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Jersey City

6 Places to Get Work Done in Jersey City

8-20-18

As I sit here, on a Sunday, trying to catch up on some work while enjoying a beer and taking in the views, I realize how nice it is to sit at my own table not patiently waiting to trade power outlets for a laptop charge just to get a little work done. I find that it’s hard to find a good spot on the weekends vs weekdays. I rounded up some of my favorite places to work in Jersey City below.

9 Bar Cafe at Urby

Walk into Jersey City’s Urby and you’ll enter their lobby cafe with lines of tables, magazine walls, vintage toys and ceiling fixtures filled with hanging plants. It’s the perfect spot to both feel inspired and get some work done.

Vu Restaurant at Hyatt Regency

Clearly I have a thing for lobby bars, the Vu Restaurant is located in the Hyatt Regency, right on the water in the heart of Exchange Place. Grab a water view seat and a bite from the bar menu.

Lackawanna Coffee

Located near the heart of Grove Street, Lackawanna Coffee’s indoor cafe is just as beautiful as their garden oasis located in the back. Their delicious latte list ranges from wild flower honey lattes to vanilla bean cinnamon lattes. A must try.

Piggyback Bar

Opened only a year ago, Piggyback Bar is a new spot located right on the waterfront in Exchange Place. The best part? Their outdoor seating is located next to other waterfront outdoor tables. Grab a drink from their bar and set up at one of the open tables with your laptop.

Smith & Chang

Located in one of my favorite parts of Jersey City, Smith & Change is a coffee shop right next to Hamilton Park. Beautiful wooden interiors, it’s a great place to post up and be productive.

Places to Eat: Short Grain

10-08-17

Short Grain is a cute little cafe located in downtown Jersey City, that offers breakfast and lunch. Being a pescatarian, what enticed me the most was their menu filled with vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan options. After I tried their lemon ricotta hotcakes drizzled with honey and topped with berries, I was hooked. & of course they have amazing avo toast. As for the aesthetic? I love the light and airy feel of the inside: light wood, blue and white tiles, green plants and their beautiful plateing matches perfectly. In season, they have a few tables outside right on the sidewalk. It’s a perfect place to stop for a coffee, have a meal or sit with your laptop and get some work done.

SHOP MY LOOK

Places to Eat: Satis Bistro

7-30-17

Ah, Satis Bistro, a delicious french restaurant in the beautiful neighborhood of Paulus Hook in Jersey City. I’ve never been to France (it’s on my bucket list), but if their food is anything like Satis, sign me up. I regularly get their beet risotto on date night; highly recommend. Often rated the top place to brunch in the area, I was excited to finally enjoy their brunch menu with a girlfriend of mine. One thing you’ll notice on my food posts is I almost always choose the eggs benedict. What can I say? I choose salty over sweet every time. However, the typical poached egg and hollandaise sauce was on top of a zucchini, corn and parmesan cake. So delicious! Definitely add this spot to your list.

Sample Sales & Vintage Finds.

6-05-17

There is something that my mother taught me well, and that’s never to buy things full price. As I grow older, the things I want have a bigger price tag and I’ve had to learn some new tricks. One of my favorite ways to spend my lunch breaks are sample sales. Working in New York City and having access to them just blocks from my work is both a blessing and a curse. Although it’s fueled my shopping habits, I’ve been able to purchase some things I otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford.

Recently, Rebecca Minkoff had a sample sale where I was able to snag this black camera bag that never leaves my side on my weekends full of adventure. The cool thing? Rebecca Minkoff had her last sample sale online, so anyone was able to reign in on the deals. Could be a trend that more designers will move to. The second thing? Vintage shops. I was able to snag this Guess jean jacket from my one of my favorite vintage stores, VERY, for under $30! Also, who doesn’t love scouring through racks of clothes to find that one unique piece you know no one else will have on the streets. Happy shopping!

Places to Eat: The Kitchen Step

6-04-17

I’ve been thinking about what I like to do in my free time and how I can add more to Chasing Laines. One of my hobbies is trying out new restaurants, especially around Jersey City. So I’ve decided to put them on here for all of you locals. For the rest of you, I hope me documenting my expensive yet delicious hobby entices you to come visit Jersey City. If you want a head start, you can see some of my favorite Jersey City coffee shops here.

First up? The Kitchen Step. I’ve heard really good things about it and it exceeded my expectations when I finally visited for brunch. I absolutely loved the aesthetic, full of greens, which I posted on my Instagram last week. The eggs benedict was delicious and their cocktails were even better. One of them even came in a shark cup! See below for some pics and let me know what you think if you stop by! xx

Coveted Coffee Shops: Jersey City

2-11-17

For a while I didn’t enjoy coffee, like at all. It wasn’t until my first “real” job when I realized hmm I should probably give it a chance. Low and behold came my love for coffee, and then espresso. I’ve grown to enjoy trying out different coffee shops on the weekends. So, I listed my top five in Jersey City below. More to come in the area. Enjoy!

1.) 9 Bar Cafe: located right outside the heart of Grove St. They have beautiful dark wooden tables and delicious lattes.

2.) Dames Coffee Espresso Bar: their banana bread is to die for.

3.) Seven Sheep Coffee: my favorite part of this place is the colors. So many blues and greens. They even have a bookshelf in the back to enjoy with your coffee.

4. Smith & Chang: this one has a special place in my heart. I used to live right around the corner and would spend my Sunday mornings here.

5. Sam A.M. is my new found love. It’s in my new neighborhood, Paulus Hook. Not only do they have delicious almond milk lattes, but their food is delicious.