Support Small Business Saturday

Try not to shop till you drop on Black Friday and please save some stamina to support Small Business Saturday on November 26th.  I am very lucky to live in New York where shopping is almost an Olympic event but it's the small businesses and unique little stores that make it special.  Bleecker Street used to be one of my favorite places to shop when it was full of quaint antique stores and Biography Book Store.  They've since been replaced by well known retailers and it's just not the same.  That's why I will definitely be supporting Small Business Saturday myself.  Lexington Avenue near where I live has also seen many stores close so it's the first place I will be shopping. 

I will begin at Bunny William's lovely shop Treillage where I'll look for presents for friends and family and maybe a little something for myself.

I might also pick up some ornaments to decorate the full size tree I am getting this year.

Next door to Treillage is Lexington Gardens, another store filled with decorations and as the name suggests, flowers and garden accoutrements.

I love this painted backdrop in their window.

Since I'm working on my own book, I have to support small bookstores like Archivia.  I love perusing their front table full of all the newest releases.

William Wayne farther down on Lexington Avenue can be a bit expensive but they always have great hostess gift ideas.

They also have a wide array of blue and white porcelain. 

After all that shopping, I will definitely need a pick me up. I'm not sure if Laduree is considered a small business since they are big in Paris but they only have one store in New York. I have also seen the owners helping out behind the counter so I am including them.  When I need a gift for a person who has everything, I always pick up a box of macarons.  And a few for myself of course.  They are the perfect present.

Happy Holidays and Happy Small Business Shopping!

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic

Shopping on Lexington

Lexington Avenue in New York gets a bad rap since it's the street along which the 6 subway line runs but the area between 70th and 80th Streets is chock full of beautiful shops. I took walk along the route on Saturday and stopped into a few of the gems including Lexington Gardens at 1011 Lexington Avenue, seen here.

Since most homes in New York don't actually have gardens, garden shops tend to carry a wide assortment of goods from vases and pots to full size trees and garden statues. And of course they can put together a beautiful bouquet for delivery.

I think this lion could look just as great in a home foyer, as it would in the garden.

The store is also famous for it's preserved trees and greenery. They never need to be watered so there is no worry about killing them which makes them perfect for people who travel frequently. They also don't need light so they're great for darker spaces.

The shop had a few pairs of foo dogs and cute little white pagoda salt and pepper shakers in addition to beautiful lamps and garden stools.

You really never know what you will find in Lexington Gardens.

Everywhere you looked, there was an even more beautiful display of branches. A sure sign of spring.

A great addition to Lexington Avenue is Archivia Books above, which specializes in "architecture, art, design, decorative arts, gardens and interiors" books. The Upper East Side has many interior design firms and is home to the New York School of Interior Design so it's a popular destination for designers and students. I love the window display of topiaries and garden plans.

Of course, my shopping trip wouldn't have been complete without picking up a few souvenirs along the way. The miniature rose bush was purchased from Windsor Florist on the corner of Lexington and 78th Street. It's one of my favorite little shops to pick up a little treat. The chartreuse pot was only $10 at Lexington Gardens but the pièce de résistance is the little notebook from Il Papiro covered in hand decorated marbled paper made in Italy. I could spend hours in this little jewel box shop looking at all the beautiful paper patterns.

The next time you are in New York, I hope you'll leave the pack on tourists on Fifth Avenue and head up to the unique and charming shops on Lexington. It's worth the trip!