MUJI Times Square

Come to this deliberately cluttered mom-and-pop (located in the historic Tree Studio building) for all the benefits of antique shopping, without having to deep dive for the good stuff—here, piles of vintage hotel silver salvaged from European estate sales sit next to 1950s maps found at local flea markets. And while everything on display is good, it’s the tiny kids corner—packed with books, serving sets, and vintage toys—that’s arguably the main attraction. Fair warning: Serious collectors have to be quick on the draw as much of the offering is one-of-a-kind.

Stepping in here is the closest thing to time travel. Peter Merz opened this North Side institution in 1875 to resemble the European apothecaries his customers were missing, and other than moving to a bigger space in the 80s, it really hasn’t changed much: Holistic remedies and herbal tinctures (rounded out by a massive selection of vitamins and supplements) are displayed in their original antique jars, while natural skincare and beauty products from modern day favorites like Dr. Hauschka, Klorane, and Jao line the shelves.

Owner Claire Tibbs puts a lot of love into staging the beautiful range of vintage modern furniture, ceramics, textiles, and jewelry as a series of vignettes, making this sprawling space that much easier to navigate. It also means you get a pretty convincing preview of what, say, a retro brass bar cart or Hans Olsen leather chair might look like in your own home. On a smaller scale, the selection of local-designed jewelry, home goods, and apothecary items is as easy on the eyes as it is on the wallet.

Navigating this colossal salvaged furniture and décor warehouse is actually surprisingly easy, especially if mid-century modern is your design sweet spot. Inventory is updated pretty much daily so no two trips are alike. Conveniently, they also offer carpentry services at the on-site workshop, making this an excellent resource for decorators and designers. Plus, the lush courtyard is an easy sell as a popular special event and wedding venue.

In just a few years, owners Lance and Jim have made a name for themselves for their impeccable taste, and for bringing otherwise-unknown designers and brands to their shop on North Michigan. Their tastes run the gamut from post-pop ceramics by Seletti, to tongue-in-cheek stationery, to Building Block tassel bags, Rachel Comey trousers, and Markus Lupfer sweatshirts: In their words, “it’s a general store that’s anything but general.” In the beauty department, find everything from Binchotan charcoal masks, to a full range of clean skincare.

This fabled auction house’s claim to fame is organizing modern and contemporary design shows that have the power to bring seasoned collectors to their knees and inspire novices to start investing. In addition to a gallery and consignment department, the Chicago location is home to the Wright Now showroom, which houses globally-sourced décor, furniture, and fine art that can be viewed by appointment.

Housed in what used to be a 1930s apothecary (thankfully, the original wood paneling was left untouched), RR#1 Chicago is one of those stores that you’ll have a hard time leaving empty-handed. On offer: a dizzying array of candles, teas, and soaps, as well as kitschy prank gifts, tea towels, and novelty books. It’s pretty ideal for picking up a last minute something for the hostess, they'll even gift-wrap your selection right at the counter.

Chicago antique malls are the stuff of mid-century modern legend, and BAM is the crème de la crème. At 75-vendors strong (most with a focus on Art Deco, Mission, and Mid Century modern design), it’s got something for everyone. Furniture, clothing, accessories, costume jewelry—all of it blessedly organized so there’s little need to dig. And as locals will tell you (or more likely, not tell you) the semi-annual sales are epic.

Kelly Whitesell and Elizabeth Del Castillo, the founders of this Wicker Park standby, are known for their trend-driven, yet somehow totally timeless sensibility, which is perfectly reflected in the boutique’s easy-to-navigate layout and eclectic buy (Judi Rosen denim, knits from Barcelona-based Yerse, and In God We Trust charm necklaces). And while the eponymous house line might skew a little young for some, for the right girl, the racks of retro-tinged dresses and printed separates are a sartorial goldmine. The apothecary, however, is a sure bet for just about everyone—think, D.S. & Durga fragrances and Qualitas candles.

This beloved vintage furniture/décor/botany mecca was a major contributor to making the Chicago goop Pop the experience it was. Even if you’re not in the market for say, a crushed velvet fainting sofa or crystal chandelier, perusing the bright space is an inspiring experience. Can’t do in-person? The online shop is the next best thing.

Everything at this pristine home store in the Brentwood Country Mart is a design classic—past or future. While it's the sort of spot where you duck in for a hostess gift, it's invariably the sort of store where you end up re-thinking your china and splurging on some steak knives too. They also have impeccable stationery, beautiful blankets, and every conceivable size and color of Comme des Garçons pouch. There's also a location in East Hampton.

This deeply under-the-radar shop, located on the second floor of a Chinatown office building, is more like a gallery than a boutique. You'll find an Opening Ceremony blouse, hung next to a vintage poster, a one-off book, and a Mended Veil necklace. They opened a second location downtown, known as Ooga Booga 2 or Ooga Twooga.

Though this design shop got its start in a space on Abbot Kinney, its relocation to DTLA is finally letting A + R stretch its legs a bit, and show larger pieces, like Bend Good's metal chairs and Scholten & Baijings' technicolored rugs. It's all arranged with smaller, more suitcase-appropriate picks, like Hay's Kaleido trays and Y'a Pas Le Feu Au Lac's vases.

Equal parts clothing boutique and toy store, this is the sort of place where you can pick up a gift for anyone under 10. It's very well-edited, meaning that there aren't a ton of options, but they're all good, from Aden & Anais swaddle blankets, to non-toxic crayons, to robot-printed pajamas.

Marble-topped Tom Dixon candles, cyan-hued wallets from PB 0110, and pretty sublime cashmere blankets are just a few of the offerings at this serene, grey-washed space. Bedding and linens, coffee table books, and Hella Jongerius plates round out the mix.

In addition to the delicious lattes, homemade sandwiches, and old-fashioned candies and trinkets, this general store stocks an equally excellent selection of homewares, including perfectly minimal white ceramic bowls, gardening tools, kitchen supplies, and more.

If you're one of those people who believes that the card should be as well-conceived and personal as the gift, this is your mothership. They have all the best lines, along with sweet notepads, journals, and a good selection of pens.

Known for modern and beautiful letterpress stationery, Sugar Paper also does great holiday cards, wedding invitations, and monogramming. The tiny shop (in the Brentwood Country Mart) also offers cards and paper goods from Rifle Paper Co., Kate Spade, and more—and they can wrap any gift (just bring a box) while you wander the mart.

Now four locations strong, this general-style store offers a deeply curated range of clothing and accessories, along with really beautiful home goods. Expect to find Ulla Johnson jumpsuits (for her), Engineered Garment pants (for him), along with Want Les Essentials laptop sleeves, Cire Trudon candles, and Fort Standard trivets. There's also a location in Pasadena and Santa Monica.

Everything at this long-standing, architecturally-minded boutique—from Noguchi lamps, to Heath bud vases, to Alice Park wallets—would look just right inside, say, a Schindler or a Neutra home. The emphasis is on great gifts (almost everything comes pre-gift wrapped in basic brown butcher paper), whether it’s a framed beetle or Carl Aubock designed book-ends. There's also a location in Silver Lake.

A true mid-century American icon, Heath has been producing beautiful modern and minimal tableware (with a brief break) and tiles since 1948. In fact, it's part of the permanent collections in New York's MoMA—and graces many a table across the Los Angeles restaurant scape. The store, like the products, is modern and minimal, with wooden shelves, concrete floors and a lot of space to browse. Besides the Heath line, they've selected a handful of designers to showcase. There are multiple locations in the SF area, including an outpost in the Ferry Building. The factory store in Sausalito offers seconds (i.e., subtly imperfect plates and bowls) at big discounts.

While its unlikely location on a grungy strip of Lincoln Boulevard keep this spot slightly under-the-radar, The General Store always justifies the trip. While it’s set in a big lofty space that could theoretically hold hundreds of items, the impeccably-curated store is an exercise in restraint: You’ll find hand-done ceramics, brass trivets, thread wrapped bows and arrows, and rare, vintage books. The original is actually in San Francisco.

Owner Rachel Berks focuses exclusively on artist and designer-made clothing, jewelry, pottery, posters, and prints. This is one of those stores where you never know what you're going to find, whether it's a simple turquoise drop necklace or a Gravel & Gold toiletry case, emblazoned with line drawings of boobs.

Interior designers Todd Nickey and Amy Kehoe put out their own own line of perfectly-textured home goods (solid cast brass hand sconces, tufted headboards, hassock ottomans), which they've mixed with an eclectic range of accessories at this subtly-industrial shop. You'll find Japanese bear bookends, pillows cut from vintage Hmong embroidery, black-bristled brooms, and Astier de Villate journals—and you'll want to buy it all.

Lost & Found in Hollywood occupies a stretch of adjacent buildings on Yucca Street, which is tucked away above Hollywood Boulevard. It’s there that you'll find one of L.A.'s best shopping destinations. While there are spaces for women and homes, we particularly love the kids edit, which revolves around feathered headbands, papier-mâché masks, and t-shirts emblazoned with everything from motorcycles to birds. The new outposts in Santa Monica are huge, offering more floor space to men's and women's clothing, along with even more delights for little ones. (Plus, a great edit of home.)

We were pretty thrilled when Love Adorned finally landed on the West Coast last year—after all, its flagship in Nolita (the jewelry companion to the legendary New York City tattoo parlor NY Adorned) is stunningly cool. It's also one of the few stores around that can embody an entire aesthetic, one that is subtly bohemian, gothic, and yet gloriously feminine, too. You'll find stunning, slightly asymmetrical diamond rings from Polly Wales, cool, Natural Park–themed bandannas for kids, and the resin champagne buckets by Tina Frey. The location in Santa Monica is fittingly airy and light and lined with all the jewelry treasures you’d expect along with a smattering of kitchen goods, throw pillows, and beautifully scented candles. There is also a location in Amagansett.

In addition to being one of the longest-standing shops on Abbot Kinney, Bazar is also one of the most special. Owner Tina Wakino keeps the smallish space packed with antique furniture, textiles, and racks of hard-to-find international brands and vintage pieces for both men and women, then she rounds out the assortment with imported apothecary favorites from Santa Maria Novella and Astier de Villatte. Though small, the children’s section holds incredibly adorable options for giftables and accessories that are unlike anything you might find at a traditional toy store.

Shopping for dudes can be risky business, though in our experience, the house line of basic tees and pants at this handsomely turned out men’s shop has a pretty stellar success rate. The vibe here is all about California cool, and the walls of vintage photography and retro memorabilia express that aesthetic perfectly. And if the racks of essential from Filson, Red Wing, and Rogue Territory, plus the tables of subtle, well-designed accessories and home goods aren’t enough of a draw, there’s a classic barbershop in the back where barber, Chrissy Phelan, performs her famously precise cuts.

Near the popular junction of Santa Monica Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake, this favorite shop has a curiously curated array of goodies from handmade pottery to children's toys, graphic t-shirts, jewelry, handbags, and stationery. Nearly everything in the shop feels like a brilliant find, making this a particularly good place to shop for special gifts.

Based in Mar Vista's Mitsuwa Marketplace, the Japanese-based Kinokuniya offers great notebooks, stationery, pens, and gifts. Kids, in particular, go nuts here.

It's easy to overlook this home goods shop, which has been holding down the fort on Beverly for years. It's a little bit out-of-the-way, which makes it easy to miss, but it's absolutely worth seeking out. John Derian decoupage plates, hand-beaded scarfs from Megan Park, and slightly macabre (but gorgeous) objects, like bronze cast beetles mingle with Ige's own line of pillows and fabric calendars.

True to its name (M.I.A. stands for Made in America), every piece of merch stocked in this homey, lovingly curated shop is made in the U.S., as the goal for founders Micha Thomas and Jaime Lawson is to shine a light on local independent makers at a time when so much of production is done overseas. The mostly handmade and small-batch edit includes a little bit of something for everyone: soy wax candles by Venice-based Yoke, delicate linen dresses by Matteo, Minnesota-made handbags by heritage brand J.W. Hulme, and so much more.

Though the assortment at this Atwater Village favorite includes quite a bit of vintage (mostly of the denim and cotton tee variety), mixed in with home goods, apparel (plenty of stuff for guys to rifle through, too), and apothecary items from beloved international lines like Fredericks & Mae and Jao, plus one-of-a-kind pieces from the local community of makers, it all feels totally fresh.

As the West Coast's largest art and architecture-centric bookstore, this is the sort of place where you can put together a stack of beautiful coffee table books.

Founder Melissa Lovoy opened Lake in February 2007 in the heart of Silver Lake and filled this quietly low-key space with pieces that are modern, beautiful, and well made.

This great little record store features a tight edit—but that shouldn't dissuade you from asking them to help you track down something that's not out on the floor. During the week, they're open until 9pm.

Styled like an other-worldly trading post, RTH takes much of its inspiration from the Southwest. It makes sense, as he owner (and designer), René Holguin, hails from El Paso and did stints at Ralph Lauren, J.Crew, and Levi’s before setting out on his own. There’s a house line of perfectly aged leather bags, smocks, and Liberty print scarves, along with seed bead pins and bracelets.

While there are a few pieces scattered about for men, the focus here is really on women's accessories, home goods, and picks for kids...though there's a smattering of ready to wear, too. Pieces from Rachel Comey and Jesse Kamm share rack space here with eensy sweatshirts from Boy + Girl and Misha & Puff while the glass cabinets are lined with Gabriela Artigas earrings and Fort Standard bottle openers. There's another location in Dallas.

