Around Town
COMPILED BY TARA HOPFENSPIRGER
JERSEY CITY
ENJOY
YO U R M E A L
LIVE
T H E L I F E YO U L O V E
VIVI GIRL SHOP
When trying to come up with a name for their shop, owners and Jersey
City residents Mark and Marie Romantico liked the power behind “vivi,”
which means “to live” in Latin. Vivi Girl Shop offers vintage-inspired
brands such as Dear Creatures, J.O.A and Baggu, along with a great
selection of feminine dresses, tops, skirts, bags, accessories and more.
Marie says she doesn’t like to follow trends, but instead sticks to simple
silhouettes and neutral pieces that can be worn in any season, with pops
of prints and colors to keep the selection lively. The shop also carries
Lollia and Royal Apothic perfumes, hand creams and candles – perfect
gifts for the women in your life. 512-A Jersey Ave., (201) 706-3411,
vivigirlshop.com
CYCLE
B A C K TO B A S I C S
CITI BIKE JERSEY CITY
Launched this past September, Citi Bike Jersey City offers 350
bikes at 35 stations citywide. The only bike-share system in a
mid-size city to operate without public funding, the program is
also fully interoperable with New York City’s Citi Bike. This allows
those who commute or travel between the two cities to use their
memberships in both places. Citi Bike Jersey City provides an
environmentally friendly, healthy and affordable transportation
option for both residents and visitors. Residents can sign up for
membership online; members are entitled to unlimited use of
Citi Bikes for individual bike trips up to 45 minutes. Pricing is the
same in both New Jersey and New York, with a $149 annual
membership fee. Day, weekly and corporate memberships are
also available. citibikejc.com
16
MARCH 2016 (201) GOLD COAST
French-born owner of Choc-O-Pain
Clémence Danko has brought an
authentic, French café experience
to downtown Jersey City. In an
eclectic and comfortable atmosphere with both indoor and outside
seating, Choc-O-Pain offers homemade sourdough-based breads,
baked fresh every day the traditional European way. The bakery serves
up signature organic pain d’autrefois, baguettes, popular multigrain pain au levain aux cereals and, a
customer favorite, banana sourdough. Sweet treats offered include
freshly baked croissants, chocopains, tartes, macarons and other
desserts. Pair your pastries with unsweetened hot chocolate, a latte or
cappuccino from world-renowned coffee roasting company La Colombe
Coffee. If you are on the hunt for hard-to-find French specialty items,
make sure to check out Choc-O-Pain’s Epicerie, a small shop within the
bakery/café. 530 Jersey Ave., (201) 435-2462, chocopainbakery.com
START
A TA B
GREENE HOOK
Opening this past September, Greene Hook has proven to be a favorite
hotspot in the Paulus Hook neighborhood. Owners Bill Gray and Rich
McKeever have some experience behind them, as Gray is also owner of
the Light Horse Tavern. But Greene Hook shines on its own as a modern
A Y\