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It’s time to talk shop. Whether you have a dozen trendy gal pals, hipster cousins, or tradition-loving in-laws, these city-specific guides to the Best Holiday Shopping will solve all your gift-giving dilemmas.
Best Holiday Shopping in....
Best Holiday Shopping
New York
Hot & Cool
New York is the center of haute shopping, which also usually means haute prices. This year, however, price tags (like the economy) were on a downward spiral. Many big department stores and boutiques cut item costs, including those of designer labels, so this is a good season to shop (provided you can part with the cash, of course). For fashion with a twist, stroll the streets of SoHo, NoHo, and NoLita, where you’ll find whimsical clothing shops such as Kirna Zabete (kirnazabete.com), with its one-of-a-kind threads, belts, and jewelry. Unique gifts are also found at the Whitney Museum of American Art (whitney.org), where stationery, cards, and art books are found. Looking for cool cufflinks and other men’s accessories? Check out stylish Odin (odinnewyork.com) in the West Village. Sometimes, of course, the best gift of all is relaxation. Give a spa certificate to Bliss Soho (blissworld.com); you’ll make someone very happy with the chocolate facial.
Hip
What to get the person who has everything? Start at the Museum of Modern Art (moma.org), which is stocked with unusual goodies: geometric watches, cutting-edge home accessories (foldable birdhouse, anyone?), curious puzzles, and artsy posters. Also pay a visit to the flagship stores of New York’s own designers. Brooklyn-born Kenneth Cole (kennethcole.com), one of the leading designers to bring AIDS “awearness” to the fashion community, has eye-catching downtown digs. His collection reveals an urban sensibility that pays homage to New York, with thick-soled shoes that can withstand the city’s rugged streets, and accessories inspired by skyscrapers. The spiky-haired fashionista Betsey Johnson debuted her playful dresses and heels in her SoHo store (betseyjohnson.com), and that’s still the best spot to peruse her latest offerings. Browse an excellent selection of books—and give to a good cause, with proceeds going to help the homeless—at the Housing Works bookstore (housingworks.org). For cool kitchen supplies, hit the Chelsea Market (chelseamarket.com). And bring back a taste of New York from the Brooklyn Brewery, which is in, yes, Brooklyn (brooklynbrewery.com). You can pick up a six-pack, custom bottles, and other brewery paraphernalia, while sipping brews along the way.
Classic
New York’s classic shopping scene can be defined by Fifth Avenue—and by Tiffany’s (tiffany.com) little blue boxes, and the baubles that lurk within. Also check out those shrines to elegant and pricey gifts: Saks Fifth Avenue (saksfifthavenue.com), partly responsible for the avenue’s cachet, and Henri Bendel (henribendel.com), with its gorgeous array of holiday gifts, from patterned silk scarves to luxe leather wallets and purses. Enter another world at F.A.O. Schwarz (fao.com), where buckets of rainbow candy, giant plush stuffed animals, and board games of all stripes await the kid within all of us. Lines require the patience of a saint, but it’s worth the wait to bang out favorite tunes on the giant piano with your feet—à la Tom Hanks in Big. For a literary gift, roam The Strand (strandbooks.com). Bookstores don’t get much bigger than this. Claiming 18 miles of new and used books, the Strand’s multilevel shop includes a collector’s paradise on the third floor, stocked with hard-to-find art books, autographed first editions, and the city’s largest collection of rare books.
