Shopping: Best Gifts

Whether you’re in search of a house gift for the Vineyard or a token of affection for your new beau, the buyers at Takashimaya (693 Fifth Avenue, near 55th Street; 350-0100) are likely to have something to please the lucky recipient – and your budget. The Tokyo-based specialty store is best known for its exquisite monochromatic floral arrangements, but you’ll find seven floors filled with exceedingly covetable home, bath, and fashion accessories, from pashmina pillows to black pearl necklaces. Calming, Zen-like piano music staves off sensory overload, and even the humblest purchase rates the shop’s elegant cream-colored box and must-have triangular paper bag.

Shopping: Best Gifts