Name: Sam Zimerman 

Where do you live? Montclair! 

When did you move there? We moved from Toronto when I was 8 years old for my parents’ jobs. 

Where did you grow up? Right here. However, I went to school in West Orange. 

How do you make a living? OR What is your everyday passion?

My passion (and hopefully full-time future) is stage/screen performance and music production. I was lucky to act in 2 off-Broadway productions near the end of 2021, but the Omicron variant unfortunately took us off the stage about a month into our run. While I push toward my next performance, you can find me dressed to the nines inside Carnegie Hall, helping patrons find their seats and ensuring shows run smoothly. Perhaps I’ll start doing some open-mics around town. That sentence is going to hold me accountable! 

Coffee, tea or … ? Tea always. I’ve been on a masala chai kick for a year. 

What’s your idea of a perfect weekend day? I’m simple. Wake-up, iced chai, nice walk with the dog, some guitar playing, calls with friends, dinner out and a trip to the movie theatre before a good sleep. 

What’s your favorite local restaurant? There are too many to choose from! Ruthie’s, Falafel Hut, and TS Ma are favourites that never fail. 

What’s on your nightstand? Guitar picks, water bottle, and a book I have yet to start. 

What are you listening to? Currently consuming a lot of yacht rock, plus I’m always listening to multiple podcasts.

What are your current indulgences? My capital does not abound, so I’ll pick up weird snacks I find at CVS and walk around the city people-watching for an afternoon. 

What talent would you most like to have? I’d love to be a completely virtuosic pianist. It would help in my music production. Thinking about wanting to play something and have it come out of my fingers. Then play it again in a completely different key. Sky’s the limit from there. 

What’s the worst-kept (or best-kept!) secret about Montclair? Brookdale Park dog park and Kitchen Nightmares S5, EP2. 

What do you hope they say about you at your funeral? “He was a loving friend with a great beard and a great website.”