John Derian spent more than a year putting together his collection of 50 nineteenth-century Chinese mirrors. Originally used in dressing rooms, these gems make great, unusual accent pieces to any décor ($100–$125).
John Derian
6 East 2nd Street
212-677-3917
Designer Tibor Kalman’s work lives on in a new book, T.BOR: A Book (to Keep) + 30 Postcards (to Send) (The Little Bookroom; $19.95), which contains his best-known work, including a radically altered picture of Queen Elizabeth and the Restaurant Florent postcard. Each image comes in two parts: one to send and, yes, one to keep.
Shakespeare & Co.
716 Broadway, near Waverly Place
212-529-1330
St. Mark’s Bookshop
31 Third Avenue
212-260-0443
littlebookroom.com
A cat that gets bored and moves to Scotland; another that leaves “presents” around the house; a dog that digs his way into a neighbor’s apartment – all are characters in Scary Stories’ “Naughty Naughty Pets” series (Hyperion Books for Children; $10.99). Not your usual kids’ books, these quirky tomes are based on real pets in the life of illustrator Wendy Ann Gardner.
Barnes & Noble
barnesandnoble.com
Mxyplyzyk
125 Greenwich Avenue
212-989-4300
Books of Wonder
16 West 18th Street
212-989-3475
If you’ve ever hosted a dinner party for eight at a table designed for six, you’ll appreciate these chic folding table legs, designed by Thorsten Franck. The plywood-with-walnut-finish legs store flat, assemble without tools, and support up to 230 pounds. A 28-by-60-inch glass or plywood top is recommended ($240).
The Moma Design Store
44 West 53rd Street
212-767-1050
81 Spring Street
646-613-1367
Big, unstructured bags may be all the rage this season, but lots of things can get lost in their cavernous confines. Fashion lovers who prefer “a place for everything and everything in its place” will love Rafe’s new wallet-purse. This small bag has a detachable shoulder strap and compartments for change, bills, a checkbook, credit cards, and a pen. In black and deep red ($150).
Rafe New York
1 Bleecker Street
212-780-9739
The MW Collection from Michele watches, designed by the company founder’s granddaughter Michele Barouh, has something sweet and chic for everyone – from small, ladylike styles to chunky, sporty ones. Prices start at $95, for an Aluminum Mini watch with a rubber band, and go up to $3,500 for the CSX Pavé, a stainless-steel-and-diamond chronograph. Many classic styles are in the $350-to-$550 range.
Bloomingdale’s
1000 Third Avenue, at 59th Street
212-705-2000
Saks Fifth Avenue
611 Fifth Avenue, at 49th Street
212-753-4000
Joseph Edwards
323 Madison Avenue, near 43rd Street
212-682-0383