Given the choice, Sarah Jessica Parker would radically simplify her design for living in the city. "In my fantasy world," she says, "I would be that person who goes to Bergdorf Goodman to meet every need." But real life is not so simple. Parker must also drag herself to neighborhood favorites like Mercer Street Books & Records for cherished vinyl, or TriBeCa's Anne Bruno for "exquisite, so-French-there's-almost-a-language-barrier" floral arrangements. Like any New Yorker (even better, Parker plays one on TV, in HBO's Sex and the City, a series that's actually shot here), she draws on deep reserves of patience, stamina, and resourcefulness to locate the very best the city has to offer. Now, we've already done all that, and passed the savings on to you. And we've added expert testimony to our own research to point you -- and Sarah Jessica -- in all the right directions. You might consider packing her own personal choice for Best Gift. "I've found," she says, "that people really appreciate unlimited MetroCards." We couldn't agree more.

Related:

• Archive: “Cover Story”
• Articles by George Kalogerakis | Sam Grobart
• Table of Contents: May 3, 1999 issue of New York | Subscribe!