Shopping A-Z

Antiques & Collectibles

Antiques hounds will be dazzled by the bounty that New York has to offer, from Louis XIV settees to vintage DeFranco Family lunchboxes. Be prepared, however -- you will pay top dollar for everything.

Traditionalists will love the blocks off Broadway near 10th and 11th streets, where the bounty includes Kentshire Galleries ; and East 59th, 60th, and 61st streets around Second Avenue, not far from the Manhattan Art and Antiques Center (1050 Second Ave., between 55th and 56th sts.; tel. 212/355-4400), where about two dozen high-end dealers line the street and spill over onto surrounding blocks. Fans of midcentury furniture and Americana with a twist should browse Lafayette Street in SoHo/NoHo. Just about any dealer you visit will have the current issue of the free Greyrock Antiques Guide and/or Antiques New York, which will lead you to specialty dealers around the city.

Most called it the 26th Street flea market: The famous Annex Antiques Fair and Flea Market (tel. 212/243-5343; www.hellskitchenfleamarket.com) is an outdoor emporium of nostalgia; you might remember it as filling a few parking lots along Sixth Avenue between 24th and 27th streets on weekends for many years; gentrification in Chelsea has moved the whole shebang uptown, to the (gentrifying) Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, aka "Clinton." It's now on 39th Street, between 9th and 10th avenues on Saturday and Sunday. The assemblage is hit-or-miss -- some days you'll find treasures galore, and others it seems like there's nothing but junk. A few quality vendors are almost always on hand, though. The truly dedicated arrive early on Saturday, but the browsing is still good as late as 4pm. Sunday is always best, since there's double the booty on hand. In addition, there's an indoor branch just for antiques on two floors of an indoor garage in Chelsea at 112 W. 25th St., between 5th and 6th aves. It's open Saturday & Sunday from 6:30am to 5pm.

Beauty

Consider the French beauty superstore Sephora, 597 Fifth Ave. (between 48th and 49th sts.; tel. 212/980-6534; www.sephora.com). There are outlets all over the city, but this Midtown branch is a real beauty.

Books

There are the chains: Barnes & Noble, with my favorite outlet opposite Union Square, 33 E. 17th St. (tel. 212/253-0810; www.bn.com); and Borders, with four stores in Manhattan, including one in the Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle (tel. 212/823-9775; www.bordersstores.com).

Clothing/Retail Fashions

The Top Designers -- The legendary locale for the classic designer names has always been Fifth Avenue and 57th Street. There's been some exodus to Madison Avenue , but the opening of the Gianni Versace shop at 647 Fifth Ave., between 51st and 52nd streets (tel. 212/317-0224; www.versace.com), just before the designer's death, heralded a new era of respect for the avenue. Other deluxe designer tenants from Italy's haute couture world are Prada; Salvatore Ferragamo, no. 655, between 52nd and 53rd streets (tel. 212/759-3822; www.ferragamo.com). Tom Ford's stellar Gucci is at Fifth Avenue and 54th Street (tel. 212/826-2600; www.gucci.com) as well as their Madison Avenue location at 840 Madison Ave. (|tel| 212/717-2619), while classic Chanel is at 15 E. 57th St., between Fifth and Madison avenues (tel. 212/355-5050), with the freshly hip tartans of Burberry just down the block at 9 E. 57th St. (tel. 212/407-7100; www.burberry.com).

The Upper East Side's Madison Avenue is the heartland of haute couture these days. The biggest names in clean-lined modern design line up along the platinum-coated boulevard; between 59th and 80th streets, you'll find Calvin Klein, Giorgio Armani, Valentino, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Emanuel Ungaro, Givenchy, Hermès, Issey Miyake, Krizia, Max Mara, Prada , Polo/Ralph Lauren , Roberto Cavalli, Versace , and many more; the density is greatest in the high 60s.

Established avant-garde designers hang out in SoHo. Highlights include Anna Sui, 113 Greene St., just south of Prince Street (tel. 212/941-8406; www.annasui.com), who specializes in boho fashions with a glam edge. Marc Jacobs, 163 Mercer St., between Houston and Prince (tel. 212/343-1490; www.marcjacobs.com), excels at modern takes on classic cuts. Girlish designs are the specialty of Cynthia Rowley, 376 Bleecker St., at Perry Street (tel. 212/242-3803; www.cynthiarowley.com). SoHo has become so designer hot that plenty of established names have moved in, including Louis Vuitton, 116 Greene St., between Prince and Spring streets (tel. 212/274-9090; www.vuitton.com); always-avant Helmut Lang, 142 Greene St., near Spring Street (tel. 212/563-0586, 212/334-2487); Burberry, 131 Spring St., between Greene and Wooster streets (tel. 212/925-9300; www.burberry.com); and, in the same block, Chanel, 139 Spring St. (tel. 212/334-0055).

