The ultimate destination for the home has humble roots that go back to 1897 when Sam Weinrib started a business selling used carpets out of a cart on the Lower East Side. What a difference a century (or so) can make: today, the seven-story store on the stretch of Broadway formerly known as “Ladies Mile” is an enchanting souk, with lavish antique chandeliers hanging from exposed pipes and fur throws draped across beds. On the ground floor, an artfully curated collection of jewelry and accessories is sprinkled in for good measure. Take a shopping break at one of star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s two attached restaurants—ABC Kitchen and ABC Cocina—which have as much panache as the store itself.

A fabulous addition to the Upper East Side's shopping scene is the gorgeous showroom of a Roman designer, Achille Salvagni Atelier.

It doesn’t get much more cutting-edge than this new downtown men’s clothing concept that uses digital technology to create bespoke pieces. How does it work? You step into a 3D body scanner, which takes your measurements, then pick out your fabrics, stitching, details (collar, cuffs, lapels), even add a monogram. Started by a Harvard Business School grad and a physicist, the revolutionary approach to men’s clothing takes the guessing game out of sizing—and brings down the cost of hand-tailored men’s clothing. Think $600 for an entry-level cotton suit.

This shop features glamour-girl fashions by emerging designers and must-have accessories, like metallic open-toe high heels and clutch purses.

With Alex Drexler at the helm (whose father, Mickey Drexler, is J.Crew CEO) it’s no surprise that this father-son clothing shop has been a sartorial hit. Set in a converted bakery in Nolita, the boutique carries pared-down preppy pieces that make boys feel like men and men feel very handsome indeed. Specialties include well-fitting chinos and smart oxford shirts, old-school terry hoodies and worn-in indigo vests.

Argosy is one of those quirky little bookstores that can’t be replicated elsewhere. Signature items here are rare and out-of-print books—the beautiful leather-bound ones that some use purely for aesthetic purposes—and historical maps and autographs. The interior, which many say resembles an old library, has a dark, dusty feel that hard-core booklovers (many of whom are initially drawn to the heavily-discounted offerings on the tables outside) will surely find cool. To view the rarer collections located on the upper floors, you must make an appointment with the knowledgeable (and often, rather appropriately, bespectacled) staff.

Shoppers can stock up on light fixtures at this cutting-edge shop in Soho.

Set on the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, the Vanderbilt mansion was once considered the most impressive house in the United States, with its enormous ballrooms and crenellated towers. Today, the site is home to what is possibly the most remarkable department store in the nation. The eight floors are arranged like a series of small boutiques, selling the best of everything, from haute wedding gowns to personalized stationery to a veritable shoe spectacle. BG Restaurant—designed by hotel impresario Kelly Wearstler—is the ultimate perch for the very stylish ladies who lunch, with views overlooking Central Park. The basement level is a beauty Mecca, complete with a small gem of a day spa.

Downtown meets Uptown at this eclectic, West Village-ish boutique, known for groovy gifts carefully selected by owner Phoebe Cates (Kevin Kline’s wife).

Founded in 1838, this old-school pharmacy full of hard-to-locate beauty discoveries has been frequented by everyone from Mark Twain to Sarah Jessica Parker. The shop itself is like a piece of history: check out the chandeliers, which were once powered by gas, and the old-fashion wooden cases. And while some things have changed—the soda fountain is no more—the apothecary continues to sell cult products like its rose salve. Complete with vintage-style packaging, the heavenly smelling miracle cream transforms both dry skin and chapped lips.

Leave it to the Brits to create a children’s clothing company with such incredible craftsmanship that your kids will look like they’ve stepped out of a Jane Austin novel. Prices aren’t easy on the wallet, but with exquisite details and vintage flourishes, these are the kind of treasures that get passed down through the generations. The shop also stocks handmade blankets, pint-sized totes, and a well-curated selection of toys and books.

Started in San Francisco in the early 1990s, de Vera is a beautifully curated arts and antiques shop that almost defies definition. Owner Federico de Vera has an exquisite eye, roaming the globe and collecting the offbeat and the obscure—religious relics, Baroque pearl necklaces, Japanese lacquer and oil paintings of barons and hipsters. A visit here is like taking a walk through the behind-the-scenes stacks of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This Upper East Side gallery is a great source for works by Diego Giacometti.

High-end stationer that uses old-fashioned engraving techniques and sells note cards with whimsical motifs and will create bespoke styles.

