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I know it sounds ridiculous but I really want to make friends in a community - I grew up in Bergen County (had friends from across the county) and I can tell you there are many towns I wouldn't live in, because people's priorities centered around cars vs quality of education, people were scared to go to the city (their parents never took them to museums, theater, etc). They had zero interest in seeing the world or leaving Bergen County...so yes I'd like to live somewhere people keep up with current events, are informed, liberal, read books, etc. My parents never made friends in our town, my mom was the only working mom in NYC of my friends, etc. We just never fit in.
I don't think Ridgewood is like what I'm describing above at all, which is why I'm looking here. It's a beautiful town with amazing schools. I'm just trying to understand the subtle differences. Basically which of the two places, would someone who likes Montclair like 2nd best.
Do you really think people in Ridgewood don't keep up with current events, don't read books and aren't informed? Or that they care more about their cars than their kids' education? Anyway, how would you measure this? I can't envision a scenario where I would have to choose between the two.
And if present trends continue, a lot of people will be too scared to go into Manhattan.
How about the vibe? Do you think Summit has more working moms? People who'd be more into the arts vs sports/golf? More Manhattan types or Park Slope types? I've visited Ridgewood and it's really hard to gauge who lives there as most of the people in town were probably from adjacent towns and same in Summit.
The more encouraging signs in Summit: a woman reading the New Yorker in a coffee shop, a church with an LGBT rainbow flag, etc. I didn't really see any of that in Ridgewood...
Hmm, Ridgewood has an active Episcopal Church, so while I don't know if they have a rainbow flag outside of it, they would most certainly be welcoming because they are an Episcopal Church, which accepts all people (and will marry and ordain them). Ridgewood also has a UU Church, which has the same outlook. (I belonged to an Episcopal Church in another part of the state, and a gay couple who was married in our church and very active in the parish did not want us to have a flag because "it's not a gay church. It's just a CHURCH".) I know you're not looking for a religious connection, but just pointing out that it's hardly the sort of town where LGBTQ people would be run out of town on a rail.
Anyway, I did a quick search, and it looks as if Ridgewood doesn't wait for the churches to put up a flag. They have one in the park in the center of town.
Note that I am not trying to push Ridgewood over Summit; it's just that I am familiar with Ridgewood having lived in that area most of my life, and I'm not familiar with Summit at all. I was there once about 30 years ago to attend a birthday celebration for my brother-in-law that was hosted by a resident.
As far as the mix of arts vs. sports/golf, I'm not sure . Ridgewood has several art galleries and a number of actors and writers have made their home there, but also their high school sports teams are very competitive. I suspect that as a Wall Street commuter town with a number of doctors as residents because of Valley Hospital, there is likely some golfing going on.
Do you really think people in Ridgewood don't keep up with current events, don't read books and aren't informed? Or that they care more about their cars than their kids' education? Anyway, how would you measure this? I can't envision a scenario where I would have to choose between the two.
And if present trends continue, a lot of people will be too scared to go into Manhattan.
Yes but do they read the New Yorker while sipping their morning coffee?
I think that between Ridgewood, Summit, and Westfield, you are honestly splitting hairs about the differences between them when compared to Montclair. They are more or less interchangeable with each other vs. Montclair. But you could be more Montclair-like in either South Orange or Maplewood. Cranford is a notch below that but still more Montclair-like than Summit, Ridgewood, and Westfield. Same goes for Morristown.
Summit may seem architecturally a little more urban in its downtown, but that aside, I don’t think the “vibe” is different as far as people’s attitudes go. I would not consider one of the three and immediately write off the other two. You can think about some logistical things to separate them, i.e. Summit has midtown direct for the train, while Westfield and Ridgewood require transfers.
Yes, I agree with all of this. There's a reason those 3 towns are cross-shopped so often despite being in different areas of North Jersey - they are quite similar. And quite nice - if I were suburb shopping they would be on the short list.
