wartman

Lots of people from the former USSR live here so the food is mostly from those areas and is interesting. You won't find most of it elsewhere.

The beach is fine if you're a beach person. But living right on the edge of the coast seems kind of risky these days and I can't imagine what the insurance costs are now that there with all of the damage from the storm a few months ago.

Maybe some investment in seawalls would help this. Don't know. In any case, for those who like living on the shore this neighborhood can offer that kind of ambiance.

I've lived here for several years and I love it. I can walk to and from the subway (either the M or the L, about a 20 minute ride to Manhattan) and yet I have my own driveway, my own little front yard, and my own garden in back of my fully detached 1920s house. Two good-size supermarkets are within a five minute walk. If I don't feel like walking, I can drive to either one and park easily (both have parking lots).

Glendale is very long and narrow. The western half of Glendale, Lower Glendale (where I live), contains the main business district along Myrtle Avenue and borders nearby Ridgewood. It was developed earlier than the eastern half (known as Upper Glendale) and, as a result, has a number of streets with beautiful yellow brick buildings built in the late 1800s much like Ridgewood.

Glendale is bordered by several cemeteries on the south and has many tree-lined streets. All this greenery makes the neighborhood noticeably leafier and cooler than nearby Ridgewood.

While churches and parochial schools have a definite presence here, it's a very relaxed and homey one. On Sunday mornings you'll hear church bells in the distance. In spring and fall there are numerous rummage sales, pancake breakfasts and supermarket sweeps fund raisers.

People are friendly - much like a small town and old-timey block parties in the summer are common. Glendale also has its own Memorial Day Parade and secular Holiday tree (eat your heart out 30 Rock!). Decorating for the holidays, or should I say ANY holiday, is big here - Valentines Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Flag Day, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and, of course, Christmas.

However, as much as I love this place, there is always room for improvement.

Trash pick up along Myrtle Avenue needs to be a lot better. Unlike nearby Ridgewood, Glendale does not have a BID (business improvement district) so Myrtle Avenue is less clean than it is in Ridgewood and, sadly, there are a number of vacant storefronts as of this writing (October 2012).

Glendale is close to the Jackie Robinson Parkway, which makes it easy to get out to Long Island and the beach but also draws traffic to some parts of the area. This traffic needs to be better managed.

Shopping and eating in Glendale is a mixed bag.

In Upper Glendale, just a short drive away from where I live, there's Trader Joe's, Home Depot, Staples, Office Max, Michaels crafts, Sports Authority, Panera Bread, Five Guys Burgers, all within a large plaza with free parking. Nearby on 88th Street is Tazzina, an absolutely wonderful, cozy, fine dining establishment.

Along Myrtle Avenue in Lower Glendale, there needs to be more variety of businesses and ones that are owner operated. Right now, there is an overabundance of 99 cent stores, nail salons and fast food chains. There are some businesses that are worthwhile - a great artisanal ice cream shop, some specialty euro groceries, a good German restaurant, a school supply store, an Italian bakery, a fish store, some good small produce places, local doctors, local banks, local insurance, local lawyers, local appliance stores, local dry cleaners, etc., but really, the area doesn't come across as vibrant or bustling with activity.

Don't think I'm ready to pull up stakes though. If ever an area had potential, Glendale does. It's got proximity, some great architecture, a leafy, park-like feel, and a relaxed attitude. With the right stimulus, right business mix and smart planning, Glendale will shine.