set of circumstances for their dogs or cats. I bought a new house in Montclair about 6 years ago, and in hindsight, I think my move was partly motivated by my cat situation. (I have four!) Letting an animal out into a fenced-in yard is an obvious benefit for everyone.
After my move from a busy corner to a quieter location, I put in a 7-foot deer fence in my backyard to safeguard my plantings. It’s worked beautifully and has offered the added bonus of creating a safe haven for my cats. They have their own cat door and can come and go as they please, perching on a rock amidst the catnip or finding the perfect vantage point to keep an eye on the neighborhood.
If fencing is not possible, some folks build “catios” – specialty screened-in porches from which their cats can enjoy a hybrid outdoor experience!
For dog owners, the Montclair area is heavenly. In addition to the near-constant parade of dog-walking throughout the many local parks, there are countless reasons for people to set out on foot, no matter where in town they live. From hitting the farmer’s market on a Saturday morning to picking up a snack in the afternoon, there are little shops or distinct shopping areas all over town. I’m trying to think of a house that’s more than a mile from something delicious to snack on, and there aren’t many. And the few there are, have access to the other undeniable aspect of dog paradise: hiking trails. With two multi-mile hiking reservations and a nature preserve, there are plenty of choices for dogs of all sizes and stamina.
To me, that right there is the magic of Montclair. Wilderness and Starbucks, both at your fingertips.
If you’d like me to take you around this walkable suburb from a pet-lover’s perspective, reach out! Talk or Text: 973-809-5277
Photos: Two of my cats in my backyard. Top - Oscar enjoying Pride Rock; Bottom - The Bodhisattva and the The Catnip.
Like most real estate agents, I work with many young couples coming from the city looking for a bigger space for their growing families. However, I also want to give a shout out to what might be my fastest growing client base: the downsizers.
These are couples, or singles, who are retired or close to retiring. Whose kids are grown. Who have a lot more leisure time. And who invariably say to me, “I’ve always wanted to live in Montclair.”
I’m not surprised. We are a destination for fabulous restaurant meals of every imaginable cuisine and concerts and musical performances of every imaginable genre. We are home to one of the few New Jersey movie theaters that show independent films – not to mention hosting our own Film Festival. Everywhere you turn, there are stimulating, provocative, culturally relevant offerings that keep a mind vibrant – from art galleries to lecture series to performance art.
If you’re looking to make social change, you’d be hard-pressed to find a cause that doesn’t have a local chapter. We have garden clubs, Improv classes, a state university that offers older folks the opportunity to audit classes. If you’re looking to make friends, there are wonderful offerings for seniors through the Montclair Institute for Lifelong Learning, from yoga and exercise classes to art classes and hosted lunches. There’s stuff to do every day. And a lot of it is free!
There are trails to hike. Parks to stroll. Ducks to watch (but not to feed, please!). There are several tennis courts, golf courses, and three town pools. We also have seven train stations throughout the town in case you want to pop into Manhattan, because, yes, Montclair Art Museum is a gem, but it is not The MoMA.
Book stores. Antique stores. Coffee shops. Tea shops. A pie store (just one, I think). Spas for pampering. Bistros for people-watching.
I know. It sounds too good to be true. But to be fair, Montclair does not have everything. We don’t host any hot-air ballooning. If you’re looking for something like that, Montclair cannot deliver.
However, if you’re looking for a suburb that does not feel like a suburb -- that's walkable and always abuzz with people, places, and things -- call me. I’d love to show you around the town I love.
Talk or Text: 973-809-5277
I admit, I don't think of myself as a “jazz person.” So, every time I tell my clients about this amazing festival taking place here each summer, I feel like I may be speaking a bit out of my element. This year, aside from the music, I realized that one of the most special things about the Montclair Jazz Festival is that it’s such a far-reaching community event. This year, the theme was “Bringing Us Back Together Again!”
Honestly, I don’t think anything is able to do that better than outdoor music!
The 2021 festival took place in a different (more central) part of town than in years past, and it was spread over several weekends, rather than just one – changes that I think made the event even better. I stopped by one day and listened to trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, a musician I was wholly unfamiliar with, and was blown away -- moved by the music, which was great, but also by all of us being together again. With hundreds of people relaxing on a beautiful August day, it almost felt like the pre-pandemic days.
There have been outdoor music events that I’ve come to rely on for igniting that feeling of community fun I always equate with living in Montclair. Weekend blues on the back patio of Ruthie’s BBQ on Chestnut Street. Live music on Saturdays at the Montclair Farmers Market. The mini outdoor concerts at Center Stage on Church Street (which don’t seem to be up and running again this year – but soon!).
Then there are all the surprising “concerts” that I seem to happen upon accidentally, either strolling through Edgemont Park or grabbing a coffee in Watchung Plaza. The other day I saw a flyer for an outdoor concert by the Chamber Music Society of North Jersey (Saturday, Aug 28 at 7pm in Anderson Park – bring lawn chairs/blankets!) which looks like it will be magical.
This is one of the things I absolutely love about Montclair: it is a community of people who love to use their talents to strengthen community.
In addition to the return of live music, another things that has been feeling like the “old days” is that the highly aggressive bidding on homes seems to be starting to wane. People don’t have that “at any price” attitude that has prevailed over the last year. The market will shift yet again, and I am always available to go through the implications of those shifts, for buyers or sellers, in practical, actionable terms.
Call or text anytime to talk about Montclair market conditions, musical events, or anything thing else I can help you with regarding my favorite Walkable Suburb! 973-809-5277
If there’s one thing the pandemic showed me about my community, it was that having a nice place to walk is priceless. My friend really illuminated the essence of what it’s like to live in this walkable suburb when she described her now-daily ritual of hitting the sidewalks. She agreed to let me share it here:
We’ve lived here for nine years and part of what drew us to Montclair was being able to walk places. So, my partner and I often took walks. But last year when the gyms and yoga studios closed, we decided to do a daily four-mile walk for exercise. We do the same route every day, but on Saturdays, we do it in reverse because I like to start at the Farmer’s Market, which is one of my favorite places to people watch.
From there, we head to Watchung Plaza, which is invariably lively and full of people. This is always the highlight for me. I like to see what’s going on there, what new stores are opening up. I stick my head into Local Coffee and wave to Robert, and I usually run into someone I know outside Bluestone Cafe.
Besides watching people, I like to look at people’s gardens and see how they progress over time. And I like looking at the houses. One thing I love about Montclair is that the houses are all different from one another. We usually walk on Midland Ave, which has a lot of nice houses and gardens.
Once we hit Walnut Street, we head back toward the market and invariably stop at Cucina for a chicken parm sandwich, or sometimes I go into Curated Home and Living, which is an amazing place to buy gifts. Walnut Street itself is usually hopping, so there’s more people watching to be done.
If it’s an especially nice day, we sometimes make a pit stop at home and then head out in the other direction for a second walk. This time we go up Glenridge Avenue toward Church Street because: People!
When we’re in that neighborhood, we usually check out the progress of the new arts center by The Wellmont theater. I’ve been watching that area come together from the beginning and I’m really excited about it.
Sometimes we walk up to the art museum and then swing by Whole Foods on the way back home. Other times, we loop around and visit the beautiful public garden behind the United Way building on South Fullerton. This is one of my other favorite places in town.
Each walk usually takes a little over an hour. We walk at a good pace, but it never feels like we’re doing “exercise” – it feels like we’ve having an outing.
If you have a favorite place to walk in Montclair, please share it in the comments! And if you want to take a walk around town with me to get a sense of this walkable suburb, call or text! I love showing off my town. 973-809-5277
