Etsom·ni·a (/etˈsämnēə/), noun, 1. a sleep disorder caused by obsessive Etsy browsing. 2. The surprising arrival of weird handmade merchandise ordered when one is only half conscious. (True story.) 3. An excuse for me to be an obnoxious, snarky New Yorker once in a while.
After what felt like an agonizingly-slow recovery, I’ve started back to work. I’m so excited to be back mucking around in Manhattan, I decided to dedicate this week’s Etsomnia™ to my favorite city! I was looking for non-touristy stuff, and from iconic must-haves to the weird and coolto the trying too hard to the inevitableNYC WTFs, as usual, Etsy delivers the goods!
Seinfeld-themed surgical scrub cap. Etsy really does have everything! By ScrubbedInCapsSubway line soaps for when you get off the train and NEED to wash your hands. By DPSupernaturalsSigned first edition. Does anyone have $7,500 I can borrow? Sold by BurnsideRareBooksAnd speaking of signed items, here’s an autographed Turnstiles album from New York’s favorite son. (Okay, maybe he’s just MY favorite, but still…) Sold by RockNRollAuthenticsIn the 80s, you would have had to leave your apartment 15 minutes early so EVERYONE could ask where you got your jacke. By KittyCuratedWhat a cool idea! NYC transit luggage tag by MaryEllisNewYorkI’m really loving this convincing reproduction vintage subway sign! By ArtHouseGraffitiPerhaps the most NYC shirt in the history of shirts. By EvelynAndAdelaideI can’t explain why, but we New Yorkers are crazy about our water towers! By AnnemadeNYCStudioWe have been decorating with New Yorker covers for decades, but I don’t have any this size… By BendsPrintArtIconic NYC deli coffee cup ornament. By TinselHouse (“Ships from New Jersey.” New Yorkers will know why that’s funny…)I just love this personalized NYC yellow cab stationery! By AmythePainterStudioLove her! By RFoxWatercolorsVintage jaws-of-life Goofy toy. Why, exactly?Fun fact: If you use the term “the big apple” near a native New Yorker, our eyes roll involuntarily. This is pretty cute, though. By GBArtPrintsI don’t know why, but this delights me. Presumably, it smells like pot, dirty water hot dogs, and pure, dogged determination. (I know it doesn’t sound appealing, but somehow it works.) By BurnTheWaxAbsolutely blown away. NYC wallpaper YOU CAN COLOR ON! I have no room for it, but I’m going to have to convince one of my clients to install it. By MinkAndMaple
As a born and raised New Yorker, I’ve always taken pride in calling this bustling, often misunderstood city my home. It’s a place teeming with life and an energy you can’t find anywhere else. Now, 44 years later, I find myself at a poignant crossroad in life. The house where I grew up, where every room holds a story, a laugh, a tear, is now on the market. Selling it feels like closing a chapter, a bittersweet farewell to walls that have sheltered dreams and witnessed transformations.
My wife and I have deliberated this for a while, and though it’s hard to let go, we know it’s time to move on. We’re ready to pass the baton, to let new hands build and cherish memories in this space that has been so dear to me. There’s comfort in knowing that another family will fill it with their own love and laughter, making it their sanctuary.
In a way, this change aligns with my appreciation for the art and products you’ve featured. Just like each piece tells a story, my childhood home is a storybook of my life in New York City. It’s time for its pages to turn, for new stories to be written. Thank you for reminding me through your blog that change, though daunting, carries the seeds of new beginnings and beautiful journeys. 🙂
How lovely! I too would have a very hard time leaving our home, and I can’t ever envision leaving NY. But if it’s time, it’s time. I hope the sale goes well and you feel good about who gets the house. That makes a huge difference!
On a previous NY themed blog you featured a gold foil “map” of NYC icons rendered in a style of Klimt imaged. I purchased one for a friend who is a New Yorker (now lives in Nyack). She reports that she has it hanging in her hall by her front door and that visitors could spend hours picking out the features in the map. I love the wallpaper and will ask her if she has room for it!!
How wonderful! I always wanted one of those maps, but I was concerned it would feel a bit too polished to fit in with our controlled eclectic chaos. I’m very pleased your friend is still enjoying it!
They do! They have a number of European cities plus Havana, and if the wall paper is too big a commitment, they also sell smaller framed prints that can be colored as well!
There is so much about NYC that is visually iconic that is makes absolute sense that it inspires a diverse array of creative people. I love the New Yorker cover and the pigeon t-shirt. The cityscape wallpaper is a great idea too.
My OBT 
January 18, 2024 at 8:52 am
As a born and raised New Yorker, I’ve always taken pride in calling this bustling, often misunderstood city my home. It’s a place teeming with life and an energy you can’t find anywhere else. Now, 44 years later, I find myself at a poignant crossroad in life. The house where I grew up, where every room holds a story, a laugh, a tear, is now on the market. Selling it feels like closing a chapter, a bittersweet farewell to walls that have sheltered dreams and witnessed transformations.
My wife and I have deliberated this for a while, and though it’s hard to let go, we know it’s time to move on. We’re ready to pass the baton, to let new hands build and cherish memories in this space that has been so dear to me. There’s comfort in knowing that another family will fill it with their own love and laughter, making it their sanctuary.
In a way, this change aligns with my appreciation for the art and products you’ve featured. Just like each piece tells a story, my childhood home is a storybook of my life in New York City. It’s time for its pages to turn, for new stories to be written. Thank you for reminding me through your blog that change, though daunting, carries the seeds of new beginnings and beautiful journeys. 🙂
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January 18, 2024 at 12:08 pm
How lovely! I too would have a very hard time leaving our home, and I can’t ever envision leaving NY. But if it’s time, it’s time. I hope the sale goes well and you feel good about who gets the house. That makes a huge difference!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 18, 2024 at 9:24 am
On a previous NY themed blog you featured a gold foil “map” of NYC icons rendered in a style of Klimt imaged. I purchased one for a friend who is a New Yorker (now lives in Nyack). She reports that she has it hanging in her hall by her front door and that visitors could spend hours picking out the features in the map. I love the wallpaper and will ask her if she has room for it!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 18, 2024 at 12:09 pm
How wonderful! I always wanted one of those maps, but I was concerned it would feel a bit too polished to fit in with our controlled eclectic chaos. I’m very pleased your friend is still enjoying it!
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January 18, 2024 at 10:44 am
I too love the wall paper. Do they do other scapes.
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January 18, 2024 at 12:12 pm
They do! They have a number of European cities plus Havana, and if the wall paper is too big a commitment, they also sell smaller framed prints that can be colored as well!
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January 18, 2024 at 2:34 pm
There is so much about NYC that is visually iconic that is makes absolute sense that it inspires a diverse array of creative people. I love the New Yorker cover and the pigeon t-shirt. The cityscape wallpaper is a great idea too.
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January 19, 2024 at 12:10 pm
It was a really fun search!
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