If the OP is really concerned with getting that hipper, artier Montclair vibe (and it IS the gold standard of that in terms of NYC suburbs, by a country mile), I maybe would focus on the river towns of Westchester (Hastings, Dobbs, etc.) as they have a more laid back reputation than some of the other blue ribbon towns in NJ or Westchester. But man, those taxes are eye watering, even compared to Montclair. At that point I'd probably just grab my combat boots and get into some bidding wars in Montclair or Glen Ridge.
For what its worth, the church e rw ave has a rotation of 'all welcome' and 'racism in america" banners out front.
I do find it curious that someone presumably jewish would bother/care about what churches in the area are doing.
I think the poster was just looking for an open-minded vibe in the community. But to your point, those types of churches are also not the type that thinks they have to "save" and convert Jews, either.
I participated in a theological study group at an Episcopal church in my area a few years ago. One of the participants was a white Jewish woman married to a Haitian Catholic woman. Interfaith, interracial, and gay. They attended a Reform temple on Friday night and an Episcopal Church on Sunday (Episcopal Churches are close to Catholic in ritual and liturgy, so the EC is often a choice for LGBTQ Catholics.) The EC also doesn't hold that Christianity is the only valid religion, so they don't attempt to convert people of other religions.
Hmm, Ridgewood has an active Episcopal Church, so while I don't know if they have a rainbow flag outside of it, they would most certainly be welcoming because they are an Episcopal Church, which accepts all people (and will marry and ordain them). Ridgewood also has a UU Church, which has the same outlook. (I belonged to an Episcopal Church in another part of the state, and a gay couple who was married in our church and very active in the parish did not want us to have a flag because "it's not a gay church. It's just a CHURCH".) I know you're not looking for a religious connection, but just pointing out that it's hardly the sort of town where LGBTQ people would be run out of town on a rail.
Anyway, I did a quick search, and it looks as if Ridgewood doesn't wait for the churches to put up a flag. They have one in the park in the center of town.
Note that I am not trying to push Ridgewood over Summit; it's just that I am familiar with Ridgewood having lived in that area most of my life, and I'm not familiar with Summit at all. I was there once about 30 years ago to attend a birthday celebration for my brother-in-law that was hosted by a resident.
As far as the mix of arts vs. sports/golf, I'm not sure . Ridgewood has several art galleries and a number of actors and writers have made their home there, but also their high school sports teams are very competitive. I suspect that as a Wall Street commuter town with a number of doctors as residents because of Valley Hospital, there is likely some golfing going on.
I was thinking about posting a follow up similar to what you posted, but you did it best. I would like to know the denomination of the church with the flag in Summit. May very well be Episcopal. Displaying the flag itself is just virtue signaling.
Seeing someone read the New Yorker in a coffee shop in Summit is happenstance in a particular place at a particular time. At the same time, someone in Ridgewood could be reading The Huffington Post on their smartphone at home while they drink a kale smoothie to recover from their morning yoga. And in Summit, some guy could be reading the New York Post before he heads to work at the auto shop he owns.
I say all of this is a solidly reliable Democrat, like the OP seems to be. The inferences based on anecdotal observations are quite ridiculous, and OP’s judgment is misguided if that is how they are basing a decision.
Yes, I agree with all of this. There's a reason those 3 towns are cross-shopped so often despite being in different areas of North Jersey - they are quite similar. And quite nice - if I were suburb shopping they would be on the short list.
If the OP is really concerned with getting that hipper, artier Montclair vibe (and it IS the gold standard of that in terms of NYC suburbs, by a country mile), I maybe would focus on the river towns of Westchester (Hastings, Dobbs, etc.) as they have a more laid back reputation than some of the other blue ribbon towns in NJ or Westchester. But man, those taxes are eye watering, even compared to Montclair. At that point I'd probably just grab my combat boots and get into some bidding wars in Montclair or Glen Ridge.
-same church i mentioned before has a 'all is welcome movie night' sign out front currently.
-there was the longest line i've ever seen at bookends tonight. Down the block and into the parking lot next door. Wild.
Edit - evidently this is the cause of the commotion In-Store, In- Person Event with
Chrishell Stause
Star on Netflix's Selling Sunset, actress on Days of our Lives & All My Children
Meet/Greet/ Photo-Op & Book Signing
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