Travel: Home Away from Home

The week before last we were happily hustling around in NYC. While it was primarily a business trip, we rounded up a few favorite highlights (namely eats & interiors!) to share.

We have our old standby spots back from when I lived in Brooklyn, but also like to venture out and explore when making new trips up. Typically we like to stay on the Lower East Side because of it's proximity to the F train — makes for a super snappy office commute.

We've found a home away from home at the Hotel Indigo, which has cozy accommodations and big modern style. It's also located in the heart of great music venues and eat-spots right at your fingertips.

 

Speaking of eats, it was Mr. Taka's Ramen that captured my heart this go round. The weather still had a chill, so a warm bowl of comfort food went a long way in taking some of the edge off. I've never been a big ramen fan, but this was one of Tim's favorite local spots and I quickly converted after trying a bowl of the Spicy Tonkotsu. So much so that we went back again in the same week.

We also got a chance to stop into Taiyaki, a small little ice cream shop in China Town specializing in Japanese style treats. The ice creams come in flavors like matcha and black sesame, but it's the cones that make a real splash. They're waffle-like, shaped like fish and filled with custard. Yes, you read that right.

Office visits are always a major source of energy and inspiration for me. As a homebody at heart, and one who spends my days dialing into work remotely, the sheer space and surroundings of the Etsy Headquarters feel fresh and new every time I'm there. This office location, in particular, is such a far stretch from the days spent in the loft it all started in, a continual reminder of just how far we've come.

The Etsy office is made up of wide open, light-filled space with a modern-meets industrial design. It's the intermittent pops of bright orange, greenery and the friendly office pups that make it feel homey and familiar.

Midway through our week, winter storm Toby decided to visit the city. I was completely unprepared with no boots, hat or gloves but somehow managed. In Virginia, the city shuts down when it snows, but in NYC it's just looked at as a commuting inconvenience.

The view from the office when it snows is magical — here's a shot of the Brooklyn bridge just as the weather was beginning to pick up where the lower Manhattan skyline and Freedom Tower are just barely in sight...

Albeit the surprise snowstorm, New York was good to us. It's always fun to visit, and while it's just as good to return back home, there's always a place in our hearts for this magical city. Until next time!

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