Since 1985, this place has been offering every conceivable genre of vinyl to loyal West LA music lovers. Merchandise is restocked daily, there are stations where you can sample music, and you can trade in or sell your records here, too.

Whether you're in the market for kids furniture from Scandinavia, or a Pantone-themed mug, this long-standing boutique sources home goods and gifts for kids from all over the world.

A testament to owners (and real-life couple) Ted Vadakan and Angie Myung’s creativity and taste, this color-happy shop in Little Tokyo somehow manages to look entirely different from visit to visit. While the core categories—home décor, stationery, accessories, and kids—stay the same, the assortment is constantly updated to keep up with the latest and greatest in design and still meet Poketo’s playful aesthetic. Expect to find Japanese stationery, tabletop pieces from Danish firm HAY, beautiful art books, and so much more. There's also a sister location in Culver City and in The Line Hotel.

Founded on the design principle that less is often more, Formerly Yes (which formerly used to just be online-only), now occupies an airy boutique Downtown—just a stone's throw from the Ace. Much likes its site, the offerings are extremely winnowed down and edited, i.e., you'll find only design classics, like Braun alarm clocks, Japanese platters, and Iittala tumblers.

Known for fun, colorful stationery and cards for every occasion, it's entirely possible to (happily) lose an afternoon at Shout and About browsing through every good on display. In addition to their stationery, the store has a selection of jewelry, plants, and other gifty items, making it an ideal one-stop shop for last minute birthday, housewarming, and just-because presents.

Set up in the center of the most walkable stretch of the Arts District, Alchemy Works is the brainchild of Lindsay and Raan Parton (their former Apolis store is now a pop-up within Alchemy) and aims to bring a bit of the coastal lifestyle to downtown. The industrial-style shop doubles as an events space, so there’s lots of room to roam around and admire the hand-picked apothecary pieces, letterpress prints, indy-designer accessories, and more. Also sharing the space is a Warby Parker shop-in-shop and a Blacktop coffee counter. It's Newport Beach location is equally stunning.

This kooky shop is filled with the types of gems, crystals, candles, incense, and other knickknacks that make perfect metaphysical souvenirs to bring back from LA. If you have time, opt for one of the amazing readings or a treatment with one of the healers on staff, who offer modalities like Reiki, crystal healing, and shamanic energy medicine.

Started by Paige Appel & Kelly Harris (founders of the much-loved event design business Bash, Please) opened their long-awaited shop on Washington boulevard in Culver City, within easy striking distance of nearby Platform, where there's also some excellent shopping to be had. The buy is a mix of one-off items like West African woven fans and Zuni stones along with pieces from up-and-coming designers, like Beatrice Valenzuela slides, Cinq jewelry, and Sara Barner bags. The apothecary has great body oils and some Shiva Rose creams, as well.

Flowers in antique glass jars, succulents large and small, steampunk kids clothes, pressed flowers, it all may sound a little Etsy-esque, and well, it is, but it's so well achieved and so aesthetically pleasing that it's hard not to fall for. Botanique, both a florist and a shop for artisan wares, opened up its sprawling, wood-lined space on Exmouth Market in October and already promises to be a fixture on the local craft scene with a series of seasonal workshops for those interested in picking up a few skills.

Affordable jewelry by lesser-known designers is nearly impossible to find in London, which makes Hall, a hole-in-the-wall shop tucked away behind Westbourne Grove, so special. Here, owner and designer Min Lee gathers her favorite designers and displays them along with her own designs. You'll find Annette Ferdinandsen's organic, insect-inspired pieces next to Ilana Ariel's more angular designs, along with Min's own collection of fashion jewelry—everything from simple bangles to gemstone earrings and cuffs, to signature wave rings, and more. Look for Min at the shop for inspiration on how to put it all together—she truly is the master of layering jewelry, high and low.

Alex Eagle's eponymous concept store has moved from its Knightsbridge townhouse local to an expansive loft space in Soho. The owner stocks hard-to-find brands like Isa Arfen, Lemaire, and Protagonist mixed in with homewares by hip design studios like Makers & Brothers. With the odd Jean Prouvé stool or Alex Eagle collaboration—many are her takes on classic heritage brands like Swaine-Adeney—dotted here and there, this shop is always packed with discoveries.

Born out of a friendship between June Summerill and the late Bernadette Bishop, their store is one of Holland Park's hidden gems, worth venturing a few minutes out of Notting Hill to visit. With an eye for hand-crafted home goods - June & Bernadette forged relationships with many international ceramicists, textile artists and glassblowers - and merchandise their goods in their own style. The best hand painted tablecloths, in an array of patterns all designed in their in house studio, handblown glassware, plus essential kitchenware round out the offerings. This is a dreamy, beautiful store that is over 25 years strong. They sell internationally through their website.

Tom Dixon is undoubtedly the British designer of the moment, having just completed the Mondrian at Sea Containers. His shop, located underneath the delightful Dock Kitchen, features picture windows looking out onto Regent's Canal and stocks Mr. Dixon's pared-down furniture, lighting, and accessories. You've probably seen his brass and copper light fixtures around town and if you haven't you'll be sure to fall for them here. The shop is also packed with delightful knick-knacks scoured from all around the world.

Blush pink walls and a warm grey ceiling complement the beautiful furniture and accessories sold at this relatively new Marylebone shop and design studio. Handcrafted wooden furniture, jacquard throws, simple terracotta ceramics, and beautifully turned-out desk accessories are just a few of the things you'll want to schlep home. While the shop is off the main street it's worth the detour to see. They also take custom orders.

This place is frequented by serious photo aficionados, from librarians to collectors to students, looking for rare and out-of-print books and magazines.

Run by husband-and-wife team Ian Paley and Emily Dyson, this multilevel space is stocked with independent designers from all over the globe. While the women's section is home to plenty of international names that are hard to find elsewhere (along with a strong NYC contingent like Rachel Comey and Steven Alan), it's the meticulously edited kids’ selection—Morley tees, Oeuf toys—that's earned the shop praise from locals and visitors alike.

This brand originally caught our eye with its wry animal print textiles and wallpapers for the home, all made traditionally in sumptuous fabrics, but with a slightly subversive edge. They've now taken their prints and turned them out in clothes, wrapping paper, and more which actually totally works.

Here, you'll find around 25,000 books piled on every imaginable surface, from tabletops to the staircase. The shop has a literary slant but stocks all sorts of titles, from architecture tomes to cookbooks to thrillers.

Even the wooden brooms are carefully selected to fit in with the artfully stark aesthetic at Labour and Wait. Come for striped sailing shirts, Japanese enamelware, hand-forged gardening tools, leather satchels, and polka-dot primary-color handkerchiefs. In sum, a slightly random selection of household goods that come together beautifully.

Run by a collective of designers and craftsmen, Luna & Curious brings together a pretty outstanding (and affordable) assortment of home wares, clothing, toys, and curios made by young, predominantly British makers. Every few weeks, they turn a section of the shop over to a new designer to arrange and display their wares however they'd like; it's always pretty inspiring.

Located in a tiny Victorian shopfront, Pentreath & Hall sells carefully chosen homewares and an ever-changing variety of unusual delights. Many of the objects, like co-owner, Birdie Hall’s decoupage plates, and Eric Ravilious for Wedgewood ceramics, satisfy the "look well under a glass cloche" category requirements.

At this Philippe Starck–designed (and gilded) shop, you'll find all Taschen's trademark tomes on art, photography, fashion, architecture, film, erotica, and more. Conveniently placed right across the street from the Saatchi Gallery, this is a shop for the well-heeled art lover. The gallery space downstairs shows off certain titles in more detail.

This legendary store opened in 1875 on Regent Street, and to this day maintains its beautiful wood-paneled interiors and grand Tudor revival exterior. While the Liberty brand is alive and well, still selling their trademark flower print fabrics, so is their buying team with small capsules from all our favorite brands including Frame, Acne, Alexander Wang, Isabel Marant, and Kenzo. Treat yourself to a scarf here as they always have the widest and most wonderful selection, and the staff in the Scarf Hall on the first floor are famously good at advising you on how to tie them.

SCP works with a closely curated group of designers to manufacture their furniture and home accessories in workshops around the world. Donna Wilson's playful knits get a lot of airtime here, as do designers like Lucy Kurrein, Michael Anastassiades and more. Owner Sheridan Coakley does a lot of travel and always brings back great finds with him. Aside from the high concept furniture, lighting and accessories, this shop is one of the best in town for gifts.

With more than 11 stores in London, this English staple is a great place to pick up kitchen and picnic materials (though their mens and womens collections are also worth a look). Their streamlined and affordably priced homewares include utilitarian blankets, rustic terracotta bowls, enamel-dipped cutlery, and more. If you're hoping to impress friends from home with seemingly simple basics they can't get at home, this is your spot.

This shop provides a tiny sneak preview into architect John Pawson's vision for the museum. Colorful design objects, gadgets, toys, and gizmos are carefully arranged on a Vitsoe shelving system on dark grey walls, creating a beautiful and contrasting display. It's a great selection of small, affordable gifts and more high-concept pieces for the real design lover like John Pawson designed ceramic bowls, a Barber & Osgerby teapot, Artek's Alvar Aalto stools and the like.

Geo-fleur specializes in houseplants—and while this is a great place to come for plants themselves (they've got a gorgeous selection of bonsais, cacti, and succulents), we also love coming here for accessories like copper-bottomed planters and macrame hangers. Their plant subscription, which mails a new plant and its associated trappings every month, makes a great gift for gardeners—or, alternatively, friends with black thumbs.

Long-time Islington resident Lizzie Evans set up shop in her hometown below an upstairs space where she offers workshops in weaving, terrarium making, calligraphy, and more. The shop itself, which locals know from her iconic guinea pig logo, carries design-minded home accessories, prints, and stationery. Her display of wrapping paper and ribbons makes it a great spot for holiday and birthday shopping.

This sweet shop in Shoreditch was founded by Portuguese owners Olga Cruchinho and Dina Martins in an effort to bring their favorite staples from their home country to London. There's a range of products, from foodstuffs (tinned fish, jams, honey, olive oil) to beauty products (creams, soaps, even specialty toothpastes) to Portuguese wine, notebooks, and stationery. It's a great spot for hostess gifts, in particular.

Started by two graphic designers who use the store to present their own designs as well as favorites from others, Present & Correct stocks everything required for old-school correspondence, including stamps, shelves and shelves of stationery, and boxes of specialty pens and pencils. There's also star-shaped erasers, vintage calligraphy sets, brass paperclips, and wooden tape dispensers. It's perfect for grown-up back-to-school.

The name Seeds has several meanings. For starters, it's a nod to the store's physical space, which occupies what used to be a flower shop in Kensington. It's also a reference to what the owners describe as the store's duality as a place to see (they host exhibitions and special projects with artists and designers) as well as a design store (hence the DS). The entire space is completely shoppable, so you can find everything here from hand-thrown clay pots, to art-inspired jewelry, to works of contemporary art.

Primary colors, geometry, and the Bauhaus prevail here. This is a full-on lifestyle store for the geometrically obsessed. There are handcrafted leather goods, hand-bound notebooks, colorful pillows and throws, all within the very tasteful bounds of the owner's aesthetic. Expect to find many a British brand you haven't heard of yet.

If you have a stationery or sticker addict on your hands, they’re going to freak. This Japanese mega-store facing Bryant Park is one of our favorite midtown oases, and a solid option for a quick sushi cafeteria-style lunch. There’s an entire floor dedicated to Japanese manga comic books, a solid selection of design books and international fashion magazines, but the basement is the main draw. There, aisle after aisle is stuffed with an incredible array of Japanese stationery goods—adorable pens, pencils, notebooks, and erasers to last a lifetime.

From clothing to ceramics and beauty goods, this store's main focus is on hand-crafted items, many of them locally made. We've found lines like Caron Callahan, Chimala, Ace & Jig, and Cosmic Wonder on our forays here.

Phoebe Cates's boutique is pretty great: You’ll find really beautiful jewelry and a great assortment of toys, including hand-painted Russian dolls and Keith Haring dominoes. You'll also find clothes from little known designers, especially for the neighborhood, like Ally Capellino handbags and Yoshi Kondo dresses. It's not surprising it's a hit on the Upper East Side, as it brings uniqueness and discovery back to a neighborhood that’s generally dominated by big brands.

For years, this teeny tiny shop on Williamsburg's main drag has been one of the best resources in Brooklyn for jewelry. Stackable rings, sweet little pendants, and more precious offerings from designers like Elisa Solomon fill the cases. Weirdly, because space is tight, we actually like shopping their website more.

Because it started as the jewelry extension of the East Village tattoo parlor, New York Adorned, you might expect that the jewelry here would be of the skull and crossbones variety. But it's actually gorgeous, and for the most part, dainty. They also have an excellent—and unexpected—range of home goods and gifts.

You'll only find Caitlin Mociun's eponymous jewelry collection on her site—but should you go to her new, Williamsburg store, you'll see the work of her friends, too, including hexagonal brass necklaces by Iacoli & Macallister, and Chen Chen and Kai William's marble bangles. You'll also get to shop Mociun's full line, from her signature eensy, triangular turquoise pendants to her custom rings, which feature a mismatched—and stunning—combination of stones.

The first thing to catch our eye upon entering this striking black interior is an antique black carriage full of books and hand-made cushions: It's just one of many visual statements throughout the space. Look around and there are shelves lined with design objets of diverse provenance, and of course there are no labels, as those would fetter the very calculated, striking displays. While the main room features a mix of furniture and objects, the annex features a deeper look at the work of their stable of craftsmen, from Malian textile designer Aboubakar Fofana to Oyuna, the Mongolian cashmere designer.

