Favourite Shops (or should I say stores) in New York

And what I bought...

What is it about a city other than your own that just feels like an MOT for your mojo? In London, I’m a perennial sofa shopper and there’s only a few bricks and mortar stores I will specifically pilgrimage to, but drop me in New York and I’m like a hamster on a wheel. I try and only go to the stores we just can’t get at home, whether that’s vintage and multi-brand boutiques or just indepdent brands we don’t have access to as easily in the U.K. On this trip, I didn’t do much vintage shopping at all because I was with my husband and while, to his credit, he’s a very supportive and patient shopping wingman, vintage shopping requires a different level of patience for both him and me. One ‘are you nearly done yet’ is enough to stall my eyes-on-the-prize flow. But we still covered a lot of ground… So here are my favourite stores in New York, some of which I go back to again and again, while others were new to me this trip. A bit of a show and tell of what I bought too (no hiding here!).

Extra suitcase necessary!

---

Porta
This dreamy Brooklyn store was started by an old friend of mine so I was excited to finally check it out. It’s the kind of shop you want to actually move into, with every piece, no matter how big or small, feeling incredibly special. Expect ceramics, glassware and silverware by independent artisans plus they have their own-brand pieces too; sets of linen napkins, handpainted ceramic dishes and handblown glasses. I could have bought the whole shop quite frankly but I settled for the below serpent-painted ceramic tray.

Made it home in one piece!