HOW WE LIVE

By Tara Ryazansky

Photos by Max Ryazansky

Vie and Jordan Balocating greet me at the door of their studio at B22 – Bayonne. The space is small but curated with a chic style.

“It’s our tiny home,” Vie says. “It’s cozy and humble, but it’s everything we need.”

“I like the openness of it,” Jordan adds. “There’s a lot of room in the middle to do a workout.” He often uses the space to do YouTube workout videos, though they both enjoy the gym in the building as well.

The couple moved in last year when B22 Bayonne was brand new. “We’re just about to renew our lease,” says Vie.

Before that, they lived in Jersey City where Jordan grew up. Vie is from Bergen County originally, but fi nished college in Jersey City. The couple always knew about Bayonne.

“It’s just the next town over,” Vie says. “I have a friend who grew up here, and lives here now, who always said it was quieter.”

“I play basketball a lot and I like to play in diff erent places. Bayonne has good parks to play basketball in,” says Jordan, who teaches health and physical education at All Saints Catholic Academy of Bayonne. “We always go to Staten Island because Vie’s mother is there, so we would always pass through.”

Because of that connection, the couple had some favorite spots in Bayonne before they even moved here.

“We always liked going here for food,” Vie says. “We love Wasabi Thai because they have a lot of selections there. Even prior to moving to Bayonne, we went there so much that now we’re friends with the chef. He knows me when I call by my voice. We’re regulars.”

“Jordan is vegan, so he likes House of Flavor,” Vie explains, adding that living on Broadway makes it easy to get to many of their local favorites. “So many new places have opened here. We like this bakery called Double Batch. I get almost all of our holiday desserts and birthday cakes there. Mezcal is a cool spot if you want to grab Mexican and happy hour with friends.”

Vie mentions that going out and life in general is more aff ordable in Bayonne.

“It’s cheaper than Jersey City. That’s the banner that Bayonne should have hanging,” she says with a laugh. “It’s just as diverse and it’s up and coming, too, but slightly cheaper than Jersey City, so come on over!”

Jordan and Vie share their space with three roommates as well: their cats, Lily Pancakes, Matata Cookie and Prince Oreo.

Jordan and Vie

“Another thing that we love about this building is that it’s very pet friendly. That’s really a plus. Most buildings have certain limitations when it comes to people with pets, but they’ve been very welcoming,” Vie says. “We love our space and we love that they’ve let us have three cats in this cozy studio.”

The studio is also a work-space for Vie. “Before the pandemic, I was working from home at least once a week, but it’s full time now. I already had my setup and all of the stuff that I need to function just as effi ciently as I had in the offi ce,” Vie says, adding that she works for a fi nancial fi rm.

One great thing about working from home is that she enjoys her furry coworkers. “I love when they’re trying to get my attention for food or treats or when they just want to snuggle up on my lap,” Vie says. “Sometimes they will block my view and literally go across the

front of the screen so I can’t see what I’m doing. I absolutely love working from home.”

“Even though my offi ce is just in Jersey City and my commute wasn’t as awful as a lot of people’s, I just prefer having the convenience and the time to sleep and just roll out of bed and start working if I wanted to. When I’m done I’m right here,” Vie adds. “I can go to the gym and work out or do whatever I need to do at home.”

B22 - Bayonne off ers plenty to do right there in the building.

“One of the owners, Hadas, she’s really good at putting things together and just connecting with the community,” Vie says. “She has had vendors come, like Clutch Moto, and we’ve had a band perform here. She usually does something whenever there’s a holiday.”

Tonight, the couple is heading to a free yoga event that Hadas is hosting with BayOhm Yoga. “It’s a great way to meet other people in the building,” Vie says. “It’s a community here!”— BLP