This sweetly curated home goods shop in Brooklyn Heights stocks artisan-made goods with a slightly nordic bent, from Mid-century style furnishings to ceramics, lighting, throws, and more. The art on the walls changes frequently, as does the stock—while it's named for the fire fighter's term for a hopelessly cluttered home (after the Collyer Brothers who collected north of 140 tons of stuff), the stores are anything but.

Jamie Creel and Christopher Gow are serious collectors who spend much of their time traveling the world sourcing far-flung objects for their townhouse shop. We go just to see the wacky and elegant displays that mix coral and taxidermy, Suzani textiles and kitschy South African ceramics. It’s a real mix with prices to match, and if you’re looking for a truly offbeat gift—like say, a hand-blown glass hammer and nails—chances are you’ll find it here.

Occupying a sliver of space in a quiet stretch of Soho, Global Table is one of those places that's packed from floor to ceiling. Sourcing items from all over the world, the prevailing aesthetic is bright, colorful, and modern, though they also have a great selection of wooden serving pieces, like salad bowls and cutting boards. It’s rare to walk out empty-handed.

Beyond being the best resource in New York for Astier de Villatte’s stunningly hand-turned plates, bowls, and glasses, John Derian's instantly recognizable decoupaged glass plates and paperweights have a unique old world appeal that also applies to the small objects, furniture, and curiosities he stocks in his iconic East Village shop. It's a small microcosm packed with antique objects and hand-made works by artisans with a similarly whimsical aesthetic, from Leanne Shapton's painted wooden "books" to Hugo Guinness' drawings and prints. Derian also designs his own line of furniture which mixes right in with the flea market finds and printed fabrics at his dry goods shop next door.

Along with her own line of printed wallpapers and textiles, Michele Varian sells a mix of flea market finds, jewelry, and general curiosities. It's always worth a stop for an unusual gift or home accent.

Helmed by fashion stylist Lauren Snyder (she’s worked for Bergdorf Goodman and Glamour), The Primary Essentials revolves around goods that feel hand-worked—but never crafty. Gorgeous indigo-dyed textiles and simple quilts mingle with Earth Tu Face body washes, simple canvas carryalls from Joshu + Vela, and blue ceramic studs from Jujumade.

Housed in Andrew Carnegie's former Georgian mansion, the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum still conserves the original dark wood-lined interiors and imposing staircase, even after closing for a few years for a major upgrade in the hands of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, among others. The shop on the second floor is part of the revamp, too, with the architectural firm's custom modular shelving framing the tailor-made space. The wonderful mix of beautifully designed objects and utilitarian goods remains the same, however, from Fredericks & Mae birthday candles to Michael Graves kettles and much more.

Recently relocated to a brand-new, much larger space, Sprout Home offers a wonderful variety of plants, planting accessories, flowers, floral arrangements, and adorable home goods, for the city's urban gardener. They also offer classes from Wreath Making to caring for container plants in colder months. With its airy but elegant aesthetic, this store is truly inspiring. There’s also a location in Chicago.

We head to Steven Alan for the perfectly tailored yet lived-in men's and women's shirting that comes in an endless variety of plaids and stripes. Beyond that, it's the relaxed mix of pieces from designers like A.P.C, Isabel Marant, Rachel Comey, that keeps us coming back. The outpost in Tribeca is the flagship and the original, though there are now locations scattered around the city. They've recently opened a home goods shop, too.

While you won't walk out of Swallow with big case goods, you are likely to find something small and unusual, like a tiny brass bird or an opalescent vase. They also have really beautiful tabletop, from rough-hewn stone plates, to little salt cellars.

Across from the museum, the MoMA Design Store is incredibly well-done, making it one of those rare spots that's a one-stop resource for everyone on your list come the holidays. Here you can purchase everything from Issey Miyake's architectural Lucent tote, to an Eames chair, to a Yoshitomo Nara doggy radio, to obscure titles you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

Off the beaten path on a Manhattan side street called Extra Place, Stevenson Aung and Angelique Chmielewski, opened a brick and mortar showcase for their shop, full of off-the-beaten-path extras. In their careers as industrial and fashion designers, respectively, they’ve spent years amassing quite the collection of Japanese design, and finally have the perfect glass-fronted location to showcase it all, from Azmaya tea accessories to Sunao cutlery, to Fog Linen baskets.

What started as a coffee and tea shop with flowers and small succulents for sale has quickly become much more of lifestyle shop, carrying a mix of mostly local-made ceramics, books, magazines, and small design goods. Stop in for a Blue Bottle coffee, or a Bellocq tea—their studio is next door—and walk out with a couple of small indoor plants, a Postalco notebook, and a Grain Edit beeswax totem candle.

As far as specialty shops go, CW Pencil Enterprise is downright granular. It’s shoe-box sized and therefore really easy to miss, so keep an eye out for the pencil drawing, which the owner, Caroline Weaver, put up in lieu of traditional signage. Inside, the floors are black-and-white checkered, and the shelves are lined with neatly labeled jars of pencils and on-theme art. Make good use of the pencil-testing station, which is set up on a Mid-Century desk and topped with vintage-looking sharpeners and old-school notebooks, while the staff (it’s usually Weaver herself manning the store) drop knowledge about each pencil’s provenance, history, color, and optimal use. CW carries amazing stationery brands like Craft Design Technology, Tombow, and Field Notes; and then there’s the Pencil of the Month club and custom pencil services, which the owner fulfills herself by hand with an antique hot foil press.

While they're best known for their gorgeous (artist-inspired) packaging, Mast Brothers places great emphasis on the art of chocolate-making—as evidenced by the fact that they offer tours of the process itself at each of their stores. The Brooklyn location is one of the three flagship stores and factories for the brand, which brothers Rick and Michael Mast founded in 2007 (the other two are located in Los Angeles and London). A package of bars makes for a practically perfect—and blessedly TSA-friendly—hostess gift.

Nina Allen's shop, Tophat, first grew out of her online store, Sweet Bella, where she sells specialty items like fruit and vegetable-shaped ceramics, unique pins and patches, and Stalogy office supplies. Her nondescript shop on Broome Street doesn't look like much from the street (even for Broome Street), but it's well worth stopping by, as she stocks the shelves with the same things from her online store, plus one-of-a-kind finds and antiques that she doesn't post. In the winter they have toboggans for rent.

Helena Barquet and Fabiana Faria's concept shop on Orchard Street is part of the cadre of businesses blurring the boundaries between the Lower East Side and Chinatown. Barque and Faria originally met working at galleries, and their store is reflective of their art-inspired aesthetic, with reupholstered midcentury furniture, sculptural home accessories, and neon-tinged coffee table books. There's also a great selection of candles and quirky accessories, so it's a home-run for gifting.

In 1634, grocer and wax merchant Claude Trudon opened a store on Rue St. Honoré—and Trudon has been lighting the city’s palaces and homes ever since. Thanks to their superlative wax and rigorous candle-making process, the scented pillars burn for hours—without ever sputtering or smoking. They’re not cheap—after all, as company lore would have it, Napoleon’s only gift to his newborn son was a Trudon candle encrusted with three pieces of gold—but they are exquisite. The Paris boutique, complete with a rainbow wall of tapers, busts cast in wax, and the full expression of fragrances, shouldn’t be missed.

Though it's often (mistakenly) credited as being the first department store, there's no doubt that Le Bon Marché's founders, Aristide and Marguerite Boucicaut, were pioneers, particularly in a culture that so adamantly prizes specialty stores. Launched in 1838 as an extension of the Boucicaut's single market stall, it became a fixed-price department store in 1850 (before that, you would barter), moving into its sweeping, Art Deco home in 1867. While it's been expanded several times since (and now belongs to LVMH), it's still inarguably one of the most beautiful, large-scale shops in existence. Whether you're looking for Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Maje, or Iro, it's likely here: Along with lingerie, kids clothing, furniture, household essentials, and shoes and bags. The food hall, La Grande Épicerie, is pretty insane, offering a rich array of specialty products, from Fauchon macarons to Baltic smoked fish. Many visitors concentrate their buying power here in order to hit the spending level required for VAT.

Though it’s well located on Rue Saint-Honoré, this is the sort of spot that’s easy to walk right by. Inside it’s dimly lit, cloister-like, and achingly cool, complete with rickety, slightly off-kilter shelves that sag under the weight of Astier de Villatte’s ceramic tableware. Made from black terra-cotta clay and then finished in the brand’s signature milky white, these perfectly imperfect dishes are the hallmark of some of the best-dressed tables we know. You’ll also find the house line of geometric-print, gold-rimmed notebooks (made by the last master printer in Paris) and the gorgeously old-fashioned candle and incense collections, along with a handful of oddities, like glassware cast in the shape of skulls and stout little teapots.

Since 1820, E. Dehillerin has been outfitting the kitchens of Paris with copper pots, paring knives, whisks—and a million other ingenious gadgets nobody ever knew they needed. It is a huge store and an incredible resource, though come with full pockets (and plenty of room in your suitcase). They also sell online and ship globally.

A devastating fire nearly destroyed Deyrolle in 2008, sending nearly 90 percent of its rarefied inventory up in smoke. Everyone rallied: Customers donated animals purchased in years past back; Christie's held an auction; Hermes reissued their "Plume" scarf to raise funds; and ultimately Deyrolle reopened its doors to a collective sigh of relief. Founded in 1831, it's one of the most special stores in the world, after all, since it's essentially a shoppable natural history museum. As you move past the gardening boutique that occupies the ground floor and climb the stairs, you'll come face to face with lions, tiger, bears, and thousands of exotic birds, butterflies, and beetles—all carefully preserved, and even more meticulously displayed. We love the reissues of the 19th century pedagogical prints (horse breeds, the anatomy of the eye, the trees of France), which are more affordable—and packable—than a giraffe.

It's rare to find a store that's so much bigger than its collective parts, but Merci is one of those spots that opened to an endless stream of breathless acclaim—and just as many inches of coverage in the press. This is easy to understand: For one, profits go to charities in Madagascar; for two, it's gorgeous and artful while still feeling accessible to all. Located in an airy, sprawling nineteenth-century fabric factory, this superstore sells the best of pretty much everything. Labels like Isabel Marant, Vanessa Bruno, and Stella McCartney mingle on the clothing racks; natural shampoos and Comme des Garçons perfumes line the shelves in the comprehensive beauty apothecary; and there are loads of amazing homewares, too. Fresh flowers and gardening tools? Check. Don't leave without visiting the Used Book Café in the basement, as you can flip through any one of the 10,000 preloved books that line the walls while you wait for your brunch.

Large and loftlike, this industrial-feeling store has an ambitious mandate: fair-trade clothing and accessories from little-known and established artisan brands, mixed in with a smattering of vintage furniture, art books, records, and indie zines. If you've got little ones, don't miss the outpost devoted to kids.

There are very few boutiques that fully embody an aesthetic, but L’Eclaireur does this perfectly—no small feat, considering there are seven very distinct shops scattered around the city, as well as a bar/restaurant that doubles as a shrine to Piero Fornasetti. Armand and Martine Hadida’s original outpost in 1980 was incredibly important for a number of reasons, most notably because L’Eclaireur was the first to break brands like Prada, Helmut Lang, Dries van Noten, and Martin Margiela in France. While the Hadidas have had every opportunity to rest on their laurels, the pace has been relentless ever since as they’ve continued to ferret out the world’s best new talent, in fashion, in jewelry, and in home goods. While the mix at every spot varies, we like the moodily gothic Place des Victoires location best. Under the light cast by a strange and fantastic bird chandelier, you’ll find Fornasetti umbrella stands, chunky chain link bracelets from Mawi, cashmere travel wraps by Denis Colombe, and coated Saint Laurent skinny jeans. If time allows, their most recent project shouldn’t be missed, either: They’ve taken a space in Habitat 1964’s vintage village at Les Puces, where they’re selling a smattering of archival fashion pieces along with furniture. The first U.S. outpost recently opened in Los Angeles.

With few exceptions, almost everything that lines the Crayola-colored shelves here rings in at under a hundred euros, whether it's backpacks, patterned wallets, or unique candles.

Home to a happy jumble of melamine plates, bedside lamps, chairs, and vases, Tsé Tsé Associées is run by two Parisian designers, Catherine Lévy and Sigolène Prébois, who met in school. Though business is booming, they still insist on designing every piece themselves. We love their porcelain cornet lamps, folded paper vases, and intricately patterned silk scarves.

A bookshop and antiquarian for over a century, Librairie Alain Brieux specializes in rare scientific and sometimes esoteric titles, though the real allure is its cabinet-of-curiosities vibe. The windows and interior displays are continually refreshed with weird and wonderful assortments of vintage anatomical models, glass eyes, unusual toys, and the like.

The husband-and-wife team behind revamped cosmetics line Buly added a couple degrees of fantasy when furnishing their flagship shop—modeled after a nineteenth-century apothecary—with Tuscan tiled floors, Italian marble counters, intricately carved wooden cupboards, and prettily painted beams. And then there are the products: alcohol-free scents and modern, paraben-free formulations, beautifully packaged in old-fashioned vials and glass jars. Whether you’re in the market or not, this shop is a treat just to look at.

While this chainlet’s busy, color-soaked printed dresses and quirky shoes might be a little over-the-top for our tastes, the global furniture and home accessory finds are a Parisian go-to for injecting a dose of color into a home. At the shop in the 10th, stock up on printed Nathalie Leté dishware, Mexican oilcloths, woven plastic chairs, and more, which are pleasingly crammed into every last nook in the shop.

