Where to Shop, Sip, and Get Inspired in New York City, According to a Creative Director at Tiffany & Co.

01.01.2025 - 19:33 / cntraveler.com

“When I was 14, my parents let me take the train to the city by myself for modeling jobs. By contrast, I get anxiety when I send my daughter alone to Starbucks, so I’m constantly amazed at the liberties I enjoyed at her age. I grew up in Connecticut, outside the city, so there were the obligatory trips to see Broadway shows, and always The Nutcracker during the holidays—they were practically state visits. By the time I moved here at 21, I was more familiar with the city than some of my new friends who had grown up on the Upper East Side.”

“It was maybe the only shop we went to when we visited [New York City]. I vividly recall family outings to choose gifts from a wedding registry, or pick out a present for a new baby. I feel as if I have my own visual archive of Tiffany & Co.’s history through the 1980s and 1990s. The store is a quintessential American landmark and a rite of passage for New Yorkers. Founded here nearly 200 years ago, it’s more than a shop. There have been countless special moments here, including, obviously, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which is just so iconic.”

The café and bakery Daily Provisions, with its signature deep blue façade, is one of Santo Domingo’s usual haunts in Manhattan.

“One of my favorite neighborhood spots is Daily Provisions, a smart little café on West 33rd Street that does fresh bread and pastries. I go for a cappuccino and a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich while watching the world go by through the large, blue-framed windows.”

“The Shed in Hudson Yards is an incredible multi-disciplinary cultural center. The building’s space-age retractable shell is worth the trip alone.”

For homeware pieces, Santo Domingo heads to Greenpoint's Cibone, in Brooklyn, for eclectic finds sourced from Japan.

“Showplace in Chelsea has three floors of vintage and antique treasures. I used to love to come into New York for the flea markets that popped up in parking lots every weekend. Sadly, those spaces have now become luxury condos, but Showplace is great for seeking treasures, such as vintage mahogany guéridon tables. The Met gift shop is my favorite spot for presents. You can always pick up something unique or unexpected. I love Beverly’s in Chinatown for home goods, but some of the best homeware stores are across the river in Brooklyn: Cibone in Greenpoint stocks pieces sourced from Japan, and Porta on Atlantic Avenue has a really beautiful curation of European tableware.”

The crullers at Daily Provisions are among Santo Domingo's favorite New York treats.

“With the exception of Caviar Kaspia, you’ll rarely find me at a trendy restaurant. For lunch on the go, the sandwich shop S&P (formerly Eisenberg’s), next to the Flatiron Building, still feels as authentic as the original. Its