366daysinmontclair

Make that 350 days in the life .....

2012-02-29T16:36:00.004-08:00

Well, one of the things I can categorically state about being a real estate agent is that, all good intentions aside, there are times of the year when you are lucky to have an extra ten minutes, let alone time to be artfully blogging. The last two weeks have been one of those times.
Here's the inside scoop: sell one house and one townhome, do home inspections, do follow up inspections, discuss inspections, list new property, take pictures of new property, design flyer for new property, price another property, show homes in Montclair, Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, West Orange, South Orange and Verona. Spend much too much time making appointments to show these homes when people don't call you back or don't like the time you want to come. Answer feedback requests from other agents, ask for feedback requests on your listings. Keep current with blossoming new inventory due to lack of snow (early spring market). Help train new agents. Explain the difference between a condo and a coop. Explain that when the doorman said that dogs are not allowed, but if you own a dog when you buy into the building, you get to keep it, he was wrong. Explain visiting dog policy. Feel guilty that you stop answering your cell phone after 7:30 for one night. Print sign to put above your desk that says "Breathe".

This Sunday, 2 - 4pm, open house at 1283 Valley Road, unit #5. Wouldn't you like to live in a renovated 1 bedroom condo that allows dogs, even after you move in and haven't brought a dog with you as original furnishings, and has a large shared yard to walk said non-original dog, within 3 blocks of the New York direct train with a Montclair mailing address and low Clifton taxes for less than it would cost to rent and have a tax deduction? Confession: I had to go back and add commas to that sentence, as I'd already forgotten to breathe. And while my cell is still off, I did send a text.

All Me -- the Life and Times of Winfred Wembert

2012-02-16T09:54:00.000-08:00

I opened my email this morning to the newsletter update from the upcoming Montclair Film Festival to find a shout-out for MAM's Thursday night free screening of the award-winning documentary film All Me: The Life and Times of Winfred Wembert. An African American artist who grew up in the segregated South, the film opens a window on a not so distant, and frankly, disturbing past. Montclair resident and film producer Mark film director Vivian Ducat, Urman and Wembert will host a question and answer session after the screening. 7pm *tonight* Thursday February 16th -- the Montclair Art Museum is located at the corner of S. Mountain and Bloomfield Avenue, with ample parking behind the museum across from Whole Foods. I'm excited!

Valentine's Smiles ...

2012-02-14T06:37:00.000-08:00

It's here -- that day when husbands and boyfriends and girlfriends and wives the world over try to figure out just how to make a manufactured holiday (well, not really, there is good old St. Valentine) special. As I find them today -- here are some of my recommendations:

Fairies in a jar. Posted on Facebook by PinkFlamingo61 DIRECTIONS: 1. Cut a glow stick and shake the contents into a jar. Add diamond glitter 2. Seal the top with a lid. 3. Shake.

Joanne's Red Velvet Marshmallows. Homemade and available at Raymond's on Church Street.

Not for sale but, who can (except the allergic) resist kitties? Posted on Facebook by Miru Kim, an amazing Korean American artist.

I'm taking suggestions, too!

Making Art Affordable

2012-02-13T14:13:00.000-08:00

The Montclair Art Museum has a mission -- once a year, they host a juried sale of art works by regional artists, all with price tags under $500. Applications are now being accepted for this year's show, which will take place on Saturday, June 2nd. The application deadline is April 2.
The fair itself is a free event, with museum admission waived for the day as well. Just exactly how do you think most collectors got started?
To inspire you, the Museum's new show, Look Now, Modern and Contemporary Art from Private Collections just opened Sunday featuring works by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Louise Bourgeois, to name a few, that are rarely available for public view. Get your Guggenheim on!

Flowers Healing Arts is not Healing with Flora

2012-02-10T20:15:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, I've been driving by the sign in the window at 460 Bloomfield Avenue for months, wondering to myself: What is this business going to be? Montclair has always seemed to have at least one foot in the camp of alternative modalities. I remember seeing notices about Starseed, and their shamanistic drum headings, in the summer of 1994. But I was confused by Flowers Healing Arts. Was this healing with plant essences? A new type of florist? An arts group bent on Japanese ikebana?
Driving home from dinner tonight, I saw that the paper sign had changed to a real one in that distinctive script, and that a picture of a Buddha was visible through the window, a reception desk beckoned. Whoever they were, it looked indeed as though Flowers Healing Arts was open for business.
Google quickly satisfied some of my curiosity: Flowers is a Dr. S. W. Flowers, and Healing Arts are what he offers. And not just any healing arts, but according to their web site, a host of truly holistic treatment options from the "first Board Certified Medical Specialist in the US to obtain Board Certification Acupuncture and Herbology". I'm intrigued, aren't you?

