coffee shop art ,Union St., Brooklyn
Last time Joan & I collaborated on a book, it was all farms & dirt roads, adventures on the mesa & atop mountains of deep Redwood Forest. Miles from nowhere. 
lunchtime at etsy in the company kitchen
This time, we are going decidedly urban. Less sheep, more converted warehouses. More politics, less manure. Yes I know there's an easy joke in there. We spent most of last year researching, planning, refining and defining. We were in NYC for an editorial meeting, and as long as we were together we thought we'd do a little extra investigation. It seems that no matter where you turn in the crafting world, there's a road running through etsy. Here's my behind-the-scenes report:
• decor I love any place that has a big ping pong table in its open space lobby/hall/kitchen /community area. With a nice raw wood dj double turntable set up nearby. Altho I hear you have to be there after 5 pm when the whiskey comes out to see it in use. It was definitely a work day when we were there. Big honking monitors all around.
• office ambiance of the furry kind although they had me at ping pong, what sealed the deal? A herd of little dogs running around. 
• walking the talk there's lots of art around. Huge pieces, small pieces, papier mache trees, hand crafted kitchen cabinetry, metal sculptures and textile hangings. I coveted a bacon-y triptych my culinary college attending son would butcher for if he saw it. Many of the furnishings- like a large quilt that serves as a meeting room divider- are commissioned from etsy artists just for this space.
• joie de vivre there's the sort of feeling of the old dotcom biz days , you know, when workplaces were consciously upbeat with a sense of fun, not scary and depressing.
• nice shiny people I mean, as nice as they sound when you read the Storque. It is, in truth, kind of weird to be sitting on an orange mushroomy sofa in one of their meeting rooms (themed: food + music. we were in Oreo Speedwagon) looking at the very same bright shiny face in 3d that's usually luring me in those daily emails to put work aside and browse a little.
• accessibilty to the masses: it's arts & crafts time, man It is not just the privilege of the perpetually nosy, ahem, I mean , professional writer and photographer, to be poking around. Etsy Labs on Monday night, weekly, is grownup arts & crafts club. You can go. Yes, I mean you, too. There's a screen printing setup to play with. A serger. And other, more messy things. Check it out. They have craft leaders some nights.You can go if you're a local or if you're visiting from out of town.
If they ever do a macaroni art night, I am so there.
this doorway, unrelated, down the street from etsy