D.U.M.B.O

It is so cold, wet and windy here in London, that I have decided to perk myself up by looking back at part of our trip to New York this summer. One day we walked the full length of 'The Highline' and discovered this cooling water feature, perfect on a warm summer's day as our feet were tired from pounding the streets!

One of the highlights of this trip was visiting the offices of Etsy situated in downtown Brooklyn in a place called Dumbo - Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. A group of us were invited to their weekly workers lunch, quite a big affair as I think there are over two hundred people working there! It took us a while to get in as everyone was at a meeting, luckily the lovely receptionist above heard us knocking at the door and came to our rescue!

We ate our lunch in a cosy relaxing room decked out with handcrafted good galore behind these curtains (picture above). Everyone was really friendly and happy to talk about Etsy and their work. After lunch we were taken on a tour which included the open plan offices, meeting rooms, film - makers office, telephone booth.....every space big and tiny seemed to have some activity going on it, finally we were taken up to the 'Etsy Labs' where members can use the art and craft facilities.

The lab is equipped with letterpress 

and screen printing machines,

materials and equipment to inspire and excite...

And look at this lovely sewing machine and display of threads!

 They also have a photobooth machine in the lab for members to use, together with a basket full of dressing up regalia to play with. What fun! Here we are - there were actually five of us crammed into that tiny space!

Thanks for inviting us over Tara!