Small Spaces

Presents for New Yorkers that take up no space at all

By BrickUnderground  | December 4, 2015 - 8:59AM
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The ultimate present for a New Yorker, it could be argued, is one that leaves no footprint. Given our chronic lack of space—even millionaires have been known to make do with less, relative to their mogul peers residing elsewhere—it makes sense. Hence our final gift list this week, which features not only items that don't need any room in an NYC apartment, but could very well make you the most popular gift-giver ever. 

While its rapid ascent up the charts (3.38 million copies sold in the first week, per Billboard) makes it seem as if everyone has already bought Adele's new album, 25 ($10.99 on iTunes)—and subsequently drunk-texted their ex—if that special person on your list has been immune to the British singer's vocal charms, now's the time. But prepare for a touch of melancholy to set in.

Flickr/Sportsfile Web summit

Help a clutter-prone friend start the new year on the right foot with a ticket to the 92nd Street Y lecture featuring the "joyful" Japanese organizer and bestselling author Marie Kondo ($30) in January. Just be sure to let your recipient know you're offering this with love (and not out of passive-aggression). 

SoulCycle enthusiasts are fanatical about making their weekly spin session, so if you have one on your list, a gift card ($34 for one class; gift card amount can vary) will be a major hit. The New York Daily News reports that the chain has hosted classes set to the soundtrack of the Broadway hit, Hamilton, so if Soul Cycle hosts another one and you know a theater fan with a penchant for indoor cycling who was lucky enough to have scored tickets to the show, consider this a two-fer.

Sometimes, at the end of a long day, all a friend really wants is a stiff drink without having to be in a crowded bar. Cocktail Courier delivers boxes (starting at $39.99 for one) filled with all the ingredients, and directions on how to put them together, for drinks concocted by some of the best mixologists around.  And once you're done, you recycle (or drink) everything that's been sent, so no mess at all!

Flickr/Ralph Daily

Trust us, this one will be a pleaser, especially in these holiday-party-heavy times: Gift a pal a certificate for one blowout at Drybar ($40) so she'll look polished for this season's festivities without having to shell out for, or stand in front of the mirror in her too-small bathroom, primping herself. 

A cooking class at the Brooklyn Kitchen (from $75 and up) will make Cooking Channel addicts—and less culinary obsessed counterparts—thankful for ages. Classes, which are held at the Williamsburg location, range from the foundational (Knife Skills) to the aspirational (Julia Child Dinner) to the romantic (Couples Dinner Class). 

Flickr/Shinya Suzuki

NYC doesn't want for great museums, but the new Whitney, which opened this year at its Meatpacking District location, is breathtakingly impressive. An individual membership for one year ($85) allows you to support one of the city's most compelling cultural institutions while giving your giftee easy access—plus discounts at the museum shop and cafe—to a premier museum. 

Imagine coming home and not having to worry about cooking dinner for yourself or others. A gift pack from Kitchensurfing (on sale now at $99 for four meals made for two people; $135 for four meals for two adults and two kids; and $159 for four meals for four adults) will send a chef to your friend's or relative's apartment, who will cook, serve and clean up after. 

Flickr/Martin Abeggien

Scrubbed floors, a clean tub and toilet, made beds—those sound like great presents to us (especially if the recipient doesn't have to participate in making any of it happen). A gift of a one-time visit by a cleaning service, or a recurring schedule if your budget allows, would make any New Yorker happy. Price varies depending on the provider, but our article on NYC-centric options can help you find one

Related:

What to get the NYC families you love

What to give a NYC party host(ess)

 

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