Both the shop in the 9th and the Tea Room in the 1st are the kinds of Parisian pastry shops you might dream of with pretty, tiled floors, powder-blue walls, old world display cases, and dainty packaging. Both spots are great for stocking up on everything from molded chocolates to macarons, traditional sweets, jams, and marmalades to take home as gifts, though you’ll also want to grab a crème-filled pastry for the ride.

As its name suggests, this long-reigning home goods store in Portland prizes simple lines and useful shapes, like a simply but beautiful Brasilia coffee mill, or a set of Alexander Girard playing blocks. There's an emphasis here on pieces made in the Pacific Northwest, though it has global pull, too: You'll find candles and colored pencils from Japan, and vases from Scandinavia.

At once flower stand—they work with local florist Hilary Horvath—knick-knack shop, stationer, and clothing boutique, this general store kind of has something for everyone. While they reach as far as Europe for some of their finds, including Mariage Freres teas, along with American-made table linens and napkins, Doug Johnston baskets, cookbooks, magazines, and more, they also proudly carry a tasteful selection of Oregon’s best handmade goods.

While working in Amsterdam as a color designer for Nike, owner Kristin Van Buskirk developed a deep admiration for the quirky yet practical design brands that surrounded her. And so, upon moving back to Portland, she brought a couple of her favorites back with her and opened a shop, Woonwinkel—that’s home in Dutch. Here you'll find Hella Jongerius’ ceramics and Studio NL dinnerware along with some local, American brands with a similar design ethos, like Iacoli & McAllister, Von Tundra, and Studio Makelike.

This eclectic Downtown Portland shop is like a shrine to time-honored American craftsmanship: their selection of new and vintage clothing, home goods, tools, and other necessities are all hand-picked for those with a hands-on, active lifestyle (plus, rugged gear fit for braving the great outdoors, catered specifically to the inclement climate and woodlands-mountains-ocean trifecta of the Pacific Northwest). The storefront itself, outfitted with salvaged wood flooring and reclaimed barn wood walls that nod to Oregon’s rich heritage of manufacturing and agriculture, captures the city’s rustic-meets-contemporary style. There's a shoe-centric outpost in Boise that's worth checking out.

This cozy indoor-gardening boutique nestled in Northeast Portland has everything you need to create your own miniature ecosystem: healthy, happy plants, and plenty of decorative touches–there’s even special sand for planting your succulents in, which is a bonus because, 1) it’s quick-drying, unlike soil (succulents don’t require much water), and 2) you can layer colored sands–the red garnet sand, sourced from India, is especially pretty. The mini-gardening experts at Artemisia host workshops that teach customers all they need to know to make their own terrarium, all the while encouraging creativity. For a less hands-on experience, you can always buy one of the pre-made terrariums.

Husband-and-wife team Jocelyn and Robert Rahm (a painter and furniture reclaimer, respectively) restored this 7,000-square-foot warehouse into a workspace-slash-retail space in 2011, and it’s since become a major go-to for Portland’s designers and makers. Here you’ll find that everything has its own story, from vintage home goods and refurbished furniture to handmade ceramic pottery, sunglasses, and earrings, even organic fragrances—some of which is produced in the studio upstairs. This impressive, warm-yet-industrial environment is all for promoting homegrown talent; their second-floor studio is open to inquiries for any independent designers who’d like to share the workspace.

This Old Town Portland work-supply-meets-lifestyle shop is a hotspot for the city’s creative craftspeople and DIY enthusiasts. Locally-made and ethically-sourced goods are their specialty: you’ll find everything from work aprons to selvedge denim jeans, gardening tools to axes for chopping firewood, even a selection of stationery and decor for your studio. In keeping with the founders’ DIY spirit, its airy, modern interior, modular storage, and interactive displays were custom-built by their own team.

When childhood friends-turned-married couple Matt and Carrie Eddmenson brought their warm, inviting Nashville shop to Portland, everything we loved about the original came along with it: from their top-notch selection of jeans, including their own in-house line of American-made Japanese selvedge denim (his and hers), down to the friendly, knowledgeable service and community-centric events. Adding to the Americana ambiance is the wooded interior design, featuring a cedar-lined pine dressing ‘hut’ they blowtorched, sealed, and treated with a Japanese wood-preserving technique.

Powell’s hardly needs an introduction at this point—the Portland flagship is world’s largest new and used bookstore, with more than one million books inside its walls. The interior is always full of people, but with countless bookshelves to peruse, it's easy to find a quiet reading corner. Definitely take the time to look through the incredible selection of obscure titles and ancient editions in the rare book room.

Home to thousands of pieces of fine vintage, antique, and estate jewelry, Gem Set Love (formerly known as Gilt) has been a destination for collectors and casual shoppers alike throughout its 20-plus years in Northwest Portland. Brides-to-be flock here from around the country for the impressive collection of estate engagement and wedding rings with stunning, well-preserved diamonds and precious stones, as well as bracelets, brooches, necklaces, and earrings, each in hard-to-find, if not totally individual designs. With prices ranging in the low hundreds to the several thousands, there really is something here for every budget. This is a reliable place to bring in your own well-loved jewelry for repairs, too.

Every bit the neighborhood toy store, Kids at Heart has been in business for almost thirty years. They carry a great mix of the classic, nostalgic toys parents typically pick out as well as of-the-moment trends that the littles seek out for themselves. Probably the best part of the store is the books section, which carries everything from beautifully illustrated picture books to young adult novels.

Polliwog is run by a husband-wife pair who moved to Portland from Brooklyn—they were seeking a more flexible, laid-back lifestyle after having their first child. Polliwog specializes in products from small, hard-to-find brands, offering tiny knit hats, design-focused onesies, and battery-free toys.

Taking the concept of a local museum shop one step further, not only does the Frye seek out cool design goods and jewelry, but their focus is on local, Northwestern artisans and makers. Should you buy one of their ceramic fortune cookies with fortunes told by a local psychic, say, or an Alice Noon bucket bag, or even an Iacoli & McAllister light fixture, you know you’re leaving Seattle with a real Seattle souvenir.

Founded by the late Martha E. Harris, this flower/gift shop has been a Seattle fixture for 30-plus years. It's a great one-stop shop pre-housewarming or birthday party. They also design the loveliest bouquets and décor for weddings and events, and offer same-day delivery (if you're ordering online, do it before 10am).

It goes without saying that a bookstore devoted entirely to the culinary arts is a bookstore after our own hearts. This is where you want to go to find every cookbook imaginable (both current and out of print) and it’s worth checking the calendar of events beforehand, too, as the cozy space often plays host to chef demos, signings, and cooking classes.

Much like sister store Les Amis, Essenza takes a decidedly editorial approach to its selection of home décor, bedding, fragrances, skincare, and jewelry: The plush bedding, Diptyque candles, Megan Thorne jewelry, Santa Maria Novella lotions and potions, and more are all thoughtfully handpicked (oftentimes from overseas) and merchandised in a way that feels both approachable and special. It’s the kind of place husbands, boyfriends, brothers, and friends can turn to for gifts when striking out isn’t an option.

Lucca is packed from floor to chandelier-filled ceiling with an undeniably reliable assortment of giftables for any and all occasions: Astier de Villatte candles, piles of stationery both vintage-looking and modern, clean beauty favorites from Herbivore Essentials, and the kind of out-there, one-of-a-kind curios that make perfect presents for tough-to-shop-for friends.

Other than the simple, feminine-but-not-prissy interior and robust but not-too-cluttered displays, Moorea Seal (its namesake owner/buyer has been running the place since 2013) has another major thing going for it: A good portion, 7% to be exact, of the offering—tons of dainty jewelry, accessories, home goods, stationery, and giftables—is backed by some sort of philanthropic mission. A gold-plated opal ring, for example, supports Best Friends Animal Society, while the purchase of a hand-forged brass serving set contributes to the Washington Trails Association.

Seattle is home to a healthy roster of excellent bookshops, of which design-focused Peter Miller is arguably the most notable. In addition to a library of tomes that span all manner of topics from architecture to landscape design to interior decorating, the shop carries a tight selection of design-y home décor, drafting supplies, and other related goods.

This artfully cluttered home-goods shop and its stacks of fabrics (both current and vintage), piles of throw pillows, and rows of furniture and tabletop accessories are an interior decorators dream, whether professional or amateur. The mastermind behind the edit is Pam Robinson, who puts her fashion background to good use by sourcing the wares directly from Europe—particularly useful to anyone interested in vintage but not willing to do the legwork to find the good stuff themselves.

Like so many Seattle mainstays, this little-bit-of-everything shop marches to the beat of its own drum. There’s clothing from obscure international labels, beautiful—and a little bit quirky—home goods, jewelry, gifts, and a generous assortment from Seattle-made fragrance line, Blackbird. It’s also the kind of shop where there’s plenty for dudes to rifle through (skater tees, hats, records, and Pendleton everything).

Paper Hammer's amusing graphic cards are designed and handprinted in their warehouse studio in Tieton, Washington, a few hours outside of Seattle. You can find the cards in select stationery stores around the country but if you're in Seattle, go to their lovely shop downtown, which also carries gift-y items like coasters and letterpress tags with clever sayings.

Part gallery, part shop, KOBO carries rare finds from the art and design world, i.e. vintage Japanese tableware, handmade birdhouses, landscape paintings, and special textiles. Their exhibits, which happen six times each year, highlight Japanese artists, as well as artists from the Northwest. The original KOBO location is in Capitol Hill. The second location downtown is located in the former space of the historic Higo Variety Store—and KOBO has kept many of the vintage furnishings in homage to the almost-century-old, family-run business.

Specializing in gorgeous clothing and gifts for babies as well as beautiful accessories, toys, furniture, and make-believe items for kids, Mudpie makes every present feel special. It's bright space is classic and magical feeling, and they also do gorgeous gift-wrapping.

This jewel box of a shop is loosely split into two sections: one dedicated to modern fine jewelry (Kathleen Whitaker, Gabriella Kiss, Arielle de Pinto, and much more) and the other houses a substantial estate selection. The focus here is on unusual, handcrafted one-of-a-kind pieces you wouldn't find anywhere else—specifically, the edit of non-traditional engagement rings and wedding bands is unlike anything we've ever seen. The store itself, though teeny, is so beautifully appointed and so well stocked that you'll need more time here than you might think to really take it all in.

San Francisco's francophiles flock to this jam-packed yet tastefully merchandised home shop for everything from antique furniture, to hand-made quilts and silk bathrobes, to colorful Chinese lanterns, glassware, and kitchen accessories. Because of the range in price points, the complaint about this place seems to be that you can't walk out empty-handed.

There are three locations of this beloved shop, and the original is here. Set in a big, lofty space that could theoretically hold hundreds of items, the impeccably curated store is an exercise in restraint: You’ll find hand-made ceramics, brass trivets, thread-wrapped bows and arrows, and rare, vintage books. The second location is in Venice.

A true mid-century American icon, Heath has been producing beautiful modern and minimal tableware (with a brief break) and tiles since 1948. In fact, it's part of the permanent collections in New York's MoMA—and graces many a table across the Los Angeles restaurant scape. The store, like the products, is modern and minimal, with wooden shelves, concrete floors and a lot of space to browse. Besides the Heath line, they've selected a handful of designers to showcase. There are multiple locations in the SF area, including an outpost in the Ferry Building—the factory store in Sausalito offers seconds (i.e., subtly imperfect plates and bowls) at big discounts.

A little bit fishing lodge, a little bit mountain ranger, this shop’s aesthetic is a modern take on cozy cabin décor. Carrying everything from Turkish towels to Ace & Jig quilts, to dreamcatchers, it’s fun for anyone with nostalgia for that summer cabin by the lake, whether real or fictional.

MARCH may just be the best kitchen and tabletop store in the country. (In fact, we love it so much, we collaborated with them and Alice Waters on a dinner to raise funds for The Edible Schoolyard.) No, this is not the place to buy a Kitchen Aid, or a Silpat, but instead to discover a beautiful, hand-made mortar and pestle, Michael Verheyden candlesticks, or Billy Cotton glass and dinnerware. We were overjoyed when they finally went online last year.

Hands down one of our favorite shops to hit up when in San Francisco, Mill Mercantile is essentially Unionmade for chicks, meaning the vibe is timeless with a whiff of tomboy. It's set up like a mini department store with sections dedicated to shoes (Dieppa Restrepo brogues, classic New Balance), clothing (Apiece Apart, Gitman Brothers), plus home stuff and an impressive wellness corner (lots of Aesop, Arquiste fragrances). If you don't have a Bay Area trip planned in the near future, the online shop is the next best thing as it stocks the best of what's in store.

This goldmine of a shop is the work of former Old Navy designer, Leah Bershad. The space is dimly lit much like a museum, which makes sense since the Southwestern-tinged biker rings, folksy wall hangings, and embroidered dresses from Mexico are essentially pieces of art. And it's not all vintage either, as Leah stocks contemporary items from Ace & Jig, Raleigh Denim, and Cinq Workshop, too.

It's about time San Francisco got a proper high-end, design-centric furniture and décor store of its very own—granted, this one's an offshoot of a Brooklyn-born, NYC-based showroom, but still. The stuff here speaks to a clean, modern aesthetic, think: Roll & Hill's geometric lighting fixtures and gemstone-hued Arflex seating. Shopping here is not cheap (a box sofa we fell in love with rang in at a cool 8k), but thankfully you can set up gift and wedding registries.

