Shopping in Manhattan

Those who maintain they learned everything they need to know in kindergarten will tell you that painting ceramics is an explosion of creative awakening only possibly on par with the popsicle-stick, log-cabin-building and macaroni-gluing that spur childhood imaginations to glowing realms of ecstatic craft-joy. There are more than 400 ceramic pieces to choose to paint at Color Me Mine's two NYC locations in Tribeca and the Financial District. The roomy, comfortable studios are a great place to get friends together for a pottery party, and wildly innovative painted piggy banks make one-of-a-kind, conspicuous gifts. Prices range from $12 to $95, depending on the size of the piece, plus a $12 kiln fee for each item.

Track down that bottle of magic blue potion you regret not buying during your vacation to Paris and get it with today's Groupon: $10 for $30 worth of international health and beauty products at Thompson Chemists. The SoHo mom-and-pop store, located at 137 Thompson St., stocks all sorts of obscure European balms and salves.

The apparel and handbag haven boasts inimitable, wearable artwork actualized by designing duo Toni Hacker and Ben Harnett, whose creations are stocked in an impressive roster of stores, including Nordstrom and Anthropologie.

Today's Groupon drapes you in silver and gold and douses you in gems and jewels from Lunessa Designer Jewelry, the enchanted enclave of rapturous rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces in SoHo. For $20, you get $50 worth of owner-designer Elise Perelman's collection of timeless and feminine sparkling jewels and treasures.

Food is something most people need sooner or later for general aliveness and energy for riding Ferris wheels. For $15, today's Groupon gets you $35 worth of natural and organic groceries from Fresh Fanatic. This 7,000- square-foot boutique grocery store in Fort Greene/Clinton Hill specializes in fresh everything. You’ll find fully prepared dishes, spices, and international cheeses on the wood shelves and coolly lit cold cases around the store.Follow @Groupon_Says on Twitter.

Toes wiggle and stretch within leather and mesh shoes as patrons test-walk pairs across Arthur's Shoe Tree's four-decade-old storefront. Expert staffers—two of whom are New Balance Procare fit specialists—buckle and lace feet into sandals, running shoes, and other styles from brands such as New Balance, Nike, and Sperry. Shoes for children jut out from wood-paneled wall displays, with kicks from Stride Rite, Nike Kids, and Skechers. An array of accessories rounds out each pair of footwear, such as plush Smartwool socks, therapeutic insoles, polishes, and weather proofers, which ward off damage from walks across puddles and waterbeds.