DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,
I searched room availability at The MC hotel — which is scheduled to partly open next month — and found nightly rates ranging from $177 to $309. Your thoughts on those high prices?

Sincerely,
Hostelry Hostility

No surprise from developer Pinnacle, the unpopular gentrifier and crowder of downtown Montclair. Many visitors won’t be able to afford The MC, but they can always sleep in UPS Store mailboxes.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,
The George is even pricier, though the two Montclair hotels have similarly pretentious website copy such as The MC’s “fancifully curated experience meant to stimulate and delight with a personalized service experience that is modern and seamless.”

Sincerely,
Pompous Avenue

Using “experience” twice is bad writing. And where can I get clothes without seams?

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,
The MC’s web copy also lauds the “diversity” of Montclair, yet aren’t the high rents of Pinnacle’s many present and future downtown apartment units hurting our burg’s economic and racial diversity?

Sincerely,
Clueless Joe

Yes, but Pinnacle offers the “diversity” of buildings that range from average-looking to ugly. The company is “woke” in that respect.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,
Other web copy says “The MC…is a joyous tribute to the artistic character of its community,” even as a different landlord sadly evicted Mary Z. Scotti and her 73 See Gallery that have done so much for the Pine Street neighborhood. Comment?

Sincerely,
Not Fine on Pine

I can’t comment because a landlord might retaliate by acquiring this column space and evicting “Montclairvoyant.” If so, meet…”Bloomfieldvoyant”!

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,
The world needs more Holsten’s quips. But a final 73 See-produced Pine Street festival did take place on June 8. Wasn’t it “lovely yet poignant”?

Sincerely,
Overture for Being Over

Funny, your description has the same initials as “landlords’ yuuuge profits.”

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,
In other news, the resignation of popular Glenfield principal Cheryl Hopper continues our school district’s troublesome trend of principal churn. Why hasn’t there been more stability?

Sincerely,
Musing About Musical Chairs

I asked a Montclair principal, but she was too busy updating her resume to answer.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,
Should a principal be transferred from one Montclair school to another if she or he doesn’t want that?

Sincerely,
Itch to Not Switch

No — even if the latter school offers to trade a high pick in 2020’s Principal Draft.

DEAR MONTCLAIRVOYANT,
A draft that’ll be televised on ESPN (Excessively Switched Principals Network). But what about the multi-year tenures for the two great principals your younger daughter has had?

Sincerely,
Exceptions to the School

Yes, plenty of institutional memory with Naomi Kirkman, who’s led Bradford since 2009; and Jill Sack, who’s helmed Buzz since 2013. And I’ve done this column since 2003, a long enough time to have written the first one on a cave wall.

 

Dave Astor, author, is the MontClairVoyant. His opinions about politics and local events are strictly his own and do not represent or reflect the views of Baristanet.