at annie’s blue ribbon general store in boerum hill, i have now found my source for whenever i need whatever random thing might come up. open since the fall of 2007, this little shop set in a very cute building on state street really does have a little bit of everything combined with some fun and a twist. billing themselves as an urban general store, annie’s has a little bit of everything including cleaning, kitchen and bathroom products, brooklyn stuff, fun books, pet supplies and even a few beauty items. the owner takes great care in selecting her goods so that the selection is cute and fun, and sometimes with a twist like these really excellent toilet plungers. now who couldn’t benefit from an upgrade in that department.

annie’s blue ribbon general store has a good toy selection too. i like the emphasis on the classics like the slinky, the magic 8 ball and mr. potato head, as well as fireman and pirate hats, kaleidoscopes, colorforms (oooh, i really love those and still haven’t indulged but i better soon before the kids get too old) and stamp kits. the toys all seemed to be battery-free too as an added bonus. and while the selection may not be as classically beautiful as acorn’s or as extensive as lulu’s, annie’s toys are definitely very reasonably priced and would make super gifts. they also had a nice selection of baby gifts including adorable books like baby’s first tattoo and safe baby handling tips and for the mama the essential plum isand’s mommas belly butter.

annie’s also had a green emphasis with nellie’s all-natural laundry nuggets, lots of very cute recyclable bags in all sizes and colors, bambu veneerware plates, bowls and utensils, klean kanteen bottles and mrs. meyer’s cleaning products. with great, free gift wrap, annie’s is an excellent place to go for that last minute housewarming present or birthday party gift. annie’s blue ribbon general store, 365 state street at bond street, brooklyn, new york, 718.522.9848.

i am always on the look out for a good whoopie pie. i kind of like the ones at whole foods that i used to get a few years ago, but since it seems our local 3rd street/3rd avenue whole foods may never arrive, i have been searching for some substitutes. one girl cookies has been the place for me this past year. they often carry mini versions of both the traditional chocolate marshmallow version (my favorite) and pumpkin with cream cheese frosting. small but satisfying. they also carry some really fine and delicate treats including orange butter cookies covered with coconut, spicy oat cookies with crystallized ginger and hazelnut cookie sandwichs with a chocolate cinnamon cream. they also carry il laboratorio del gelato and often offer special cakes and sometimes even pies for the day. in addition to their lovely assortments, which would be perfect for party favors since they also do such great packaging, they have an incredibly charming shop in carroll gardens that is a great place to just hang out, and an added bonus is that it is open late on the weekends. one girl cookies, 68 dean street, brooklyn, new york, 212.675.4996.

it is rare lately, but i am starting to look ahead, and have already seen the slim clothing pickings out there for k who is going to be 6 this summer. there are no shops in my immediate neighborhood for that age, and nearly every children’s store i go into these days, even if they carry 5s, they all seem to look too young. my best success this past year has been at the 34th street h&m (the only manhattan location with kids clothes other than harlem) where i try to “keep calm and carry on” while enduring long lines and huge messes in exchange for great prices and style (but not such great quality). semi-annually, i bite the bullet and deal with supremely unfriendly staff and packs of high maintenance moms at space kiddets for their great sales and selection. fortunately for us brooklynites with girls aging out of babydom, there is trixie & tilda. specializing in this hard to shop for age, they have an excellent selection of high quality, tailored and not too fussy clothes including great pants, luxuriously soft cotton stretchy shirts as well as really cute but not too cute hair accessories for the pre-teen set. some of the brands they feature include joe’s, rooster nyc, splendid girl and la tennis bensimon. while the clothes are not cheap, trixie & tilda do offer the periodic sale and the very peaceful atmosphere is so worth it even without a discount. trixie & tilda, 407 atlantic avenue between nevins and bond, brooklyn, new york, 718.643.2100.

p.s. i am super sorry to report that this fantastic shop closed in march 2009.

i am quite picky when it comes to flowers, and have sent j on quite the hunts around town looking for the right arrangements — not too fixed and not too fussy but always with beautiful beautiful flowers. sadly, root stock & quade which used to be in park slope ,we (or rather he) used to frequent has moved out of the neighborhood and so our closest spot is right around the corner on atlantic avenue. opalia flowers, located in one of those perfect spaces with lots of light and high ceilings, always has a gorgeous array of fresh buds in all shapes and sizes. right now, they have in season sweet peas, ranunculuses (one of my favorites), tulips (both from holland and local growers) and anemones (also local) as well as roses, hyacinths and daffodils. their designs are quite beautiful and they provide really lovely service. i highly recommend opalia if you’re in need for some beauty in your home or you just might need to show your appreciation over the next week or so. opalia flowers, 377 atlantic avenue between hoyt and bond streets, brooklyn, new york, 718.643.9160.

the little shop layla just off the main drag of atlantic avenue in boerum hill boasts the most exquisite jewel tones in all its pillows, sheets, duvets, blankets and other linens. many of the goods come from india and europe, and the choices are wide-ranging in high quality cottons and silks. the vibrant colors in the store makes me wish i could outfit our bedroom from scratch again and again. layla also offers a well-edited selection of jewelry, bags and women’s clothing. a tiny annex across hoyt also sells beautiful hand-loomed towels. layla, 86 hoyt street between atlantic avenue and state street, brooklyn, new york, 718.222.1933.

i admit that i am a little obsessed about this fantastic kid’s store but at least i get something in return — consistently great presents for all the children in our lives. i return to acorn again and again for help with the latest baby gift to something fun for a six-year old. my latest scores this holiday season included two gorgeous reverse sweaters for our lucky devils by oeuf (i can never seem to resist something for us), a sweet little rattle for our new nephew, a few excellent puzzles, a wooden car and a fancy little tea set. i love how well edited acorn is, how great the staff are whenever i visit and how much the selection focuses on the hand-made, on wooden toys as well as on creative projects. the owners diane crespo and karin schaefer have been profiled for their own design sensibility in design*sponge and certainly their aesthetic shines through every time i visit. while they do have some things on their website, i highly recommend a visit. and be sure to bring the little ones. acorn, 323 atlantic avenue between hoyt and smith streets, brooklyn, new york, 718.522.3760.

for the most part, south brooklyn is sadly lacking in great asian food. though we have numerous mediocre japanese, chinese and thai restaurants, i can barely bring myself to eat there unless i’m in a bind. a couple of years ago i was thrilled to discover nicky’s vietnamese sandwiches on atlantic avenue. not much more than a hole in the wall with some seating, they offer the most tasty bahn mi sandwiches i can find in the borough. the ingredients are always fresh and tangy, and come in a soft on-the-inside, and crunchy on-the-outside roll. as an added bonus, it is affordable at $5 a sandwich. nicky’s has a few varieties, though i always go for the traditional ground pork and pate extra spicy. they also offer pho and that great sugar and caffeine high of vietnamese coffee. with a central location in boerum hill, nicky’s is also very close to carroll gardens and near downtown brooklyn. it was my favorite mid-day snack spot during jury duty. they also have an east village location. nicky’s vietnamese sandwiches, 311 atlantic avenue between smith and hoyt, brooklyn, new york, 718.855.8838. 150 east 2nd street at avenue a, manhattan, new york, 212.388.1088.