Talented up-and-comers have set up shop on and around Bond Street in NoHo; on Elizabeth, Mott, and Mulberry streets in Nolita; along East 9th Street in the East Village; and on the Lower East Side, in the blocks south of Houston Street.

Fashion Flagships -- Some New York flagship stores of the major brands are an experience you won't catch in your nearest mall. These stores are display cases for the complete line of fashions, so you'll often find much more to choose from than in your at-home branch. You'll find other locations throughout the city, but these are meant to be the biggest and best. Check out Ann Taylor at 645 Madison Ave., at 60th Street (tel. 212/832-2010; www.anntaylor.com); the Banana Republic flagship at Rockefeller Center, 626 Fifth Ave., at 50th Street (tel. 212/974-2350; www.bananarepublic.com); Liz Claiborne, 650 Fifth Ave., at 52nd Street (tel. 212/581-1019; www.lizclaiborne.com), which carries all of Liz's lines; and DKNY, 655 Madison Ave., at 60th Street (tel. 212/223-DKNY; www.dkny.com). J. Crew has a big bi-level SoHo store at 99 Prince St., between Mercer and Greene streets (tel. 212/966-2739; www.jcrew.com), as well as a large store on Rockefeller Plaza at 50th Street (tel. 212/765-4227). Old Navy has a huge flagship featuring its affordable basics and signature sense of humor at 610 Sixth Ave., at 18th Street (tel. 212/645-0663; www.oldnavy.com).

Just Kids -- If you need the basics, you'll find branches of Gap Kids, Baby Gap, and The Children's Place all over town -- it's harder to avoid one than to find one. The department stores are also great sources, of course.

Edibles/Sweets

Chocolate City -- The Big Apple is fast becoming a city consumed by a near-feverish craving for chocolate. Many sweets shops around the city now are turning out homemade chocolates in every variety that are so good, the stores, like four-star restaurants, are destinations in their own right. The best of these can be found just over the Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO at Jacques Torres Chocolate, 66 Water St., Brooklyn (tel. 718/875-9772; www.mrchocolate.com). Torres, the former celebrated pastry chef at Le Cirque, ventured out on his own a few years ago and opened this mecca to chocolate where your mouth will water as you watch chocolate being made. The variations here are staggering and include chocolate peanut brittle, chocolate-covered corn flakes, champagne truffles, and some of the best hot chocolate you've ever tasted. Take home a tin of the "wicked" hot chocolate, which features allspice, cinnamon, sweet ancho chile peppers, and hot chipotle peppers. Also, the Jacques Torres Chocolate chocolate-manufacturing facility, open to the public, is at 350 Hudson St., at King Street, in TriBeCa tel. 212/414-2462. In Manhattan, steps from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is the Madison Avenue incarnation of the Paris import La Maison du Chocolat, 1018 Madison Ave., at 78th Street (tel. 212/744-7117; www.lamaisonduchocolat.com). This boutique takes its chocolate very seriously. Here you will find possibly the best pure chocolate you've ever tasted. They abhor any bitterness in their chocolate and make it a point to claim that they use nothing stronger than 65% cocoa. Now that's serious chocolate.

One of the oldest chocolate shops in the city is the 1923-established Li-Lac Chocolates, 40 Eighth Ave. (at Jane St.; tel. 866/898-2462 or 212/924-2280; www.li-lacchocolates.com), formerly on Christopher Street, which after 81 years has moved to new digs and now boasts a satellite store in Grand Central Terminal. This West Village shop makes their sweets by hand and whips up its chocolate fudge daily. In fact, they do chocolate fudge like no one else in the city.

Also in the Village is The Chocolate Bar, 48 Eighth Ave., between Jane and Horatio streets (tel. 212/366-1541; www.chocolatebarnyc.com). Their homemade chocolate bars are worthy of their name. I love the mocha, with its flecks of coffee. For those who worship the cocoa gods, go for the superdark 72%, so dark and rich you might speak in tongues after a few bites.

