"This is the most exciting thing that's happened to this neighborhood -- ever." Carol Leone, Bloomfield resident for 28 years. "It was crazy to go against this."
Annette Batson is on the scene, reporting that the entire town of Bloomfield (sans Manny Alfano and Mayor Ray McCarthy, of course) have pretty much taken the day off to welcome the Sopranos to Bloomfield.
Morning sighting around 11:30 am: Paulie Walnuts, Tony, Carmela (in rollers) and A.J. When Tony got out of his limo, looking dapper in suede jacket and baseball cap, the crowd started roaring and screaming his name. He rewarded them by playfully sticking out his tongue. Carmela didn't make eye contact with anyone. The cast and crew are gorging themselves on pastry, sandwiches, pizza and cappuccinos from Cafe Tartufo. Owner Nora Loachamin says the cafe will be open to 1 am tonight to accommodate them.
If you see someone selling commemorative T-shirts ($20!) with Sopranos logo on the front and a Holsten's menu on the back and the words "Last Episode", that would be Frank of Stitch by Switch. Frank also did some wardrobe work for the show, labeling some old-fashioned, retro-style smocks and polo shirts with the Holsten's name.
There's talk of an accident scene to be filmed tonight and an appearance by Meadow (Jamie Lynn Sigler).
Among the folks playing hooky -- Susan Steensen, office planner, and Linda Farrugia, office assistant, who both live around the block from Holsten's and have been outside the shoot since 5:30 am. They've got lawn chairs, they've been calling in reports to their bosses (who gave the two Soprano fans a day off) and Susan's husband is bring them dinner at 5 pm (nice!).
Also spotted -- among the 30 or so extras walking from Cafe Tartufo over to Holstens, adults as well as kids, a number of which were dressed in Cub Scout uniforms. The biggest kid of all is Soprano Sue herself, being interviewed nonstop by reporters.
Photos (top): Geoff Gove, Ecorealty; (middle and bottom) Annette Batson
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Comments (27)
the tired, cliched expression, "get a life" doesn't seem too far off the mark here.
"reporting that the entire town of Bloomfield...have pretty much taken the day off"
Including the business owners who are getting whacked because of the closure.
Hope the Coordinators are passing out some walking around money to them, cause the day is shot.
You said it mother of i...
I can take the constant snarking, fighting and insults on this site, but then incessant Soprano-mania is just way too much.
Then. Don't. Watch.
Yeah, I got a problem wid dat. Guess what...it's just a show.
The show jumped the shark about three seasons ago. We need an entire section in the Forums on it? Honestly, it bores me to death.
It goes beyond not watching the show. Rush hour should be oodles of fun with hoards of people surrounding one of town’s busiest intersections. Star gazers please be careful, the drivers will probably be too busy rubber necking the action to bother to pay attention to things like crosswalks or us regular folk.
Having driven past many shoots around Montclair over the years, one of the things that always pleased me was that I never saw a crowd form, unlike NYC. It was cool how casual we were about it. Now this. The ultimate in tourism behavior. And in your own town!
Boy, will I be glad when this is all over. you'd think the President was coming to town. It's only a make believe TV show. One of hundreds.
We've got potholes on every street, the size of garbage cans, one after the other, and many important issues, township wide. Hopefully the filming will be over soon, and all this will be a memory. Sweet for some, bitter for others....but at least OVER.
"Kid, this is the stuff that dreams are made of..."
Tomorrow is soon enough to fill the potholes, take care of business, lower taxes, save the whales, end global warming, and elect honest politicians. Today, just live the fantasy. I will be there in an hour giving away sangwitches and cannolis.
"you'd think the President was coming to town."
Snore. I'd rather have Tony Soprano come to town than Dubya any day.
Stop stealing my lines.
I'd rather have Tony Soprano come to town than Dubya any day.
Well, they are both fictional characters.
Don't forget about me......
I can't believe he's the Poet Laureate of NJ. Is this the best we can do?
HBO can be counted on to deliver fantastically entertaining television drama. The 'Sopranos' is just one instance of HBO's committment to quality television. Rome, Deadwood, The Wire, The Corner, the list goes on.
It is so unbelievably cool that the last scene from the last episode of the Sopranos is being filmed at Holstens. If you can't live with that then God bless you too!
Anyone spot Sen. Geary? He paid the license fee to the town of Bloomfield out of his own pocket!
"Hey, Mikey, tell Paulie."
"Yo, Paulie, get Mikey D."
"Mikey D! Where's Paulie C?"
"With Mark and Mikey T."
"Ooh, Little Paulie, where's Big Mickey?"
"He's with Tony. Dere dere alreadys."
"Ooh! Gimme a kiss, you beauty-fool sonoffabitch!"
Let's have fun with this thread. I think we should propose new menu items for Holstens.
Conan, you go first.
Anybody know if they are shooting again today?
I thought it was a 1-day shoot but the babbling yahoos at 1010 WINS (who insist on calling the shop "Holsteins") are being totally ambiguous.
If you live in Bloomfield, you know it's commonly refered to as "HolSTEINS". So 1010wins is not really wrong.
"If you live in Bloomfield, you know it's commonly refered to as "HolSTEINS". So 1010wins is not really wrong."
Yeah, if your ignorant
Maronne! People, please. It was hilarious. I just happened by (I swear, I was going to the bank) and saw the blessed event. About 5 minutes after I got there and stood behind the tape with everybody else, Gandolfini showed up. He looked great! The mob, (you'll pardon the expression) at that point was shrieking "TONY!! TONY!!" Gandolfini walked halfway across Bloomfield Ave toward us and waved and said, "Everybody go home!"
So I went to the bank and met a woman in the vestibule who showed me a picture she had just taken with him when he was at the crew's trailers. He amiably put his arm around her and her friend and smiled. Very nice. She said he was very sweet.
Hiding 8:56am:
Guess you're calling most of Bloomfield "ignorant".
I'm not saying that "Holsteins" is the "correct" way of saying it, only that is what it's commonly refered as. And if you pronounced it that way, anyone in Bloomfield would know exactly what you were talking about.
Help Conan. We all have different issues vis a vis the Holstens matter.
My question: On Holsteins awning it says "Old 'Fashion' Ice Cream"
The Star-Ledger (Page 2 today), tv and Radio, Barista and other print media always referreed to Holstens "Old Fashioned Ice Cream". Should they not have included a "(SIC)" but used nonetheless, the Holsteins (albeit incorrect?) way of spelling it.
Or should we not hold awnings to such a high standard.
"I'm not saying that "Holsteins" is "the "correct" way of saying it, only that is what it's commonly refered as. And if you pronounced it that way, anyone in Bloomfield would know exactly what you were talking about."
Yes I would know what they were talking about and know that they are a bit of a dumbass. I mean the place has been there forever. Maybe it's one of those "South End" things.
Yeech the Forums look like a drag. Just gotta say "Your mom's box".