New York Part 2

I'm finally getting around to posting the rest of these pics and talking about this trip, though it is old news. Things are starting to get busy around here -  though I'm not complaining. I've been in a Pinterest cave for more than three weeks and, as it turns out, you can look at too many pretty pictures on the internet. One of my new years resolutions was to pay more attention to this here space so I'm trying to get on top of things and get a few improvements happening.

When I look at my photos they seem kind of grey and dismal for the most part and I have to admit, it was kind of gloomy. I didn't think it affected me but realize in retrospect that it was a sort of melancholy time despite the obvious amazing-ness of why I was there.

1. A shot of the Brooklyn Bridge from underneath. On my last day I had the opportunity to visit the Etsy headquarters in Dumbo and it really blew my mind. From the living wall when you walk in to the hand knit viaduct covers to all the amazing meeting rooms, it is a pretty neat place, to say the least. Afterwards I went for a walk in the rain and snapped a few photos, like this one. 

2. & 3. Morning coffee in my super cool hotel, what became a ritual. I adored this hotel, The Jane. Even though my room was the same size as my closet at home, I really enjoyed being in the West Village and walking to Soho for work each day. And, I especially loved this restaurant/cafe downstairs, Cafe Gitane where I found myself hanging out quite a bit. The third photo is of their ballroom where I snuck in and took some photos. The whole hotel has this wild 1920s French Moroccan theme going on mixed with aquatica. The rooms are done up like ships cabins and I just read that the survivors of the Titanic had stayed there.

4. Interesting Speakeasy Bar situation. Some friends knew about this bar in the East Village wherein you enter a hot dog stand, then a phone booth, pick up the phone and dial. A secret door opens and inside, voila! an exciting bar. My friend, who is a sommelier, said it was known to be one of the best bars in North America. I just like that it was inside a hot dog stand!

5. & 8. More shots from my walk over The Brooklyn Bridge and through the Lower East Side, all the way to the West Village. In the rain. Yep.

6. Kelly & Pings, a delightful resto in Soho next door to Etsy. One day I went for lunch there and Jon Bon Jovi was dining next to me. Ha! I looovvveee vintage Chinese and this place looked like something out of Shanghai in the 1920's. Love.

7. No trip to NYC is complete without a visit to one of my favourite shops in the world, Pearl River. I happen to like Chinese kitsch thank you very much and I got my fill of velvet Chinese slippers, floral oil cloth and Chinese tea tins. So much fun.

A few other notable events that didn't make it into photos; my new friends Aymie and Zach took me vintage shopping in Brooklyn on Sunday, a total treat. Nice to have guides to show you all the cool stuff.  A brief visit to the MOMA. (definitely need more time with the museums of NYC, on my next trip in the Spring that will be a priority.) And mainly, just wandering. Every morning I just wandered until I found myself at work in Soho and it was such a delight to not exactly be lost but have every turn be new with possibility.