Working from the coffee shop

Sponsored by Zappos

So if you don’t know, I work full-time as a graphic designer at a communications agency in downtown Grand Rapids. I spend my 8-5 behind my desk at the office, but sometimes I love to get out and work from a local coffee shop to mix it up a little bit. Usually I’m working over my lunch hour on the blog, so hitting up a local coffee shop is a great way to get out of the office and still be in a community of people. Working from home is always great too, but I definitely get distracted with chores and television, so heading somewhere to focus is always a good idea.

Especially in winter, it’s nice to not have to hop in your car, deal with the parking ramp, and drive home, so I love being able to hit up places within walking distance. Lantern Coffee and Madcap at the Downtown Market are within walking distance of my office. Rowster is within walking distance to my house. And Madcap on Fulton is right on the way to the grocery store when I’m running out to pick up items for the week. I love how light and airy this location is, and their chai latte is one of my favorites.

Since I’m always on the go, and pretty much always carrying my laptop around, I’ve been on the hunt for a quality bag that looks stylish and can hold my laptop and other essentials. I recently discovered Dooney & Bourke, and I’m a big fan! I decided to go with their Extra Large Courtney Sac. I love the black/tan color combo (always one of my favorites) and the quality and storage is perfect for what I need on a day-to-day basis. It has plenty of room for my 15” MacBook Pro, and has lots of compartments for things like my mouse, phone, pens, notebooks, glasses, and other things I might need to throw in. It even has a key hook, so you can easily keep track of your keys!

One of my favorite features on this bag is the flat bottom. It’s nice to be able to stand it up, and stack what you need inside. It makes packing and unpacking so much easier. I went for the black bag because it’ll go with any of my outfits (and especially outfits I wear to work) but I also love the red one. So fun for a pop of color! I’d definitely recommend this if you need a bag with durable high-use. I haven’t had it too long, but it already feels like it’s going to hold up really well over the years.

During the holidays, we don’t have to do much traveling since our families live pretty close, but I still take my laptop with me certain places in case I need to send off some blog photos or make a quick edit to a post. I’m hoping to take a little time off during the holiday weekend to enjoy and relax! Do you have to travel far for the holidays? If you’re looking for a good travel bag, be sure to head over to Dooney & Bourke on Zappos.com to check out their collection. This also makes for a great gift for the busy person on-the-go in your life!