A Taste of New York -- Do you want to bring back a real New York souvenir -- something that evokes the genuine flavor of New York more than an I ♥ NEW YORK T-shirt or an Empire State Building figurine? Give your friends and family some real New York edibles. Possibly the best place to pick up food "souvenirs" is the Lower East Side. This neighborhood, home to so many immigrants over the years, is where a number of traditional New York foods originated. Do you have a friend who craves pickles, pregnant or not? Then venture to Guss's Pickles at 85 Orchard St. (tel. 917/701-4000). Bring home a gallon of half or full sour, a mix of both, or pickled green tomatoes. If you can't lug it back home, have them ship it for you for about $49 a gallon.

If anyone can really explain what a bialy is exactly, I'm all ears. But whatever it really is doesn't matter as long as it tastes good. You'll find the oldest (over 65 years) bialy makers and the best in New York at Kossar's Bialys, 367 Grand St., between Norfolk and Essex streets (tel. 212/473-4810). A dozen go for around $9 and come in different flavors like sesame, poppy, and garlic.

East Houston Street features two New York food-souvenir choices worth bringing home. Start with knishes from the 1910-established Yonah Schimmel Knishes at 137 E. Houston St., between First and Second avenues (tel. 212/477-2858). The choices range from potato to spinach to mushroom; a box of 12 goes for about $34. At 179 E. Houston St., between Allen and Orchard streets, the remarkable Russ & Daughters (tel. 212/475-4880; www.russanddaughters.com) has incomparable smoked fish and nova. A medley of smoked salmon goes for about $70, and, in my humble opinion, is worth every penny.

Gifts

For first-rate Fifth Avenue gifts, don't forget Tiffany & Co., whose upper level boasts wonderful small gifts, all crafted in signature Tiffany silver or crystal and wrapped in the unmistakable blue box.

Home Design & Housewares

Attention, Oriental rug and cilium fans: Dealers line Broadway around the queen of home-furnishings department stores, ABC Carpet & Home. The second floor of Zabar's is another excellent source for high-end kitchenware.

Jewelry & Accessories

Every big-name international jewelry merchant has a shop on Fifth Avenue in the 50s: glam Italian jeweler Bulgari, 730 Fifth Ave., at 57th Street (tel. 212/315-9000; www.bulgari.com); royal jeweler Asprey & Garrard, no. 725, at 56th Street (tel. 212/688-1811); ultraglamorous Harry Winston, no. 718, also at 56th Street (tel. 212/245-2000; www.harrywinston.com); Cartier, housed in a stunningly restored mansion at 653 Fifth Ave., at 52nd Street (tel. 212/446-3400; www.cartier.com); and, best of all, Van Cleef & Arpels, 744 Fifth Ave., at 57th Street (tel. 212/644-9500; www.vancleef.com), which also has a boutique at Bergdorf's.

Some of the smaller boutique names are on Madison Avenue in the 60s. Fred Leighton, 773 Madison Ave., at 66th Street (tel. 212/288-1872; www.fredleighton.com), specializes in magnificent estate jewelry.

The Diamond District -- West 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues is the city's famous Diamond District. Apparently more than 90% of the diamonds sold in the United States come through this neighborhood first, so there are some great deals to be had if you're in the market for a nice rock or a piece of fine jewelry. The street is lined with showrooms; and you'll be wheeling and dealing with the largely Hasidic dealers, who offer quite a juxtaposition to the crowds. For a complete introduction to the district, including smart buying tips, point your Web browser to www.diamonddistrict.org. If you're in the market for wedding rings, there's only one place to go: Herman Rotenberg's 1,873 Unusual Wedding Rings, 4 W. 47th St., booth 86 (tel. 800/877-3874 or 212/944-1713; www.unusualweddingrings.com). For semiprecious stones, head 1 block over to the New York Jewelry Mart, 26 W. 46th St. (tel. 212/575-9701). Virtually all of these dealers are open Monday through Friday only.

Museum Stores

Noteworthy museum shops worth seeking out include the New York Public Library, the Museum for African Art, The Jewish Museum, and the American Folk Art Museum.

Shoes

Designer shoe shops start on East 57th Street and amble up Madison Avenue, becoming pricier as you move uptown. SoHo is an excellent place to search for the latest styles; the streets are overrun with terrific shoe stores. Cheaper copies of the trendiest styles are sold along 8th Street between Broadway and Sixth Avenue in the Village, which some people call Shoe Row.

Most department stores have two shoe departments -- one for designer stuff and one for daily wearables.

Toys

If your kids love to read, don't miss Books of Wonder. For vintage toys, check out Alphaville.