Feeling Royal?

2012-02-07T21:12:00.000-08:00

You don't have to be HRH to to shop at the newly opened Duke and Duchess on South Park Street. I'm sure I wasn't the only person pushing my nose to the glass in late December as Aldrick Bradley and Antony Hine worked to get their new fashion-forward Montclair boutique open to the public. The minimalist and urban-edgy interior and elegantly spaced clothing racks beckoned, and, having stopped in last Saturday to check out the threads, I can report there's now a place for the Barney's crowd to pick up a top or frock and at much better than Manhattan prices. A welcome addition, if you ask me, and more in keeping with the Montclair I remember before Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie brought their studied chain store artsy-ness to town. Have you ever wondered how all the clothes in Anthropologie cost about the same? What is up with that $128 price point, anyway? Is that the perfectly researched profit margin price?

Speaking of threads, however, if you're interested in supporting local boutique talent and your esthetic runs more to a Cape Coddish/Martha's Vineyard weekender, do check out Thread on Watchung. We don't really need small business Saturday to get us to shop local, do we?

Keeping a Breast ...

2012-02-06T09:30:00.000-08:00

I didn't have to come back from SE Asia to catch all the buzz about the Susan G. Komen for the Cure short-lived decision to cut funding to Planned Parenthood projects (while signing on for pink shot gun shells as a fundraiser, mmmm) but what I did find (and I'm a big fan of solutions, not just idle internet griping) is alternative avenue to support breast cancer research for those so inclined. Street art bad boy Shepard Fairey has family members with first-person experience with the disease (his mother is a breast cancer survivor) which helped guide his selection of the Keep-A-Breast Foundation for a limited edition T-shirt campaign.
Other current Obey Clothing campaigns support Urban Roots, which introduces school kids in urban areas to actual hands-in-the-dirt farming and Dark Wave/Rising Sun -- Japan relief efforts.
What does this have to do with Montclair? We're a humanitarian town, that's what!

How to Have an Artful February

2012-02-05T08:41:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know, it's Super Bowl Sunday -- and with the Giants playing, I probably should be opining about football. But I figured I'd take the road less traveled and point out to anyone who is looking for an artful Valentine's Day gift that the Montclair Art Museum is having a sale at their very most excellent gift shop through February 10th. Montclair has always been an artist's town and the museum has a long history of hosting quality exhibitions. On view now, George Inness: Private Treasures, showcases work by the former Montclair resident who has been hailed as the father of American landscape painting. With a historical collection that spans several centuries and a noted Native American collection, the museum also hosts contemporary work and intriguing workshops and seminars, as well as houses the Yale School of Art with classes for children and adults. If you haven't stopped by lately, you really should.

What happened to winter?

2012-02-04T07:17:00.000-08:00

So, I left town for a few weeks thinking I'd have a cat sitter knee deep in snow plus a totally POed cat when I returned, as that's generally what happens around here in late January. The next thing I know, I'm checking the whether from Java, getting ready to pull out my puffer coat only to discover while it may be only 8 degrees in Frankfurt (where we transit) it's in the 40's and 50's here at home. Ah home! Amazing how good that sounds when you know you're not likely to have to soon freeze to death.

Now, here it is Saturday morning, and I just know this nice woman is not cooking breakfast down the street (or at least, not here in New Jersey) so I need to cast about for other breakfast options. Does anyone know where to get a good Indonesian breakfast (funny how you can develop a real love for friend rice in a few weeks). I'm all ears. Meanwhile, I'll probably drop by my favorite Raymonds if I can squeeze in past the weekend brunch rush.
Thank you to Melissa and Nicolette for guest blogging while I was away -- it's always fun to read your friends' take on the town!

How much is that kitty in the window?

2012-01-31T20:03:00.000-08:00

Montclair Animal Shelter on Willow street in Montclair is offering an early Valentine’s Day gift for those looking for love: reduced adoption fees for one day only, on Saturday, February 4.

