260 Third Ave., 212-475-4989, gramercyflowers.com  
Flower shops may seem as ubiquitous as pizza parlors and ATMs in New York, but Gramercy Park Flower Shop merits a closer look; owned and operated by the same family in the same location for more than 100 years, this place is indeed a Gramercy institution. "We're one of the last old-fashioned, full-service flower shops in New York," beams Michelle DiPasquale, a longtime in-house florist. Proud to have served more than three generations of customers, the knowledgeable staff excels in creating seasonally themed arrangements—look out for autumnally hued roses and hypericum berries in fall and delicate white anemones and amaryllises in the winter—and accommodating customers by repotting houseplants, placing special orders and even making house calls for assistance with oversize plants. Check the shop's website regularly for the "Unique Items" of the day—one-of-a-kind arrangements made daily from fresh flowers that are sold and shipped on a first-come, first-served basis (vase included). This location is the first, but the business has expanded, now including an annex in Chelsea Market and a soon-to-open outlet in the MetLife Building.

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