This cute, artfully cluttered shop is one of those places where you go to buy one gift, and walk out with all sorts of treasures, whether it's a tiny baking set for kids, a silk-screened linen throw pillow, or beautiful brass hairpins.

There's something of a down-the-rabbit-hole effect when you walk into this magical antiques store. Everywhere you look you'll see collectible curiosities that owners Rod Hipsund and Kelly Ishikawa plucked from antique sales and vintage markets. Particularly impressive are the old-school typewriters and stacks of pre-owned books. Even the contemporary stuff, like the Bonny Doon hand balms and pottery, has a turn-of-the-century vibe.

Packed to the rafters with books, gifts, stationery, and things for the home from all over the world, Rare Device is a time suck, in the best possible way. There's also a gallery space in the back, home to monthly art shows, workshops, and kid-friendly events. There's also an outpost in Hayes Valley.

Torryne Choate is a truly talented designer. While she can take on any floral challenge you throw her way, she's especially skilled at handling those way-harder-than-they-look homogenous sculptural arrangements—not to mention crafting flower crowns that put your Pinterest to shame. For our San Francisco pop-up shop, we asked her to put together arrangements to complement the architectural space; needless to say, she didn't disappoint.

As the name suggests, the heart of this sprawling, two-story bookshop is architecture, with a vast selection of fine art, design, and décor titles thrown in for good measure. William Stout, who’s an architect by trade, began his vast collection 30 years ago and has since grown it to include close to 20,000 titles. In fact, we tapped him to curate a collection of books for our San Francisco goop MRKT, fittingly set up in the Frank Lloyd Wright building.

The fashion crowd in SF was more than a little excited to find out that Emily Holt, formerly the long-time fashion news editor for Vogue, was bringing her exquisite taste back to her home city in the form of this adorable boutique in the Marin Country Mart. In addition to a great assortment of our favorite fashion brands (Khaite, La Double J, and Sophie Buhai, to start), her shop also carries a stellar selection of books and greeting cards, plus ceramics and other artisan products from local makers.

Topo Designs is a Colorado-based company, and this shop is their first store outside the state. The outdoor brand is best known for their brightly colored packs for hiking, backpacking, bike commuting, or just bopping around town (they also make the best, most durable laptop sleeves), and for the fact that all of their products are made in the United States. In the shop, you'll find a full selection of their offerings, plus favorites from aligned brands like Zeal and Smith Optics, Ursa Major, Wigwam, and Hestra.

This shop in Cow Hollow stocks all manner of Japanese specialty goods from slippers and brightly colored pens to bento boxes and washi tape. Prices are reasonable so it's great when you're picking up gifts for a big group.

Grange Hall, with its gothic, cabinet-of-curiosities vibe, is the yin to Dallas’s glitzier yang. There’s a pretty gorgeous range of home goods—Ted Muehling candlesticks, Astier de Villate ceramics, Cire Trudon candles—along with really stunning jewelry. They just opened an on-site café, too, that serves artfully arranged food and an encyclopedia's worth of teas. This is inarguably one of Dallas’s very best stores.

This store was once literally housed in a cabana on owner Merry Vose's property. However, when her covert, by-appointment operation was shut down by the city, she took her fan base to Lovers Lane. It's equally easy to miss there, which only adds to the allure and sense of discovery upon spotting the unmarked lavender door. The same mix of pretty, affordable labels—MiH, Monrow, Steven Alan, Nili Lotan—abounds.

In a state known for its antique fairs, you’re bound to stumble across great vintage troves, this one being one of the very best. As its name suggests, it’s an antique mall, not a shop, and you should expect to spend some time. You’ll find everything from Murano glass chandeliers to Art Deco dining tables to Chinese lacquered everything. Bonus: They ship everywhere.

Religious paraphernalia, old scientific posters, cowboy boots, turquoise jewelry, Mexican striped blankets, horseshoes, and a good amount of taxidermy, give this antique curiosity shop a particularly Southwestern feel. The seemingly endless, happenstance groupings and displays that line every nook and cranny of this quirky old shop mean you'll likely feel a bit lost.

Like, Friends & Neighbors, Las Cruxes is an experiential concept shop. They have clothing and jewelry, interior decor, books, and beauty, too. What makes Las Cruxes different is that it's also part gallery, and has a somewhat eclectic mix of art objects, drawings, and paintings. Before or after you wander the space, grab a coffee at Flat Truck next door.

A bungalow-turned-shop, with an attached cafe serving coffee, wine, beer, and snacks; and a teepee, wrought iron tables, and board games out back, Friends & Neighbors is as Austin (and adorable) as it sounds. Every room of Friends & Neighbors, which is still designed like a home, is a bit different. The living room has home decor, vintage clothes, and accessories; the bathroom: beauty products (including goop-approved clean brands like Olio e Osso), towels, and linens; while loungewear hangs from an armoire in the bedroom.

When Austin native Currie Person returned home to settle down, she realized that she missed the thoughtfully curated small art object stores she’d visited in Paris and New York. So, in a space she shares with JM Dry Goods, she opened Spartan, a minimalist but beautiful textile/apothecary/home store with everything from cerulean pottery from Victoria Morris and Kati Von Lehmam porcelain tumblers to sycamore cutting boards and stone-washed Turkish towels. Last year, they launched a fragrance collaboration with Olo called Spartan, inspired by—what else?—the Texas landscape. The boutique is just the tip of the iceberg for Person, though, as she also lends her eye to two other shops: Beam & Anchor in Portland and Voyager in San Francisco.

Along with Tex-Mex and live music, there's a big vintage scene in Austin. Aficionados will want to comb all of South Congress and South First Street, but if you're looking for a really great edit, go to Feathers. The shop, which has been open since 2005, is neatly organized, beautiful, and well-run (by two women, one of whom is a Texas native). It's worth a stop for vintage-virgins, too—the clothing and jewelry selection is very accessible, and there are always pieces here that are conveniently easy to work into an everyday, modern wardrobe.

ByGeorge opened in Austin 1979 but in 2014 the clothing and home store came under new ownership—it's now helmed by Austin restaurateur Larry McGuire (of Josephine House, among others). There are two locations in Austin: The Clarksville ByGeorge actually combines two shops next door to one another—a women's store and a men's store. On the women's side, you'll find designers like Chloé, Marni, Saint Laurent, and a good selection of bags and shoes; and on the men's, Brunello Cucinelli, Common Projects, and Levi's Vintage. The South Congress store carries clothing as well (A.P.C., FRAME, Outdoor Voices, Jenni Kayne, and more), but it's also known for its home goods and decor, furniture, ceramics, books, and great gift-y items.

We love a store with a range of price points, and with options ranging from Jerome Dreyfuss purses to Venessa Arizaga friendship bracelets, Saint Cloud certainly qualifies. While it's primarily an apparel store, the accessories (A Peace Treaty scarves, Erin Considine fringed earrings, Lizzie Fortunato gems) can be relied on for consistently good gifts. The fact that they have a great clean beauty selection (Ilia, Grown Alchemist, Olio e Osso) and the sweetest, most creative kids' buy is a major bonus, too.

Started by sisters Chau and Trang Nguyen, this sweet little store near Rice University has a tight edit of apparel, home goods, jewelry, and paper goods. They've also got a great clothing edit, with mid-priced lines like Ace & Jig, DUSEN DUSEN, and Rachel Comey. The badass woven dressing room dividers? The sisters made them by hand.

Biscuit is primarily known for designer Bailey McCarthy's quirky, colorful bedding collection, which incorporates everything from cactuses to arrows to astrology into sweet, soft-as-butter sheets and duvets. The Houston shop also has the best hostess gifts—the store's vignettes are scattered with cool coffee table books, candles, trays, and bar accessories. There are always great little knickknacks, too, like pineapple-shaped golden shot glasses, tin recipe boxes, and embroidered cocktail napkins.

The guy behind Manready Mercantile, Travis Weaver, is as Texas as they come—he grew up in a tiny town in West Texas, and his store drips of that aesthetic, with an enormous American flag hanging in the back, vintage saws, fishing signs, taxidermy on every wall, and an old-school canoe suspended from the ceiling. His brand began with a line of candles he made on the stove top in his apartment—the success of which inspired him to keep making products traditionally marketed to women (bath salts, bubble bath, and more) and making and packaging them for men. Now, he's expanded into clothing, and the brick-and-mortar showcases his own products as well as giftables from like-minded brands like Freenote Cloth, Mollusk Surf, Helm, and Taylor Stitch. During the holidays, it's pretty much a one-stop shop for brothers, dads, and SOs.

Formerly known as L’Arco Baleno, here you'll find globe-trotting, design guru Ambra Medda’s high and low finds. It might be the perfect wood slat bench or an ombré dip-dyed vase from Copenhagen.

All the best-made goods for the grown up boy (or girl) scout. And by that we mean that you'll find the perfect pen knife, Caran D'Ache pen, or Sell Marchell canvas and leather backpack.

Here you'll find well-designed, well-priced, and utilitarian goods for the modernist, whether it's the perfect French candlestick, or notebooks to organize your thoughts.

This mini-shop from the very well-loved independent record label, Ghostly, is definitely geared toward guys—specifically guys who love both music and design. There are backpacks for minimalists, prints from artists who often do album artwork, and plenty of stationery.

As its name suggests, the focus here is on brain games, from backgammon to chess, to marbles.

Here you'll find unusual and affordable home goods with just the right amount of quirk and character—it all has a slightly gothic, but gorgeous, sensibility. There is a by-appointment showroom, should you want to see some of the bigger pieces in person.

We were bummed when Brook Farm General Store—a long-standing Williamsburg go-to full of deeply American home goods—shuttered. But thrilled when we discovered it was to move a bit out of the city and focus on their online shop. The array is better than ever, from cutting boards to checkered aprons, to the perfect teapot.

Jewelry designer Caitlin Mociun is best known for her jewelry—signature clusters often in unexpectedly asymmetrical or haphazard arrangements—in the coolest possible way. Her shop, of course, makes her full line of jewelry available, but Caitlin also curates a selection of great gifts and accessories—she's got an excellent eye for geometric, Bauhaus-inspired ceramics—including a slew of clean beauty brands like S.W. Basics, Earth Tu Face, and Mermaid hair oil. She also has a shop in Brooklyn.

Alder & Co., which has its brick-and-mortar in downtown Portland, Oregon, is known for artisan products with various provenances—the owners are big travelers, and constantly bring back unique items from abroad, but they also have great relationships with local Portland designers, who are prominently featured both in-store and online. There's always a great selection of home décor pieces, like glass bud vases and wooden baskets for storing fresh (or dried) flowers and blankets. They also have a tight edit of apparel from far-flung designers, like Japanese Ichi Antiquités (they specialize in flowy, patterned dresses) or Me & Arrow (for block prints and cropped tops).

It was probably only a matter of time before there was a digital location for high-end smoking accessories, and Tetra delivers with an astonishing array of product. (Seriously, who knew there were so many designers making gorgeous pipes?) What you'll find: gold and silver Zippo lighters, sleek vapes, gorgeously packaged incense, and way-nicer-than-a-medicine-bottle containers for storing the good stuff.

Founded in Melbourne by Danish transplant Christina Fedders, Designstuff has an intense focus on Scandinavian goods, in the form of kids toys, art, furniture, and home accessories. Fedders has a great eye and is fastidious about curating, so it's hard to find anything on her site that's not worthy of a corner in your home. Her collection makes for great gifting for anyone who's just moved into a home or office—our picks include ceramic serving bowls, gilded Skultuna bookends, paint-speckled spoons, and a dustpan that's beautiful enough to display.

Founded by best friends Erica Cerulo and Claire Mazur, Of a Kind sells limited editions by up-and-coming designers, whose stories are meticulously told on the site in an endlessly witty and likable voice (built by Cerulo, who is a former editor). Offerings range from alpaca-lined slippers in an art deco print, to a delicate, golden plant mobile, to brightly patterned dresses. The limited-edition program means that you won't find these pieces elsewhere, so they make great gifts.

The Cooper Hewitt Museum is New York's longstanding design museum, so it's no surprise that their corresponding store has an excellent selection of design-focused products. The brand selection is a great mix of high-end and low-brow, with a buy that includes Hay and Muji, plus a slew of books and one-off design items. Best of all, the museum itself is still a nonprofit, so all proceeds go back into the institution.

Contemporary art museums always have the coolest stores, and some of the best have come online in recent years, making shopping them a bit easier—especially in the case of the Minneapolis-based Walker Art Center. The buyers here have a great eye for quirky, hard-to-find design items, not to mention more commercially accessible pieces from the artists that show at the museum. Currently in our cart: Delfonics stationery, dog balloon wall decals, and Louise Gray quilts, which are designed in Minneapolis.

With so many publications struggling to make the jump from print magazine to online content provider, it's hard not to applaud Wallpaper's decision to jump headfirst into building an e-commerce destination. The shop, which launched in 2015, is everything you'd expect from the design-focused brand, sourcing furniture, home goods, beauty products, and other miscellaneous items, all with a sleek, Scandinavian-esque clean-ness. The vases, candy dishes, and tea sets all make great gifts for nesters.

Think of Stacy Anne Longenecker's online store, which is based out of Brooklyn, as the home accessories shop for the modern (and a tiny bit hipster) home. Her home and kitchen wares include bright, colorful ceramics, woven decorative baskets, and cooking utensils made by skilled artisans, and the selection is rounded out with colorful mid-priced jewelry, journals, stationery, and a robust kids shop. The art section is perfect for outfitting a new home on a reasonable budget, and the holiday section has exactly the kinds of items that make homes look festive without being over-the-top—starting with the cleverest ornaments we've seen.