MTAS is once again partnering with Montclair Feed & Pet Supply to celebrate Valentine’s Day with reduced adoption fees on all dogs and cats during the in-store event. A number of the shelter’s adoptable pets will be on site at 191 Glenridge Avenue from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with dog adoption fees reduced to $70 and cat fees to $50. The fee reductions will also apply to all adoptable pets at the shelter. The shelter will also open an hour earlier for the event on February 4, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Station Square Building

2012-01-27T10:20:00.000-08:00

I found online this old postcard of Bloomfield Ave (circa 1925) and thought it would be fun to compare then and now. The building with the turret is the Station Square Building in Montclair, standing across the street from the old Lackawanna Terminal building and having once anchored the center of downtown, before more of the action moved west up the hill in the background.
Built in 1892 with Queen Anne and Romanesque elements, the Station Square Building has housed a bank, a convenience store, a hip-hop jewelry store ("Mo' Better Jewelers" - really!), and a café, among other things. A gentleman named Jesse H. Lockwood is credited as the architect.

Perfect Day for a warm piece of bread . . .

2012-01-26T03:40:00.000-08:00

Cold and rainy days are the perfect time for comfort food and Nicolo's Italian Bakery and Deli (www.nicolosbakery.com) is the place to indulge. I don't remember a family occasion that hasn't included bread from Nick's - we place large orders for Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter and treat ourselves to stuffed spinach bread on football Sundays. From warm loaves of thick Italian bread to soups full of vegetables, Nicolo's has it all. I am particularly partial to the small pizzas and to the fresh mozzarella, broccoli rabe and peppers. Run by the Zecchino family since 1967, the small store is part of so many families' traditions. Closed on Monday and only open until 1:30 on Sundays, they are worth the trip. Just another of Montclair's little treasures.

Got class?

2012-01-25T10:09:00.000-08:00

One of the amazing resources I've discovered locally is the Adult School of Montclair. Offering a broad range of classes at a great price it is hard to pass up.

So what classes have caught my eye? Introduction to Flamenco Dancing and Bollywood Dance top the list followed by Food and Wine Pairings and Artisan Bread Making. How's that for fun!

Registration for the spring 2012 classes starts Feb 1st.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2012-01-23T08:53:00.000-08:00

This year Chinese New Year falls on January 23, 2012, when we'll be ringing in the Year of the Dragon.

In 2012, Chinese New Year's Day will be celebrated on January 23. The New Year festival will start from January 22 (Chinese New Year's Eve) and end on February 6 (Lantern Festival). 2012 marks the 4710th Chinese New Year, and this time it is the year of the dragon according to the Chinese zodiac calendar.

The dragon is the 5th sign of the Chinese zodiac and it is regarded as an auspicious symbol which stands for power, good luck, success, and happiness.

So how can you celebrate this year in Montclair? Grace Grund at Terra at the Isabel Rose Cafe at the Montclair Public Library, 50 South Fullerton Avenue, has loads of activities planned.

Monday, January 23, Chinese New Years Day
Lunch Specials will include "jiaozi" (dumplings) and "Niangao" (New Year's Cake)
Reservations recommended, 973-744-6600.

Sunday, January 29, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Oolong Tea Tasting & Gong Fu Cha Demonstration
Cost: $5 per person. To reserve a spot, please call Terra, 973-744-6600.

Monday, February 6, 3:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
"LENG TENG" (Lanterns) AND DRAGONS
The 15th and final day of the New Year Celebrations, is Lantern Festival
Day. Join us for Lantern Making, story telling, tea & snacks.
Cost: $3 per person. To reserve a spot, please call Terra, 973-744-6600.

Giving things a new home - painlessly. . .

2012-01-23T06:50:00.000-08:00

A new year always brings with it the desire to reorganize, clean out and repurpose parts of my home. This year is no different. A snowy Saturday provided the perfect opportunity to clean the basement and recreate it into a home office for two working adults who each need dedicated work space and a place to escape the chaos of "upstairs." Sorting through the storage resulted in several items that no longer are needed in a household of teenagers - child's karaoke, train wallpaper borders, art supplies for the younger set and board games. Then I remember one of Essex County's wonderful resources (nationwide really but ours seems to be very active) - Essex County Recycle and Reuse. Just posting in this group's page brings you several people who are happy to take your gently used things and give them new life in their lives. So the board games went to children in Montclair, the karaoke to a singing 4 year old and the wallpaper to a crafter who uses whatever she can to create. Just another gem of our area. . .