After setting the London fashion scene on fire with the multi-brand concept store Dover Street Market, Comme des Garçons designer and trailblazer Rei Kawakubo has taken her show on the road to New York. In an unlikely Flatiron District building, installation artists have turned a seven-story space into a veritable museum, complete with a sound experience. (The store will close on a regular basis to completely transform itself.) All the big names are there—Vuitton, Saint Laurent—and in the fourth-floor Energy Showroom, there are up-and-coming designers such as Phoebe English, who crafts clothing from macramé, tulle, even hair. And as if that weren’t enough, there’s also an outpost of Rose Bakery, the beloved Paris café.

This quirky emporium is more than just a little nibble: it is packed to the ceiling with terrific toys, eye-popping gifts for all ages, and a tremendous array of T-shirts for girls. Do stop next door at its sister store, E.A.T., for a light lunch.

A combination gourmet market, restaurant, bakery, and more, Eataly is a grand homage to everything Italian. Started in the northern Italian city of Turin and backed by the Slow Food Movement, the concept came to New York courtesy of a network of food-world superstars—including Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich and Lidia Bastianich—guaranteeing instant success. When it opened, lines to get in snaked down Fifth Avenue, and though the crowds these days aren’t quite as intense, the quality hasn’t abated.

Though it’s located a bit north of the main Madison Avenue shopping drag, Edit should be on your radar. Set in a two-story Lexington Avenue townhouse, the boutique is meant to resemble a private club and indeed, the interior—conceived by San Francisco based designer/architect Chris Barriscale—heightens the overall shopping experience. A winding staircase separates the two mostly marble floors and a chandelier hangs above the glass jewelry cases downstairs. For bored companions, there’s a stylish upstairs sitting area—complete with a flatscreen TV and fireplace—as well as a backyard garden. The merchandise doesn’t disappoint either. When assembling their inventory, owners Valerie Feigen and Alissa Emerson cull their favorite pieces from designers like Michael Kors, Derek Lam, Phillip Lim and up-and-comers like Charles Chang-Lima. The overall look is classic-chic with lots of billowy shirts and tunics as well as tailored blazers, jackets and trousers. Sprinkled throughout the mix are handbags and shoes from Anya Hindmarch and Henry Beguelin, basic tees and sweaters from Velvet and Christopher Fischer Cashmere, as well as a few ultra-luxe pieces, like the latticed bracelets by Australian jewelry designer and gemology expert Ray Griffiths (some of which cost upwards of $10,000).

New York native Fiona Druckenmiller (the sister of Indagare’s founder, Melissa Biggs Bradley) has long had a passion for collecting art, objets d’art and jewelry. In her boutique, F.D., Druckenmiller shares her expertise with stylish shoppers, by carrying an exceptional range of jewels, fine art, glass and sculpture. In a salon-like setting, she displays her carefully assembled private jewelry collection, which includes choice pieces like Cartier Tutti-Frutti bracelets, a rare Patek Philippe World Watch and a pair of bracelets created for Emperor Haile Selassie alongside historic pieces by Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, David Webb, René Boivin and Lacloche Frères and pieces by some of the most exciting contemporary jewelry designers like Taffin, Hemmerle and Viren Bhagat.

Other treasures include tables by Claude Lalanne and the white leather dining room chairs that Syrie Maugham chose for Mona Williams’ Palm Beach residence. Druckenmiller believes that fashionable women today are seeking unusual objects and that they care passionately about the provenance and heritage of what the pieces buy, so the store is also equipped with electronic albums that detail the history and origin of the designs. And while some pieces have seven-figure price tags, Druckenmiller also wants F.D. to feature an interesting mix of items she herself loves, so you will also find products in the $100 range, including limited-edition books and beautiful glassware.

This Upper East Side treasure trove brought uptown girls some seriously cool style when it came along in 2012. The concept store mixes costume jewelry and finds from around the globe with boundary-pushing designers like Alexander McQueen and Preen. Twentysomething owner Claire Distenfeld took inspiration from some of the world’s top concept shops, including Colette in Paris and Milan’s 10 Corso Como.

A New York bastion of vintage jewels, including rare pieces from the royal court of the nineteenth century. Delve into its trove of decadent Art Deco baubles from such firms as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Mauboussin, and Belperron.

Twirl with delight in Riviera-chic ballet flats of every color, print and fabric (the ever-popular pony hair for winter) and you’ll find yourself center stage.