Photography is a big part of the appeal of New Zealand-based designer and interior stylist Katie Lockhart's online showroom—each piece is beautifully photographed on a tonal dark and light green backdrop. Come here for great home accessories, like vintage linens, architectural iron bottle openers, and cutting boards made from salvaged wood. Lockhart has a brick-and-mortar in Auckland, as well.

We’ve been fans of the 1 Hotel group since it first set up shop in Miami; New York quickly followed with two locations—one near Central Park and the other on the Brooklyn Heights waterfront. Blurring the line between luxury and sustainability, every corner of the space is considered in terms of design, from the locally made tables to the greenery and reclaimed wood walls. The rooms are minimal but comfortable, outfitted with hemp-blend mattresses and organic cotton sheets. Another major draw is the food: Chef Jonathan Waxman’s beloved NYC establishment Jams was reprised here, and he hands down serves one of the city’s best kale salads and asparagus tortellini.

The Aman is New York’s most expensive hotel, and the rooms are appropriately big (and drop-dead minimalist-spectacular), the ceilings soaring, and the pool enormous. The restaurants are incredible (and the city’s most-sceney, as they’re only for guests for now, so only the most skilled string-pullers can get an exception), especially the exquisite Japanese Nama. Don’t miss the spa, whatever you do: Anyone (not just guests) can reserve treatments, which occur in beautiful, generous rooms with some of the best practitioners in New York. The cryo experience is especially fantastic.

You know Baccarat, the lavish, storied crystal maker. But do you know Baccarat, the lavish, storied hotel in the heart of Midtown? The building it’s housed in is, unsurprisingly, looks like an ice cube. Inside, once you get up the elevators, it’s all cascading chandeliers, fairytale-looking wallpaper, slick marble, and sexy dim lighting. Speaking of marble, the indoor pool has a checkerboard bottom, which combines with the semi-private cabanas, has a way of transporting you to France the second you dip your toe. Maybe it’s the tufted fainting couches, maybe it’s the four-poster beds and crisp white sheets, but the rooms and suites are somehow minimal and over-the-top at the same time. And the spa? Yeah, it’s La Mer.

In its former life as the home to America's first professional theatrical club, the Lambs, this Midtown hotel was a hangout for the entertainment world’s brightest stars, like Irving Berlin and Fred Astaire, to name a couple. Today, it’s The Chatwal, a luxury hotel—one of Manhattan’s under-the-radar gems, where its relatively small size (just 76 guest rooms) makes it a good choice for visitors who are turned off by the busyness of the megahotels nearby. The interior is an ode to its Art Deco history, which has the delightful feel of a glamorous ocean liner, and we love the fun little details (like backgammon sets, playing cards, and copies of The Great Gatsby) in the rooms.

NOTE: The The Four Seasons New York is temporarily closed. It is expected to reopen in fall 2024.

Towering over Central Park in the Time Warner Center building, the Mandarin Oriental's location is within striking distance of Fifth Avenue, Broadway, and Lincoln Center. That's all overshadowed by the view. The décor is typical of the Mandarin's modern, Asian-inflected style, the spa is excellent, and there's a pretty insane 75-foot lap pool.

In a neighborhood that's primarily serviced by grand, historic hotels, the Park Hyatt offers an experience that's very modern. The Christian de Portzamparc-designed skyscraper, One 57, sits directly across from Carnegie Hall and offers some of the biggest rooms, square-footage-wise, in the city. Meanwhile, the contemporary interiors by design firm Yabu Pushelberg strike the perfect balance between modernism and comfort.

Since its original owners first broke ground on the building in 1907, The Plaza, with its opulent décor, luxe suites, and location right along the edge of Central Park, has been a monumental presence in the city. F. Scott Fitzgerald (a regular himself) staged Gatsby’s confrontation with Tom Buchanan in a Plaza suite, Frank Lloyd Wright famously lived there for several years while he oversaw the construction of the Guggenheim Museum, and, of course, there’s Eloise (she has her own suite which regularly hosts elaborate birthday sleepovers and such). All of the rooms—and some phenomenal suites—have been recently updated to reflect a more current, but no less classic, point of view. And for those looking for a trip back in time, tea at The Palm Court is where you want to be.

Staying in the elegant yet inviting suites and guestrooms at the Ritz-Carlton outpost in Midtown feels like settling into your very own Manhattan townhouse, complete with soaring views over Central Park. The feel is still very much classic New York, with all the amenities you'd expect (amazing beds, beautiful bathrooms, a ridiculously chic bar), though what really sets this location apart is the luxe spa, La Prairie.

Although first built in 1898, the Royalton didn't burst onto the scene really until 1988, when Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck made it one of their projects and decked it out with daring, experimental design that drew a very trendy crowd. In 2007, the hotel underwent its first renovation since Starck's initial vision, with a redesign led by Roman & Williams; the dark, moody lobby epitomizes their signature warm, modern style. Meanwhile, the rooms upstairs are crisp and light, with white bedding and mirrored bathroom tiles. If you're staying in Midtown but need to be south of all the grand dames off Central Park, it's a great pick.

While it's a historic classic (it was built in 1907), New York's St. Regis received a 90 million dollar renovation in 2013. It's still as luxe and old-world as ever: The library—assembled by the hotel's original owner John Jacob Astor, houses more than 3,000 vintage leather-bound books. The service here is famously excellent: Each guest is assigned a tails-wearing butler to attend to any special requests.

In the past few years, Midtown has undergone a subtle evolution from the land of corporate offices and tourists to a neighborhood New Yorkers actually want to hang out in. It’s all thanks to a smattering of stylish new cafés, restaurants, and hotels. The Whitby has been a big part of the revival. The property is part of British-based Firmdale Hotels (the brand’s downtown Crosby Street Hotel is a fashion-world favorite) and displays founder and designer Kit Kemp’s signature aesthetic—bright, boldly patterned fabrics; floor-to-ceiling windows; colorful floral headboards and wallpaper; and tasteful, contemporary artwork everywhere. Fittingly for a hotel with roots in the UK, afternoon tea is a major draw, and this one offers a selection of gluten- and dairy-free options.

This is a great Theater District option, as evidenced by the friendly wait staff (many of whom are cued up for their big break on Broadway) and great cocktails (hilariously named after Tony Award winners—we like the Idina Mezcal and the Orange Julius Andrews). The dinner menu focuses on American cuisine and changes seasonally to accommodate locally sourced vegetables, but the brunch is also really great.

Exposed wooden beams on the ceilings and plentiful bar-height tables and chairs make this a cozy, yet lively hideout on frigid nights (both the Tribeca and Midtown locations are decorated in the same warm, rustic style). With plenty of small plates like guacamole, ceviche, and tacos, the menu is all about traditional Mexican cuisine. In keeping with the theme, the beverage program offers a long list of tequilas, which can always be ordered straight.

This is the original restaurant of Korean fine-dining power couple chef Junghyun Park and general manager Ellia Park. This restaurant is inspired by Korean banchan and New York City, and it’s a more-casual cousin to Atomix, the couple's tasting counter that's considered one of the best restaurants in the world.

There’s no store in the world like Bergdorf’s—they have every designer we’ve ever loved, impeccable service, and miles of shoes. Shop and then eat at BG, a restaurant with fantastic salads, brilliant deviled eggs—and fabulous cocktails, so you could also eat, cocktail, and then shop, for the more dangerous version. Packed with socialites, movers and shakers, and big personalities of all ilks, it’s a bon vivant paradise with an amazing view of Central Park.

Considering the neon-covered exterior and old-school name, the atmosphere inside Brooklyn Diner is surprisingly fancy. That said, classic meals are definitely the standouts: The chicken soup, macaroni & cheese, and giant lunch salads are reliably great, and you’ll have to arrive early in the day if you want to have the chicken pot pie (they almost always run out). Expect a short wait if you forget to make a reservation. There are two locations in Midtown, on 57th and 43rd.

Enter Midtown's Thompson Central Park hotel to see the line looping through the lobby, leading to a black velvet curtain. There's a pretty epic burger joint on the other side. The line moves fast though, and once you're in, the menu is concise, written on the cardboard sign above the register. Order a burger (or grilled cheese) with "the works"—that's onions, tomato, pickles, mayo, mustard, and ketchup. With pen grafitti and old-school movie posters on the walls, and good classic rock on the stereo, it's a fun, kitschy experience through and through.

Between bright, floral laminate booths, a wall full of shiny Mexican milagros, and a permanent crowd, the interior of El Centro is dizzying in the best possible way. There are frozen and fruit margaritas, overflowing bowls of guacamole, and a menu full of traditional Mexican dishes like enchiladas and fajitas. It's perfect for a quick, casual night out with friends.

From the people that gave us (and continue to give us) the brilliant Olmsted in Brooklyn, Five Acres is incredibly delicious, inventive, and even healthy.

This NYC institution opened on the lowest level of Grand Central in 1913, the same year the station was built. Over the years it lost a lot of its luster due to poor management, until it got a desperately-needed facelift in 1974. Since then, it's consistently topped the list of the city's best seafood spots—as its name suggests, the oysters are particularly epic.

Elegant and old-school—bright lights, crisp white linens, and formal Italian waiters in white jackets and ties—Il Gattopardo feels more like Milan than Midtown—and makes for a great excuse to embrace dresswear of your own. It’s best to come here for lunch and order pastas, which are homemade and authentic. The lemon sorbet is always a nice way to wrap up the meal.

The only thing keeping up with Ippudo's sterling reputation for Japanese comfort food is its growing list of U.S. locations. The need-to-knows: The noodles are hand-pulled on-site and cooked perfectly al dente. Broths are slow-boiled for up to 20 hours. They're known for the super-flavorful tonkotso ramen, but we love the miso ramen and yuzu shoyu. They have some more contemporary restaurant-style dishes here, but the traditional ramen bowls are really where it's at. Prices are low, and it's first come, first serve, so be prepared to wait.

Chef Jonathan Waxman was one of Alice Waters' protégés, and after stints at Chez Panisse and Michael's in Santa Monica, he was one of the first to bring that hyper-fresh, California-style cooking to New York. His new restaurant at 1 Hotel Central Park resurrects the name of his first-ever New York operation, and brings that same seasonal cuisine to a spacious corner space with simple, Scandinavian-style design. Because it’s connected to the hotel, there are several private rooms available for events and celebrations as well. Obviously, get the chicken.

Keen’s is awfully old-school (est. 1885), and that actually makes it a nice pick for after-work drinks, as it's blessedly absent of any sort of scene. Like any respectable steakhouse, they’ve got a miles-long Scotch menu. The enormous muttonchops are the famous, must-order menu item.

Located right off the lobby of the Chatwal Hotel in Times Square, the feeling here is fun and clubby, with art deco light fixtures and red leather booths. It's a lively spot to enjoy a multi-course meal, but it's an even better choice for cocktails and small bites by the bar.

Serving haute cuisine since 1962, this place is wonderfully old school (with the buttoned-up crowd to match). The food is decadent and indulgent as are the floral arrangements, for which they’re known. Incidentally, it's not surprising that it's an excellent choice for a fancy private event. The late night jazz is well worth staying—and dressing—up for.

Le Bernardin opened in 1986 after the success of the storied Parisian original. Helmed by Chef Eric Ripert, this swanky restaurant continues to deliver some of the finest, freshest fish in the city, served with delicate yet complicated sauces that make seafood incredibly exciting. The menu is prix fixe only and organized by preparation (almost raw, barely touched, lightly cooked, etc.). The private room here is upstairs and has a separate entrance.

Though not particularly splashy or trendy, Marseille has been a Hell's Kitchen linchpin for years—in fact, it's probably the best post-show dinner spot in the district. The menu is traditional Mediterranean—a nice mix of proteins, veggies, and grains—and as is customary to eateries around these parts, there's an excellent prix fixe option, which can be ordered post-show. Get the hummus and the octopus.

This Greek seafood mecca launched the whole fish trend in NYC, and still does it to perfection. This, paired with delicious Greek mezze like grilled octopus, fresh salads, dips, and more in a beautiful whitewashed dining room with some of the highest ceilings in the city, is as close as you’ll get to the islands. The tuna burger with lightly fried zucchini sticks at lunch is pretty insane. Plus, their private room upstairs is perfect for an intimate dinner with a killer menu.

It won’t come as a surprise that this restaurant—housed in the Museum of Modern Art—comes with a view of the museum’s sculpture garden. An artist in his own right, Executive Chef Thomas Allan cut his teeth at Michelin-starred restaurants across New York and Paris and has maintained the Modern's own two-star Michelin rating since 2005. Lunch or dinner, you can expect a tasting menu: dry-aged duck, hand-cut pastas, and the aptly-named "eggs on eggs on eggs" (a dish of caviar, egg yolk, and toasted brioche) are just a few standouts in regular rotation. Aside from the dining experience, we love coming here just for a drink at the bar, which is one of the city’s most elegant, as a long white marble slab punctuates the spectacular space.

Michael Chow made his name in the London and Hollywood art and music worlds before opening in New York on East 57th Street in 1979, where his restaurant quickly became one of the city’s main touchstones for the art world. Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, David Bowie, Madonna, and John Lennon were just a few of the restaurant’s faithful patrons (watch Julian Schnabel’s Basquiat to get a sense of the scene). To this day, a meal at Mr Chow’s is about more than the elegantly served (and expensive) Chinese food. The outpost in Tribeca is just as beautiful and scene-y—an Andy Warhol portrait of Chow in the dining room sets the tone.

