smitten with the city

tamar's beautiful bird houses

Well what an extraordinary few days I just had in New York City and I am filled with inspiration from head to toe! Not only did I get to meet and spend time with the most incredible people ~ Tamar Morgendorff, Sweet Paul, Liesl Gibson and new friends at Etsy ~ but I was able to zip around the city checking out the abundant creative establishments ~ like 3rd Ward ~ I've had my eye on from afar. It was a jam packed couple of days and worth every bit of running around, train riding and biking all over the city. I loved finding inspiration in the most unexpected places... a window display, a type treatment on a restaurant logo, the beautiful packaging, creative merchandising and the thoughtful way so many of the boutiques are built out. I'm in awe of New York City ~ it's true.

Spending the afternoon in Tamar's studio was really lovely. I loved getting to know her and hearing about life as an artist. Just sitting in her space surrounded by her creations was an experience all on its own, as I've been such an admirer of her work and it felt rather special to get a peek into her world. Sharing a dinner with Paul and Paul, creators of Sweet Paul Magazine (a longtime personal favorite publication!) was such an unexpected treat, filled with great conversations, idea sharing and of course, a delicious meal. They have some amazing projects up their sleeves and are one dynamic duo, let me tell you! Getting the chance to spend time with Liesl and meet her adorable daughter was wonderful. She took me to the best breakfast spot and then to a few of her favorite shops ~ including ABC Home (gasp!). I think if I could pick a person to wander the streets of New York with, it would be her. She's so stylish in her own right and has quite a knack for noticing the little details of everything that I love too.

Having lunch at the Etsy headquarters was a most special experience. Just visiting the office was a thrill really! You can imagine how creative their space is, but what I loved equally as much is how well they take care of their employees and the company culture they have created. Twice a week they invite local chefs to cook lunch for their employees (yes, the entire company!). They call it Eatsy (I love that!). There are plants growing in felt pouches on the walls, they have knitted wraps around their air ducts, playful telephone booths for phone calls, the CEO's office is in the middle of everything, they're building a tech-free work zone for those who want some quiet time, there are murals everywhere, and most importantly, you can just tell the people who work there are happy and love what they do. At the end of day, what's better than that? A huge thanks to Etsy for having me for lunch. It was awesome all around!

My last stop was a visit to 3rd Ward. Have you heard of it? Well if you haven't I'm here to tell you it's brilliant. It's a multi-disciplinary workspace and education center where you can experiment, practice and polish your craft and creativity. (Tugging at the 'ole heartstrings here!) You can take a gazillion classes in everything from surfboard making to furniture upholstery to perfume blending, all in beautifully designed, functional spaces. They offer an uber cool coworking space and even have a photography studio available for any business needs. The possibilities here are endless and I just might have found my kind of heaven. :)

It was just such a spectacular trip and as much I love living in Boulder and couldn't imagine living anywhere else, I sure do feel alive when I'm in New York City and I can't wait to come back!