Montclair at night

2012-01-21T09:52:00.000-08:00

Recently after having a great sushi dinner in upper montclair with a friend I was surprised to find out that what used to be the upstairs portion of the sushi restaurant had been transformed into a swank nyc style restaurant offering new american cuisine and a full bar. In talking with the owner they said they haven't advertised the restaurant at all and just let business come through word of mouth. I haven't eaten there myself yet but it's on my list...
Check out Upstairs

Walkability a plus . . .

2012-01-20T06:26:00.000-08:00

Jen hit the nail right on the head when she decided to write about the Montclair area. Full of beautiful neighborhoods, shopping, excellent restaurants and tons of entertainment - this section of Essex County has a lot to offer. But for my money, the sheer value is in the walkability of the area. An example - I work from home about 80% of the time and sometimes just need to take a break and step away from the computer screen. So, the other day I decided to run some errands. Armed with just a tote bag and my iphone, I managed to get Italian bread for dinner, pick up two prescriptions, buy a dog toy, have a chai tea and browse in the bookstore. I walked home through Brookdale Park and made a final stop at a surprisingly well stocked Brookdale Liquors to round out my work "break". The added bonus - 10000 steps of daily fitness without even noticing. Sometimes the best things about our neighborhood are those that we simply take for granted.

One sugar or two?

2012-01-19T10:53:00.000-08:00

Walking down Bloomfield Ave one evening this past week I was surprised to see that Cafe Eclectic had closed down. As many in the Montclair area know Cafe Eclectic was the long standing art cafe hangout. Upon first moving to Montclair about a year ago I had visions of spending leisurely sunday mornings there sipping lattes and reading the paper or catching up with friends. Now of course this was not to be.
My disappointment however only lasted a brief minute as I spied just down the street an open doorway with people crowding inside. Wandering inside I found that the newish coffee shop in town, Trend Coffee was having an open mic night. I ordered a tea and the waitress sat me and my friend right in front of the area being used as an impromptu stage. There was a great atmosphere watching the performers as everyone there was very enthusiastic and supportive. I felt like I had walked into Glee or High School the musical. All in all for the price of a cup of tea it was great entertainment. Maybe soon I'll have a latte there on sunday.

Are you a Cat person or a Dog person?

2012-01-18T06:59:00.000-08:00

My guest bloggers are one of each. By way of introduction, my friend Melissa Secondino who, like Dr. Cameron, a veterinarian of epic proportions whose father started Cameron Animal Hospital at the turn of the last century, is a great rescuer of feral cats. From her Facebook page ...

How to put a former feral cat into a cat box:
Lure cat into small room with treats, trap cat in room with box. Chase cat around room for a half hour while comically deploying the use of chair pillows to guide cat into box. Realize cats are really good at jumping vertically when needed. Remove cat box from small room and place in living room where other non feral cat will then voluntarily climb into box to hang out while former feral cat runs around box playfully batting at toys. Leave.

More High Wire Days ...

2012-01-17T22:59:00.000-08:00

So not *in* Montclair but, the beauty of living so close to the City is that there are so many amazing places nearby to see and hear music. Picked up tickets tonight to see the Psychedelic Furs at Maxwell's in Hoboken on March 24th. Also upcoming, School of Seven Bells at Mercury Lounge February 28th and March 1st (new record drops on the 28th), Arctic Monkeys with the Black Keys at Madison Square Garden March 12th, and the Ting Tings in April at Webster Hall.
After all, we can't all fly out to Coachella now, can we?

Celebrating 3 years ago --> Montclair to Siem Reap

2012-01-15T21:13:00.000-08:00

Three years ago, I visited a project in Cambodia with drawings done by Montclair and Bloomfield elementary school students. Since then, I've watched with absolute awe as two women, one Cambodian, one American, turned a fledging non-profit education organization in Siem Reap near Angkor Wat into a force for change for young people in Cambodia. Ponheary Ly, who survived the Khmer Rouge to become an advocate for education in rural communities without electricity and running water a mere stone's throw from the burgeoning tourist hotels of Siem Reap, and Lori Carlson, a Texan with the heart and determination of a tiger, are showing what action, not just protest, can do to change lives.