The Regency's Bar was traditionally known as a breakfast option, but after an extensive remodel and re-staffing of the kitchen, it's become a solid option for lunch and dinner as well. The menu is pretty all-American so you can't go wrong with anything, but the salads are generously portioned and the flat iron steak is perfectly cooked.

This go-to Chinese takeout spot remains virtually unchanged since it first opened in 1971; it has a die-hard following (particularly on Christmas), as they excel at all of the classic dishes, like Peking duck, beef with broccoli, and egg rolls.

Though Chef Yasuda has left the helm, this continues to be a truly elegant and transcendent omakase, in a gorgeous and simple wood-paneled space in Midtown. Interestingly, the sushi is shaped specifically for the size of your mouth.

This classic, no-frills Szechuan spot is a great lunch option if you work in Bryant Park—just remember to place on order online, as the wait can get a little lengthy on weekdays. Must-orders are the dan dan noodles and mapo tofu.

It's been over two decades since chef-slash-restaurateur, Rainer Becker, opened the original Zuma in London. In that time, Zuma has grown into a global family of restaurants, but hasn't lost any of the magic that makes it such a favorite. The décor at the bi-level Madison Avenue outpost is modern through and through while the plating is elaborate and artful, which is fitting considering the menu is elaborate and artful: vegetable dishes from the robata grill, light-as-air tempura, and the freshest sashimi.

There are about a million places to grab a drink in NYC, though few are as sexy as Baccarat Hotel’s Grand Salon. And few serve a mean afternoon tea in addition to evening cocktails and bites. True to the hotel’s more-is-more aesthetic, the interior is all velvet and silk, punctuated by museum-worthy displays of the exquisite crystal that made Baccarat a household name.

Located right on Rockefeller Plaza, Morrell has one of the longest by-the-glass wine lists in the city (there are over 100 options). While the bar is a nice place for after-work drinks, they also have a phenomenal shop, with a stock of hard-to-find wines from around the world.

The Refinery Hotel in Bryant Park has a warm, industrial interior style—an aesthetic that's probably best exemplified by the stunning rooftop, decorated with wooden cupolas, round string lights, and plenty of plants and greenery. A retractable glass roof allows for ample open-air space in the summer, but fireplaces keep things cozy in the winter. Even from inside, there's a stunning, close-up view of the Empire State Building.

Previously Salon de Ning, Pen Top is the newly imagined rooftop bar at the Peninsula. The bar is decorated in a subtle artistic style, with potted plants and contemporary furniture. The cocktails are pricey even by New York standards, but the Peninsula's exceptional service (including some very accommodating bartenders) more than makes up for the expense.

With several distinct lounge spaces, the rooftop at the Kimberly Hotel, which is a full 30 stories above the street, has retractable glass walls and a glass ceiling that make it wonderful for all seasons. With a classic New York view of the Chrysler building (especially magical at night when the building is all lit up), it's an impressive place to bring out-of-town guests.

The garment district isn’t exactly known for a stellar specialty coffee scene, so the fact that there are three excellent options mere blocks from each other is pretty great. Culture Espresso is the original, but it’s snug, which means you might have to wait for a seat. The newer and significantly bigger Culture 36 is ideal for getting stuff done, if you don’t mind the semi-loud music (Culture 307 is also an option). All three locations serve Culture's famous house-baked chocolate chip cookies (they sell out fast, so come on the earlier side).

Hidden on the seventh floor of Bloomingdales, back in the bedding department, Forty Carrots is still serving the best frozen yogurt in the city. An early pioneer of the fro-yo movement (it opened back in the ‘80s), they have all the classic toppings, from gummy bears to Butterfingers, and you can ask for more than one flavor swirled.

This tiny little café on Lexington serves great coffee, alongside a small-but-mighty food menu. While there's no denying how good the schnitzel and breaded chicken sandwiches are, this is an especially great choice for vegetarians. The avocado smash (which is drenched in pumpkin seeds) is fresh-tasting yet totally filling. The tiny space can get a little bit crowded during the lunch hour, so it's best to take your brown bag to go.

This is one of few places around that roasts their own beans, which are responsibly sourced from all over the globe. Formerly Toby’s Estate, all Partners locations are consistently simple and comfortable in design—think communal tables, couches, and excellent lighting. Yes, it’s a great set-up for work, but also worth stopping by on your day off for a simple and hearty lunch. (They also offer a random assortment of classes in everything from art to cupping.)

This minimalist Japanese chocolate shop was founded in Sapporo, and their specialty is Nama Chocolate, a box of creamy rectangles dusted with cacao and arranged to geometric perfection. They make a special and always-appreciated hostess gift.

Amy's started out in Hell's Kitchen back in 1992 and in the intervening years, her business has gone gangbusters, supplying many of the city's gourmet shops with their wonderful bread and pastries. Head to any of the stores—our favorite is still the largely unchanged original—to pick up a French baguette, olive twist, or one of their delicious pastries to go.

The first thing that makes this fast-casual Midtown spot stand out is the beautiful space—the tiny sliver of a restaurant is sleek and modern, with a dark wood bar and a concrete checkout counter. From the service counter in the back, you can combine a selection of Middle Eastern appetizers and mains, combining elements like chicken shawarma, hummus, zaatar flatbread, falafel, and more. It's a refreshing alternative to the make-your-own-salad daily lunch grind.

DIG’s philosophy is “farm to counter,” which means that they serve sustainably sourced food in a casual setting and in a price range that makes it a reasonable option for everyday lunch. The salads and the market plates are easy to take back to the office (or home for dinner), and the menu changes with the seasons, so you won't ever be bored with the offerings.

Dishes opened their first spot in 1998, meaning they were early-adopters of the fresh and casual take-out trend. The hot and cold lunch specials change daily, but the best order is a salad—the build-your-own menu has plenty of options without being overwhelming.

This development in the formerly sleepy and overlooked West 40's gathers some of the city's top food purveyors like Petee's Pies Company, dell'anima, and La Palapa under one roof, with a stand and bar-seating at each.

Spread out in one of the ground-level corridors, the Grand Central Market is packed out with NYC-specific food kiosks like Eli Zabar's Farm to Table. Some, like Li-Lac chocolates and Murray's Cheese, are almost as famous as Grand Central Station itself.

These grilled cheese aficionados pretty much have the lunch rush figured out. (Pro tip: They have an online ordering system that lets you skip the 1pm line.) Those with gluten allergies will appreciate that all of their indulgent, melty sandwiches are available with gluten-free bread.

This fusion restaurant mixes Mexican cooking techniques with American barbecue, resulting in some unique twists on old favorites, like brisket enchiladas, or Cajun shrimp fajitas. It’s a great spot for a quick lunch or dinner to-go, but we like it best for happy hour: Order some margaritas (or one of their excellent bourbon-based cocktails), Mexican corn, and the guacamole.

Murray's seems to import every conceivable cheese in production for public consumption, and has a staff that can happily walk you through (and sample) all of them. There are cheese cave tours offered for those who want to learn even more and delicious sandwiches—or melts—for anyone who wants more than just a few hunks of the good stuff. While they supply most of Manhattan with their cheese plate offerings, they also ship across the states. The original and main location is in the West Village.

Goop HQ will enthusiastically vouch for the fact that Schnippers (the original outpost is conveniently located on the first floor of the New York Times building) has the best chicken fingers in the city. While kids go wild for their fries and milkshakes, it’s a pretty great indulgence if you’re working late and need a convenient sugar bomb.

Come here for classic, hand-rolled, kettle-boiled bagels: And all the relevant toppings, from super-thick cream cheese variations, to smoked lox, to a pretty great egg salad (and an egg sandwich, for mornings when nothing else will do). There’s room to sit quickly, though most people don’t linger (although they do serve La Colombe coffee). It’s also a great option for catering.

The owners of this elegant jewelry store have been in the antiques and fine jewelry business since 1851 when the family opened their first shop in Kiev. They specialize in antique jewelry, with a focus on Fabergé and other European lines. You could get lost for an entire afternoon ogling the gorgeous pieces with no intention to buy, but it's a great destination when you're looking for an exceptionally special gift.

The beautiful art deco interiors come with top-notch service here, where you’ll find a classic buy of all the designer lines. We especially love the seventh floor for its inspired home goods section, which includes designers like Kelly Wearstler and John Derian. At holiday time, their ornament selection definitely stands out. (And their men's store down the block is wonderful.)

Crate & Barrel's sister store is full of modern, really well-priced furniture items and home accents, making it a great stop when in need of a few practical pieces for a quick home upgrade. We always stock up on their glass and dishware—they're great, easily replenished, kitchen basics.

If you have a stationery or sticker addict on your hands, they’re going to freak. This Japanese mega-store facing Bryant Park is one of our favorite midtown oases. There’s an entire floor dedicated to manga comic books in Japanese and English, and a solid selection of design books and international fashion magazines, but the basement is the main draw. There, aisle after aisle is stuffed with an incredible array of Japanese stationery goods—pens, pencils, notebooks, and erasers to last a lifetime.

Taking up an entire city block and 10 sprawling floors, the Saks 5th Avenue flagship on Fifth Avenue is as massive as it is well stocked. In fact, its shoe department is so huge that it has its own zip code. Also on premise: a spa, a nail salon, and several restaurants.

T. Anthony is somewhat of a Park Avenue institution, selling simple, luxurious luggage and leather goods. They've been making custom bags—in iconic red, black, and purple—for the well-traveled since the '40s, including Jackie O., Marilyn Monroe, and John Lennon. We love the basic duffles and rollers.

Despite its popularity, which translates into lines around the block on any given day, MoMA is still one of our favorite places in the city. Whenever we come to visit, whether to walk the permanent collection or to check out a new, contemporary exhibition, we always spend some time in the white marble-clad sculpture garden, a rare respite in the middle of bustling midtown.

The iconic seat of the NYPL takes pride of place on Bryant Park in Midtown. While it is still an important research institution, it's also a landmark we like to visit for many reasons beyond the book-lined shelves, from the Children's Library housing the original Winnie the Pooh Dolls, to the Rose Reading room, where anyone can grab a seat and work in peace and quiet, to the excellent bookshop, full of NYC-themed storybooks and classic reads. We'd be remiss if we didn't mention the exhibitions themed around the library's holdings and the stunning Beaux Arts 1911 building itself.

If you’re looking for primary medical care that’s holistic and thoughtful, with a preventive approach, The Lanby delivers. A membership—which you can pay month to month—gets you on-site lab work to get a comprehensive overview of your health, as well as personalized support through food (the registered dietician is incredible), movement, supplementation, and more. Unlimited visits (in person or virtually) mean you feel taken care of whenever something health-related arises—minor or more serious—and there’s a concierge who handles scheduling appointments and finding outside referrals for anything from a fertility doctor to a therapist to a rolfing expert and beyond. The space itself is chic—we love the wallpaper in the bathroom—colorful, and inviting.

The spa itself oozes elegance with plush chairs, momentous flower bouquets, and dramatic lighting fixtures. The facials are just as extravagant: During the Ultimate Platinum Rare treatment, one aesthetician massages your face with firming creams, while another simultaneously works on your feet. The epitome of over-the-top pampering is the White Caviar Illuminating Facial that smooths, intensely hydrates, and lifts with turbocharged, nourishing caviar extracts.

Models and actors swear by Marina Baratashvili's lymphatic drainage massage before big events. Baratashvili has been practicing body work for almost 40 years; the native Georgian studied acupuncture and massage in China, worked with the National Opera and Ballet Theater of Tbilisi to ensure the dancers felt strong and fluid, and now tends to her roster of clients in New York City; Greenwich, Connecticut; and the Hamptons. Her method is intuitive (her hands can exert break-you-in-half pressure or flutter ever so gently; her treatments for face and body feel utterly heavenly) and the way she sculpts, eases fascial tension, and invigorates muscles is truly incredible.

Dr. Burschtin has spent his career focusing on sleep disorders—and their effects on how we function. Whether you suffer from insomnia, sleep apnea, or even just snoring, he can likely discover, and then treat, the root of the issue.

This is the place to come for a truly special treat (and it's great for guys, too). The Peninsula has an enormous spa facility with a pool, a fitness center, sundeck, and a tea lounge, not to mention 10 treatment rooms. The treatment menu is vast and runs the gamut from facials to Swedish massage, to couple's and pre-natal treatments. It's a real splurge but these are some of the best treatments the city has to offer.

Helmed by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, this airy, all-white space is a temple to inventive, seasonal, and local cooking, sourced from nearby farms and cooperatives. It doesn't come as much of a shock that the fare is GMO-free and also made without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, antibiotics, or hormones. It's not surprising because you can taste the well-sourced provenance on the plate, whether in the form of house-made ricotta ravioli or fried organic chicken in a hot sauce butter.

This sleek (and tiny) foodie destination in Tribeca has only 18 seats, meaning that reservations are hard to come by. If you manage to snag one, you're in for a pretty great experience. The modern multi-course prix fixe menu (expect ingredients like birch sap or moss) is served opposite an open kitchen, which is fascinating to watch.

This Italian spot on Thompson Street boasts Vito Schnabel's artwork on the walls, Zac Posen designed uniforms, a floor inspired by The Godfather, and a slightly more upscale version of the Italian-American fare you'll find at their other restaurants. And like the good old days, the food is rich and luscious from lobster ravioli to sides like artichoke hearts and corn tartufato.

