On Friday night, I went to the second Design Debate Club event kindly hosted at the Etsy Pop-up shop in Soho, New York. 

First, the shop. This is the first time Etsy has ever done anything like this. It's the biggest online handmade market so for them to open a brick and mortar store in the middle of Soho is pretty amazing. I'd heard of the all-nighters and scrupulous attention to detail the Etsy collaborators had put into the shop so I was anxious to admire their incredible work. It did not disappoint. It's seriously amazing. Industrial exposed light fixtures, handmade tags with a custom illustration by Tuesday Bassen on every item,  gorgeous artwork (some for sale), holiday gifts, handmade jewelry, and enough products that you can look at for over an hour and still not get through everything. Etsy bought the goods for sale outright. There are clothes, vintage shoes, pillows, screen printed posters, totes, picks from Tavi Gavinson, embroidered pillows of Martha Stewart's and Swiss Miss's heads, ornaments by Tuesday Bassen, tiny knitted baby sweaters. On this particular night, there was also a barber cutting men's hair for free as well as a surprise dance party by Pat Mahoney. We danced late into the night, until the Dry Soda ran, well, dry. The shop is only open until December 8, so if you're in New York, hop to. It's a sight to see! Follow #etsyholidayshop on Twitter for real-time updates. Greene St. btw Prince St. and Houston.

Second, Design Debate Club. I am not a designer, but I am married to one. I didn't know it at the time, but there was a line snaking down the block for guests wanting to get in. I don't blame them. How can you resist bow ties, beards, and a philosophical oxford style debate about design with smart people? It was an awesome night.