Lori just posted a video project created by a 17 year old Soy Sen about water wells in his village. When you follow this link, realize this project exists where three years ago the Ponheary Ly Foundation was just starting a project to install solar panels so that some of the schools could have power. The idea that any of these schools could have computers, let alone a computer program, where children could learn to shoot and edit videos was almost inconceivable. That Soy and his classmates have made such an articulate vehicle speaks volumes.

Whither to NYC, my Sweet?

2012-01-14T13:55:00.000-08:00

Today my friend Nicolette Salerno, who'll be guest blogging for me later this month, mentioned in a Facebook post that she was truly proud of driving by herself in NYC -- to quote "sometimes, it's the little things." I can relate. The how to of reaching and moving about in that shining cultural magnet on the horizon is often fraught with choice, none of which seem perfect.
I'm not a fan of driving in the city myself. Did it when I lived there and owned a Karmann Ghia convertible (seat belts? heck, I sat on a big red cushion as I've never been that tall in the torso) those were earlier times. You could still find a place to park on the street in the Village. Imagine.
All of which reminded me (furtherance of "it's the little things") that we now have train service into Manhattan on the weekends in Montclair. True the train doesn't run its full route, starting at Bay Street but here's a little known fact -- there is a ton of long-limit metered parking near the Bloomfield train station, a quicker and cheaper trip.
If you do choose to drive, check out Icon Parking for discount parking coupons. Offered all over the city, you can often park for as little as $15 -- perfect for those late night events.

Understanding the Montclair Reassessment

2012-01-12T21:17:00.000-08:00

So, getting serious for a second, here's an update for all Montclair property owners. The company that conducted the reassessment is starting to post data to their web site. One of the more intriguing pieces of information is a list of real estate sales from 2011 (which seems a little incomplete, but perhaps short sales didn't make the list?) with actual sale prices and assessments as of 2011. The new reassessments mailed in the past few weeks aren't certified yet, so that information is not public knowledge -- but it should be as soon any informal hearings requested by homeowners are completed and the town certifies the 2012 assessments. Suffice it to say, assessments are coming down, but the tax rate will have to go up. The goal? Put a lid on all the tax appeals, which were costing the town a fortune and making it very difficult to figure out a yearly budget, as the last reassessment was conducted at the height of the market in 2006.
Confused yet? Just be glad you're not moving here from a state like California -- it would make even less sense! I'd be happy to shed some light on this one on one; I attended a seminar Steve Rubinstein from Realty Appraisal Company held last December. And you thought I was just going to blog about rock shows! Hah!

Getting ready for another year at the Wellmont ...

2012-01-11T20:42:00.000-08:00

Last year there was a great deal of amazing music at the Wellmont Theatre, the kind of music that makes you think you've somehow teleported to the Lower East side and Bowery Ballroom, or taken a time machine back to your misspent (well, mine was) youth. One week in particular completely rocked. Elvis Costello brought his spinning songbook wheel, Bryan Ferry brought his dancing girls, and the Psychedelic Furs and Tom Tom Club brought High Wire Days and Talking Heads songs I hadn't heard live since the 80's. Next for me? Jane's Addiction on March 6th. Tickets officially go on sale Saturday, but if you've got an Amex account, you can get them in a presale now, just proving there is an advantage to being an older rocker. I definitely didn't have an American Express card in the 80's!
Other upcoming acts include Levon Helm, Pat Benatar, and Chicago. If that all sounds a bit old fogey for you, don't despair. The shows are booked by the people who run The Bowery Presents (Mercury Lounge, Terminal 5, etc.) so something edgier.

Montclair Underdog Festival

2012-01-10T20:59:00.000-08:00

What did I say 8 days ago? "Every time I think I've got a definitive list (of what I like best about Montclair) ... great new things start to happen." Let me amend that -- I also get smacked upside the head with great things of which I wasn't previously aware. Take the Underdog Film Festival, which has for several years showcased Oscar nominated short films at Montclair State University. The Academy announces nominations on January 24th, so I would keep a watch on the Underdog web site for updates.
Most people don't think of Montclair as a college town, so a trip to the campus north of Normal Avenue can come as quite a surprise. The university's Alexander Kasser Theatre is a gorgeous venue (where the screening for Pray the Devil Back to Hell took place last fall). Want to scope out the space before then? Try a night of dance with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company on January 21st, part of the university's Peak Performances series.