Housed in Mies van der Rohe's Seagram Building, this icon of a restaurant still honors its 1959 design by modernist Philip Johnson. Everything—from Philip Johnson's custom chairs and bar stools, to the metal chain curtains, to the Japanese-style pool in the middle of the dining room—is as true to the original concept as possible, making a meal here something of a field trip for Modernist design nerds. Needless to say, it's one of the city's true gems: While the Pool Room is a romantic spot for dinner, New York power lunches take place in the clubby, wood-paneled Grill Room. It's best for expense accounts: With its lofty prices and bustling location, it's usually packed with business types and Upper East Side denizens. And while it's an undeniably elegant space for an event, private rooms here are best reserved for big-deal celebrations like engagements or graduations.

We like to stop by this homey café and wine bar for the occasional snack—a house-cured plate of salumi and a glass of wine—just as much as for a full, rustic meal. With gallerist David Zwirner as one of its backers, it’s no surprise this artfully restored ex-lumber supply space fills up with the art crowd on a regular basis. It's ideal for an event, too—their skilled planners will design a beautifully rustic event at long tables in the back rooms.

A meal at this Japanese restaurant, whether for lunch (the only time you can have their incredible ramen), or dinner, is a truly artful experience, and an introduction to a slower, more mindful style of eating. For one, it’s Shojin cuisine, vegetarian food that’s served in Zen Buddhist temples throughout Japan. And for two, the cooked dishes are beautifully presented, in traditional ceramics that are sometimes hundreds of years old. Both lunch and dinner are tasting menu only, so it’s worth it to take the time to enjoy it.

While it’s nothing special when it comes to atmosphere and décor, this unassuming Japanese nook in Soho serves up delicious Kyoto-style food, including plenty of super fresh sashimi and small, flavorful cooked dishes. We’re partial to the Omen udon noodles, served simply with seaweed and hot or cold broth. This spot is a big hit among artists, actors, and creatives, who probably love the food as much as its hushed, relaxed vibe.

Come to Upland (named for the chef's hometown) for a taste of California in the heart of NYC. Designed by Roman & Williams, the space is understandably warm and inviting—the light-filled dining room’s checkered tablecloths and wooden accents compliment the menu’s rustic, ingredient-driven offerings: sausage-and-kale pizza, cioppino, and a limoncello olive oil cake.

The husband and wife team behind this wonderfully buzzy spot are South African and Israeli respectively, and this unusual mix turns out to be a hit, as evidenced by the delicious, homey cuisine that comes out of the kitchen. Thanks to its bustling but laid-back vibe, it’s become more of a hang-out than a traditional restaurant: People linger from breakfast until late at night. The original is in Soho.

For years, despite all the foot traffic from the art crowd, there were few, if any, good restaurants in Chelsea. The Red Cat came along in the 90s and changed that, and remains, to this day, one of the few great restaurants in the area. With a laid-back New England vibe, and elegant, American food, it’s a great option for a dressy meal in the West 20s.

The location of Lincoln Center's refined Italian restaurant makes it a no-brainer for before a show, but the menu (not to mention the seriously sophisticated, Italian-only wine list) actually stands up to our favorite hole-in-the-wall joints downtown. The menu fulfills cravings for all the classic dishes, from spaghettini bathed in tomato sauce and pecorino to white truffle tagliatelle, plus a glorious dry aged porterhouse. If you come in the evening, don't forget to check out another bonus from the drinks program: The negroni and prosecco bars.

Specializing in contemporary photography tomes, Dashwood is lined with every important book on the subject. The owner and staff are always up for helping you find something special or just for a good photo chat. Watch out for their own beautiful editions, including their two books with photographer Ryan McGinley.

Spanning seven narrow stories in Murray Hill (yes, Murray Hill), Dover Street Market is like a fair funhouse for fashion: Every nook, cranny, and balcony is lined with some of the most inspiring shopping set dressing in New York City. You’d expect nothing less from Rei Kawakubo, the founder of Comme des Garçons, who has an eye for the most cutting-edge labels around. Like its counterparts in London and Tokyo, DSM boasts a Rose Bakery, making this the sort of place where you can literally spend five hours.

We’ve gooped about Kirna Zabête before, as the owner Beth Buccini has pretty amazing taste. At her decked out Soho shop, she displays only the best pieces from high-end brands like Saint Laurent, Bernadette, and Sauer.

At La Garçonne, founder Kris Kim curates for the design-minded minimalist—always elegant, never boring. Here, you’ll discover soft longline coats (and matching trousers) from Loulou Studio, bubble-shaped rattan bags from Sacai, glittery ballet flats from Dries Van Noten, and much more.

Designer Ted Muehling’s timeless, nature-inspired pieces come in many exquisite shapes—spindly candlesticks, globe-like earrings—and are the result of collaborations with some of the world’s most revered manufacturers from Lobmeyr crystal to Nymphemburg porcelain. At his store and workspace—his studio is tucked away upstairs—you’ll find his jewelry, porcelain, and crystal, displayed in elegant glass vitrines. You’ll also find everything that inspires him, from found seashells and butterfly displays to the work of other artisans like Gabriella Hale and Axel Russmeyer.

Jewelers Ron Anderson and David Rees create totally distinctive, sculptural, organic pieces that set off diamonds and rare pearls. After many years in the Meatpacking District, they've relocated to a huge, airy space in Tribeca and broadened the selection to include exclusive homewares and furniture in addition to their own line of jewelry.

At this veritable treasure chest, black walls highlight cabinets chock full of objects chosen solely for their beauty, whether they be modern French ceramics from Tse et Tse, rare jewels, or 15th-century religious effigies. It's all the work of owner Federico de Vera who travels around the globe hand-picking and then arranging every single item for his two Manhattan stores. Nothing comes with a label, but should you want the backstory on any object, the staff are expert antiquarians and design connoisseurs.

When The Future Perfect first opened in Williamsburg, it made waves by selling contemporary, well-designed furniture and small home goods by young, totally unknown designers. Nowadays, the store has grown up a bit and moved to Manhattan (and added a location in San Francisco, too). They still highlight their discoveries, but in an almost gallery-like manner, giving each piece space to speak for itself. You can still find their excellent selection of gifts and small goods online. There's also now a location in San Francisco.

This is where you should go to to outfit a classy man cave. It's also a good place to find one-of-a-kind antiques in general. You'll find big industrial pieces alongside Hermes travel bags, Louis Vuitton trunks, and designer furniture by people like Isamu Noguchi and Jean Prouvé. And, fittingly, come here if you’re looking to outfit a bar.

After spending decades in the art, antiques, and design world—at places like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the antiques store Didier Aaron, and with the interior designer Jacques Grange—Jill Dienst opened her own gallery in 2005. Now housed in a former warehouse in NoHo, Dienst + Dotter offers a highly curated selection of furniture, paintings, objects, lighting, and books, the staple of which is Scandinavian art and antiques, pure and minimal.

This gorgeous estate jewelry shop looks more like an exceptionally appointed apartment than a store and has more than earned its name: the collection of estate jewelry spanning every era and every designer (Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels are the biggies) is nothing if not museum-worthy. Rare treasure hunters in particular flock to FD as it’s one of the few US distributors of JAR. Also worth noting: the vintage accessories by Chanel and Hermes and photography by Man Ray, Richard Avedon, and more.

Housed in Andrew Carnegie’s former Georgian mansion, the Cooper Hewitt still maintains the original dark wood-lined interiors and imposing staircase. After closing for three years for a major upgrade on the design galleries at the hands of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the Cooper Hewitt had a grand re-opening at the end of 2014 with an expanded exhibition space. There's also an interactive Process Lab where visitors learn about the design process, and an Immersion Room highlighting the museum's expansive wall-covering collection. The museum was already one of the best in the world for design—both contemporary and ancient—so it's no surprise that it's better than ever. Don’t miss their shop, which is incredibly well done.

The jewel of Larry Gagosian's gallery empire is a gargantuan, museum-standard center in Chelsea: The space alone is worth a visit for its sheer monumentality. And fittingly, the stable of artists displayed there consists of the art world's heavyweights from Ed Ruscha, to Taryn Simon and Jeff Koons. There are multiple outposts in the city (including a location on 21st street) along with galleries around the world.

Aside from being one of the most significant buildings of the 20th-century, and the apex of Frank Lloyd Wright’s career, the Guggenheim is a world-class art museum and cultural center, too. No matter the show—usually solid retrospectives—it’s worth the entrance fee just to wind your way through the snail-like building and look down from the top at the mesmerizing view below.

Donald Judd moved into 101 Spring Street in the then derelict Soho in 1968, and over the course of twenty-five years, renovated each of the five floors in the building according to his singular aesthetic. The result is a space that is as much a home as it is a piece of art. The Judd Foundation opened up the space to docent-led tours, where visitors get to see his custom-made furniture, and the art and objects he acquired over the years. It’s a wonderful window into Judd’s entire sensibility.

Founded in 1985 by co-owners Lawrence R. Luhring and Roland J. Augustine, this Chelsea gallery focuses on representing an international group of contemporary painters, sculptors, photographers, and multimedia artists. The roster is a roll-call for some of the world's most celebrated artists from Larry Clark to Joel Sternfeld, Pipilotti Rist, Janine Antoni, and more. There's also a location in Tribeca.

With a stable of some of our favorite contemporary artists and photographers—Luigi Ghiri, Nan Goldin and Terry Winters—gallerist Matthew Marks has made a name for himself for his offbeat, yet totally on-point exhibitions. There are three outposts in Chelsea.

This beloved institution—reigning supreme on NYC’s Upper East Side—has been shepherding millions through its halls since 1880. You’ll find some of the art world’s most iconic pieces, as well as important artifacts from ancient to modern times. It’s also home to the Egyptian Temple of Dendur, which dates back to 15 BC.

Since the '80s Pace/MacGill has been showing some of the best artists in modern and contemporary photography. As part of The Pace Gallery family, the standards for work and placement here are as high as they come.

The Whitney—a long-time doyenne on the UES—shut its doors and moved to the Meatpacking District, where it sits in a Renzo Piano–designed building at the southern end of the High Line. The Whitney decamped because of space constrictions uptown, a situation that's now eased by its 200,000 square feet. Bonus: It's open until 10 p.m. on Fridays.

Metro-North commuters come into the city each day via this Beaux-Arts gem, but it's a worthwhile stop for anyone curious about the city's rich history. Among the many highlights are the iconic constellation mural above the Grand Concourse, and the Oyster Bar, which we love for its famous interiors, built in 1913 under the arches of the train station. In addition, we're always fans of a drink at the Campbell Apartment, an authentic, dimly-lit, old-fashioned bar nestled in the building, where you have to dress up for admission. And, if you need a quick snack, the Dining Concourse houses many NYC highlights like Junior's, Shake Shack, and an outpost of Murray's Cheese.

The High Line is a public park built on a former elevated freight rail line along Manhattan's west side, running from the Meatpacking District through Chelsea to Hudson Yards. It's a linear path with planted gardens, seating areas, and framed views of the city and the Hudson River. What makes it special is the design: The original rail tracks are woven into the landscaping, and the plantings shift with the seasons. Rather than escaping the city, you move through it from a different vantage point, catching glimpses of streets and buildings you'd never notice from the ground. We recommend it for a walk with a friend when you want to get your steps in, but be warned—it's almost always crowded.

The Dia Art Foundation’s extraordinary space at the old Nabisco box printing factory in the Hudson River Valley is a worthwhile, scenic drive from New York City. The Robert Irwin designed space and gardens make an artful backdrop to the permanent collection of works made after 1960, with entire spaces dedicated to contemporary masters like Richard Serra, Joseph Beuys, Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, and more. The galleries are lit by the light of day that filters in, so opening times morph throughout the seasons.

The hotel offers a wonderfully secluded and private stay, while the on-site restaurant, Locanda Verde, is one of our favorite Tribeca haunts. Subtly Mediterranean in vibe, the simply decorated rooms here are cozy and airy, plus there's an incredible Shibui spa, a pool and steam room, and a pretty courtyard that's the perfect destination when you just want coffee and the morning paper. The real crown jewel though, is the Penthouse Suite. Axel Vervoodt spent two years renovating it, and the end result is absolutely stunning: In his signature way, there's stone and wood accents, rough-luxe textured walls, wooden floors, and chic simplicity throughout.

We almost don’t want to put any more of a spotlight on this hotel, as its lobby lounge is one of our favorite places to get work done outside the office. It’s hardly ever crowded, and there are always tables and couches available—some near a log fire—for meetings, lunches, and laptop time. Located right near Washington Square Park, The Marlton’s dark, artful interiors, elegantly outfitted rooms, and snappy Margaux restaurant, bar and lounge area, makes it a pretty great spot.

The gorgeous Marlton Hotel lobby happens to be home to a great espresso bar. Here, you'll find a simple but perfectly executed offering of coffee drinks, teas, and snacks. While tables tend to go fast, you can usually grab a couch or armchair.

Chloe Coscarelli was fresh out of culinary school when she won an episode of Cupcake Wars with a vegan cupcake recipe: She was the first person to do so on that show or any other televised cooking competition. She’s since opened a casual restaurant in the West Village (followed by others), with an adorable interior (striped wooden floors, colorful tiles, hanging swing) and a little fridge with pre-packaged food. While the menu is focused on smoothies, juices, and great vegan burgers, you can still pick up her famous cupcakes.

Big Gay Ice Cream hardly needs an introduction. This beloved soft-serve joint started off as a seasonal truck in 2009, quickly amassing a loyal fan base in NYC. Their first permanent shop was opened in the East Village in 2011, followed by a shop in the West Village the next year.