I have a second little brother for Big Brother/ Big Sisters of America who lives in Clinton Hill in Brooklyn. (My first I am proud to say will be attending Rowan University as a freshman on a scholarship this month).
There have been many emails I've gotten which criticized New Jersey. One standout email commenting on our film was a person who wrote that he moved to Brooklyn from New Jersey and wrote that Brooklyn had "more of a sense of community" than any New Jersey town would. . . North or South.
I thought about this as I ate dinner and played chess with my little on DeKalb Ave. and everyone said "hi" from their cars and walkers stopped to greet the waiters and diners outside on the block.
I was impressed. . . but because I love New Jersey - I was determined to find a similar city/ town in NJ.
I have lived in many places in New Jersey - which gave me the confidence to go through with this documentary: Woodbury, Ewing, Margate City, Somers Point, Maplewood, and Hoboken. I feel like I know the state better than many, but I still learn things new everyday.
Right now, my girlfriend and I talk about marriage, about our future - and I want to see it in the Garden State.
Yes, I get out. I was out west for 3 weeks with teenagers and travel to Europe often . . . (we're looking to go to Turkey next . . . as a history guy - it is a good place).
But what town in New Jersey, in your opinion, fits the bill of having that great "sense of community?" A place where you see someone new everyday and someone you know everyday? A place where everyone says hello and there are an abundance of outdoor cafes. A place where there is such an immense pride of "being there" . . . that it cannot be argued.
I have seen it in many places: In Monmouth County - there are some great towns that I found and in Hunterdon - there are many too. But even in Millville and Morristown - I felt good. Of course, Hoboken grows with me everyday . . but I really want to know - what is the best New Jersey town that has the "sense of community for you?"
5 comments:
Check out Summit!
Westfield! Walk around the downtown, you'll feel the sense of community.
Somerville, definitely, especially on Main Street.
Sparta! small old resort town with a lovely boardwalk
I grew up in South Orange and thought that between South Orange and Maplewood, we had a pretty tight sense of community.
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