The latest installment of our Baristanet Profile series, where we get to know the people in our neighborhood:
Name: Daryl Ferrara
Where do you live? Montclair
When did you move there? Montclair. Three years ago as a resident. Fiveyears ago as business owner
Where did you grow up? Kinnelon, NJ at age 9 and Tampa, Florida prior to that.
How do you make a living? My wife Omni and I co-own Yoga Montclair (Walnut Street/Forest Street area), as well as Yoga Morristown. I am also an independent film producer. My partner Kate and I actually have a private screening coming up at DCTV (in NYC) on April 23, 2014. We will be screening our short film The Meeting a Rom-Dram (I coined it as such). We have also been working on a documentary about Glenfield Middle School, called Ceremony for this Time and the impact that the performing arts have on its teachers, the current students and the alumni who attended Glenfield during the original film, Ceremony for our Time. When the film is completed, we will have used Glenfield as the landscape of the documentary; but our goal is to show that the performing arts are powerful throughout education. You can check it out here.
Coffee, tea or … ? Coffee all the way. I am actually a Starbucks snob. But if I am going to answer the “or…” part of this question — a nice cold IPA.
What’s your idea of a perfect Saturday? Waking up after 7 am (which is a rare thing in my household), hanging with my two little daughters and wife, and just making a really good day out of it. Saturdays are for family time.
What’s your favorite local restaurant? Egan’s. Not only did I meet my wife there, I have worked there for almost eight years and it is most definitely family to me. It’s also my 4-year old’s favorite restaurant.
What’s on your nightstand? Remote for my TV, a picture my daughter drew for me and a Poland Spring water bottle.
Your iPod? Would you believe I have never owned an iPod? Even my iPhone has ZERO music on it.
What are your current addictions? Yoga, my Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera and well, cleaning.
Talent you would most like to have. Singing
What’s the worst-kept secret about Montclair? It is a pretty chill town. Diverse, smart — does not lack culture. I love the fact that it is so welcoming. Yes, Brooklynites, move on over to the burbs, we have plenty of room!
What do you hope they say about you at your funeral? It is less about what I want them to say and more about what I want them to do. I would like my ashes sprinkled in the ocean. My biggest fear is the ocean, if I do not conquer that fear in life, I would LOVE to conquer it in death.