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Parsons grad Eleni Gianopulos was one of the first purveyors at the Chelsea Market, selling her whimsical specialty cookies there since 1997. Shoppers linger at the long glass counter ogling dozens of colorful cookies, and the inviting white-and-pink shop includes a handful of tables for sampling purchases. Creative treats include sugar cookies depicting Barack Obama, flowers, taxicabs, and holiday-themed shapes, as well as artistic cupcakes in flavors like red velvet and chocolate ganache. But the café is only a small part of Gianopulos’s business: The former graphic designer specializes in custom-order cookies in any quantity. Her Long Island City–based team has crafted frosted cookies shaped like everything from corporate logos to designer handbags. And for shoppers seeking a more original hostess offering than flowers, Eleni’s sells preboxed cookie sets in giftable packaging (more Tiffany’s than Mrs. Fields). — Randi Eichenbaum