My Block: Which Block Is The Best In Montclair?
Residents talk about why Montclair Avenue is the best block in Montclair.
Photos
Videos
Want just one sign of how popular Montclair Avenue is? Residents say they need a minimum of 500 pieces of candy to hand out each Halloween. And, depending on the year, they sometimes need twice that amount.
The wide tree-lined street has always been a draw for trick-or-treaters. Not only is the block full of families, but one resident is known for handing out Scholastic books each year.
In general, though, residents here say they have fun not only in October but all year long.
"There are always kids playing outside in the street, everyone waves to say hello, and my kids have plenty of friends to knock for at the weekend," said Helen Torris, who moved from England to Montclair two years ago.
Neighbor Lourdes Andrews echoes those sentiments, "there's a feeling of having a safety net here in that we all watch over each other and over each other's kids."
The stretch of Montclair Avenue between Columbus Avenue and McDonough Street is home not only to a giant Halloween celebration, but also to an annual pig roast, Easter egg hunt, gingerbread decorating evening, and end-of-summer backyard potluck.
In addition, there are girls' nights out that sometimes don't end until 2:30 a.m.
Sara Rosenheck moved to Montclair Avenue from Park Slope three years ago.
"My best friends all live on this block," she said. "We are all like a big family around here."
Joanne Aidala has lived on Montclair Avenue for 20 years.
"We moved here from the city when we had a 2 1/2 year old," she said. "It's incredible but my daughter got here and said she loved the house and loved New Jersey. When I asked her why, she said 'because there's a moon.' We couldn't see the moon in the city."
Aidala and the others say they don't generally host one big splashy event each year—but a whole host of smaller events that play out throughout the year.
"We're not focused on one big thing," Aidala said. "We have fun on a daily basis."
Check out the video to find out more about why Montclair Avenue is so special.
In 2010, Patch published a regular series titled "My Block." The goal was to find out why you believe your block is the most fabulous in town. In our inaugural segment, we heard about Inwood Avenue. Then Midland Avenue. Then Summit Avenue. High Street. Trinity Place. Oakwood Avenue. Macopin Avenue. Then the neighborhood known as "Fieldstone." Then Edgemont Road. Then we had Andrea DelleChiaie, the owner of Milk Money, and her neighbors talk about why their street, Chester Road, is the best place to live. And we heard from Susan Kaufmann about Grandview Place and several residents about Plymouth Street. That series was so much fun we thought we'd do it again—starting with Midland Avenue, followed by Madison Avenue last week.
If you think your block is great, either comment or shoot me an email at Shelley@patch.com and we'll come out and talk to you and your neighbors about what makes your street special.
profwilliams
6:36 am on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Reading these stories, I'm now not as taken. They seem more like, "reasons my kid is the best." In other words, most folks think whatever they have is THE BEST. Rather, this section should be called something else ("Great Blocks in town", "a view from your street", "here's where I live", etc.). And understand, I'm all for competition and feel that we've taken it out of our kids lives in a reckless and dumb way ("EVERYONE GETS A TROPHY").
This makes me think of David McCullough's "you're not special" graduation speech he gave at Wellesley High School last week. I'd rather hear about the great Montclair neighborhoods, without the BEST stuff. A community thrives not on who's the BEST, but a regard and respect that everyone may feel that his or her's is.
(Because any block where folks need to know how many pieces of candy to have on hand for Halloween sounds more Stepford-like than best-like.)
Shelley Emling
6:44 am on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Happy to visit your block any time Prof.
Dbc
8:28 am on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Maybe missing the point, Prof...Wonderful that so many in Montclair think their block is "the best" (I know I do, and my block hasn't been featured) and we most certainly celebrate everyone's pride of place! We're are all special...let them have their moment!
CP3O
8:31 am on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Hey, Prof...when we moved onto our street, we wanted to make sure there were children around, friendly neighbors and mostly just an all around safe environment. We don't have any family in Montclair so it was important for us to be comfortable on this block and adopt this neighborhood as part of our family. Yes, we have a great block party, a book club, fine chefs on the street but what makes it the best block is that we watch out for each other. We have caring neighbors. Making meals for someone who's ill, shoveling your driveway when you're stuck in a snowstorm, someone to watch your kids when you have an emergency...etc. When you're blessed with this kind of generosity, I feel in my mind that I do live on the BEST block in Montclair even if you don't want to hear it. Oh...and did I mention that we do have the BEST block party?! Lighten up!
Thanks Shelley for taking the time to write about our streets in Montclair!
Shelley Emling
8:34 am on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Thanks all.. I just think it's a fun way to highlight all the great neighborhoods/streets in Montclair..
profwilliams
9:04 am on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Shelley, you make my point- "highlight all the great neighborhoods/streets in Montclair" this is quite different than bragging about yours being the BEST neighborhood, because it has a book club (and 500 pieces of candy).
Not sure I need to "lighten up." I think the choice to call this these stories "BEST block" is off-putting. No need to go on about your greatness- good for you. I tend to offer, and teach my kid, that modesty is more important than vanity; the idea that (to use a sports metaphor) when you get to the end zone, act like you been there.
Here, with this BEST stuff, I feel like I'm watching a bunch of folks do an end zone dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sshr8e3iQwc&feature=fvwrel
Fun in the moment perhaps, but it still comes off poorly and smacks of what Mattie called in 2010's True Grit, "braggadocio."
Again, this has nothing to do with THIS block featured here, I'm sure these are wonderful folks. And if any of them feel the need to "defend" themselves, no need. I'm not talking about you-- I'm questioning the name of this feature.
Though it's not lost on me how vanity may cause some to read my comments as an attack.
MMB
4:00 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
On one hand I agree with Prof. With all the different types of neighborhoods in our wonderful town, the word BEST may feel a bit exclusive and divisive. Maybe it's just semantics, but something like "Featured Street" or "Why I Love My Street" might feel less braggadocious. It's like when people talk about their children, there's a fine line between feeling the real joy of the proud parent and wanting to punch them in the face. And I know you all know what I'm talking about ;)
In any event, Shelley, it's a very fun feature among a lot of negative news in the world!
MMB
4:17 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
HA! Now I'm really aggregated. I just read the other Best Block thread about Midland Ave only to realize that the section of Midland they deem BEST doesn't include my Midland Ave home that is just a few houses down. I think I'll draw a big fat line down the middle of the street and start a feud!
Shelley Emling
4:21 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Wow.. I've done tons of these including two segments on different parts of Midland... never got such a huge reaction to a feature that is designed to showcase all the great parts of Montclair!
Dbc
5:07 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Enjoy reading the Best Blocks segments and feel lucky to live in a town where so much joy and pride is felt in our neighborhoods. Great job Shelley!
MMB
4:32 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Lol. Although what I said was true of being "left out" of this last Midland Ave feature, please know my comment was in jest. Totally kidding around.
profwilliams
4:36 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
MMB,
You're welcome to visit my block, though County, we like most folks just fine.