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Welcome to Racked's first annual Travel Week. Through Friday, roughly half of our content will be devoted to everything you need to know about traveling to and from New York City—whether you're entertaining out-of-towners, killing time at the airport, or planning the ultimate staycation.
Take home one of the best parts of your trip without looting it from your room: the hotel's bathroom amenities. You can find these soaps from Pearl + Detox at the Ace Hotel Shop for
Buy yourself or someone you love something they really need: a bottle opener pretty enough that it won't get buried in your utensil drawer. This one is solid brass and made in New York City by Fort Standard.
A small decoration for the home, like this Bronze Weave Vase, is an easy thing to toss in your carry on. $12, from Sprout Home in Williamsburg.
Skip the postcard and send a thoughtful letter home on these handmade Arpa card sets, made from pure cotton and linen. $14 at Goods for the Study in
For a NYC-centric gift, skip the I Heart NY tees and go for something cooler, like this New Yorkistan Puzzle, $18 at Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store in Park Slope.
New city, new scent. Book a Bespoke Fragrance Flight at MiN New York in Soho to create your own personalized fragrance or beef up your perfume collection. The service lasts an hour and costs
The easiest way to remember a vacation forever is by picking up a piece of jewelry—you'll remember your trip everytime you look at it. For something unique and beautiful, head to Mociun in Williamsburg. Above: Mismatched Triangle Turquote and Diamo
Museum catalogs aren't cheap, but since they're city and time-specific, they're a practical way to bring something home from your trip that's unique to the time you were actually there. The Magritte book above coincides with the MoMA's exhibit on the arti
No vacation is complete without a tote. Pick up one at the beloved Bedford Cheese Shop for $17, or better yet, grab the Brooklyn Bag Gift Set (
Much like the Instagram photos, souvenirs are an essential part of any vacation—both for loved ones and for yourself, so that you can remember your trip when thinking about how you've used up all your allotted paid-time off for the rest of the year. Since New York City's shopping scene has so much to offer, resist the lazy temptation to stock up on Statue of Liberty mugs for your mom and friends, and instead, check out some of the city's great boutiques.
Your gifts—no matter who they're for—will be thoughtful and personalized, instead of screaming "I went to New York this one time, and all you got was this lousy beer koozie."