I am still in a New York state of mind and thought I’d dedicate this version of Etsy Monday to the city that never fails to entertain me.  I was thinking about my love/obsession for New York this afternoon and think I may have realized when it all began.  Back when I was 14 my parents allowed me to do something I can’t imagine letting my own {unborn} 14-year-old daughter do.  They stuck me {alone} on an Amtrak headed from Detroit to New York City to stay with my older cousin for a week.  It was my first taste of real freedom.  My cousin and I walked up and down what felt like every street and explored every neighborhood.  We learned how to properly pronounce Houston and how to get around using the subway system.  We ate the various cuisines and did quite a bit of shopping.  Heck, my cousin even took me to an “adult” dinner and gave me a teensy bit of wine.  It was, in a nutshell, the best experience of my teenage life.  Whenever I return now, 14 years later, I still feel that same sense of excitement.

Whenever I think of New York City the first thing that comes to mind is the unmistakable skyline.  I love how Plastique has rendered the skyline into this amazing NYC Skyline Acrylic Necklace:

I’ve featured Chicago-based Truche on Etsy Monday before, but I can’t help but include this lovely I Heart New York necklace.

This is a stunning image of the Brooklyn Bridge.  IS Photography says that their prints are “little poems for the eyes,” which is possibly the best thing I’ve read all day.

This eye poem is titled “First, We Take Manhattan.”

The following is a pretty fantastic Save-the-Date card if you’re having a NYC wedding:

If you’re having a wedding in a city other than NYC, Gooseberry Press makes similar cards for other cities.

This updated I Heart New York T-Shirt from Baostudio made me chuckle:

The subway was still using tokens back on my first visit and I kept mine.  To be honest with you I have no idea when the tokens went away – when I visit now I usually hop in a taxi!  With that being said, I’m a sucker for subway tokens and these New York Transit Authority Subway Token Cufflinks from NOOBOO are fun:

Super jeweler Tiffany’s always makes me think of New York City.  First I think of the wonderful proposal scene in Sweet Home Alabama.  But then, of course, who could forget Breakfast at Tiffany’s?  Nobody will forget Holloy Golightly with these fantastic Breakfast at Tiffany’s Quote Notecards from Chicago-based Little Lady Company:

Finally, I typed in “Gossip Girl” to see what treasure I’d find.  The results turned out pages upon pages of headbands and other hair adornments.  Since I’m pretty sure I read that Blair Waldorf has bid adieu to the headband, I decided to post here the first non-hair item result that turned up.  Allow me to introduce you all to the Gossip Girls Goose Sisters:

A better likeness to Blair and Serena I’ve never seen.