Greenwich Village & West Village,
New York City

At vintage furnishings shop Adelaide, co-owners Michael Smith—founder of '30s home-goods boutique Depression Modern—and Mary Corliss focus on alluring 20th-century works by lesser-known designers. This New York City go-to is filled with immaculately refinished furniture, and housewares from the thirties and forties, which makes Adelaide look all dressed up for a cocktail party that Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers might have dropped in on back in the day. In the parlorlike main room, Art Deco lovers can stumble from rosewood bar consoles to clean-line sofas to stainless-steel cocktail shakers to high-backed club chairs. The smaller back room, for its part, is arranged like a dining room with lacquered wood tables, a china cabinet, and metal-finished floor lamps. SHOP NOW >

At the quiet end of a curvy West Village street, this haven for all that smells delicious has become an essential stop for fragrance fans, including celebs Sarah Jessica Parker, Liv Tyler, and Hugh Jackman. Run by a knowledgeable German couple, who are experts in helping newcomers navigate the goods, Aedes to Aedes de Venustas deals in high-end, hard-to-find perfumes, skin care, candles and home scents from around the world. It is inarguably New York City's best resource for boudoir-worthy gifts, too. SHOP NOW >

This New York City family-owned business was established in 1939, and quickly became the go-to spot for kitchenware downtown. Broadway Panhandler stocks hard-core products for professional chefs, but there's also plenty on hand for the gourmet dabbler. The shop's personality really lies in the fun and innovative kitchen accessories it offers for any level of cooking enthusiast to enjoy. Check out the Edward Salad Hands ($20)—bamboo tossers that look like fingers—or the Onion Goggles ($20), which provide extreme protection while slicing the tear-inducing vegetables. Broadway Panhandler also offers the ongoing series Demonstrations and Conversations, which includes demos, tastings and interviews with popular chefs in the New York City area. SHOP NOW >

With Castor & Pollux, Kerrilyn Pamer has created a women's apparel boutique that brings a bevy of beautifully feminine (but not frilly) fashions to New York City. Trained as an interior designer, Pamer worked for Martha Stewart before turning her talented eye to clothing and accessories. Now she curates a petite West Village boutique to help stylish Manhattanites build their wardrobes, and even manages to attract some intrepid outer-borough explorers in the process. Favoring classic pieces over anything trendy or fashion-forward, the result is that Castor & Pollux offers an eclectic mix that looks simultaneously contemporary and vintage.SHOP NOW >