The Manhattan based flower shop, Gotham Florist, may only have opened its doors a year and a half ago, but for florist and owner, Jihyen Crowley, her business is a continuation of her lineage. “I come from a family of florists. We used to own a small floral shop and garden center in New Jersey”.  For Thankgiving, Jihyen walks us through her colourful arrangement of fruits, vegetables and flowers.

INTERVIEW: Jihyen Crowley, Owner, Gotham Florist {New York}

01 Floral Aesthetic
Our floral aesthetic can be described in one word: Whimsical.  New York City has so much beauty and passion, it sometimes feels like a magical place.  We wanted to capture that essence and make people feel like they have stepped into a dream when they look at our flowers.

02 The Thanksgiving Arrangement
Hydrangea, Roses, Purple Veronica, Orchids, Allium, pink kale, berries, figs, cherry tomatoes, grapes, artichokes, oranges and peppers.

03 The Inspiration
I draw inspiration from the beauty that is tucked away in our amazing city.  Everywhere you go, there is something beautiful to look at. From daily farmers’ markets and 5th Avenue shop windows that are decorated for every season (department store, Bergdorf Goodman has amazing window displays), to Macy’s yearly flower show, The Highline‘s foliage and flowers, glorious Central Park, and the art galleries. My personal favorite is the Cloisters in Washington Heights. The Thanksgiving arrangement is inspired by the changing colors of the season. We see lots of oranges and reds as the leaves change but we also see lots of pinks and purples in mums and kale. We are going to be celebrating Thanksgiving soon, and there is so much to be thankful for. We added fruit and vegetables to complement the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Photo Source:  Gotham Florist

04 The Holiday
We don’t really entertain at home since our New York apartment is small, but this year we are hosting Thanksgiving.  It  will be a huge family style dinner with lots of different pieces of flatware and silverware.  I love going to all the different thrift stores in New York and picking up unique pieces that don’t really match.  I have found great silverware, crystal bowls and vases that I use for special arrangements.

On the table, I also love to use a set of hand blown wine glasses that was given to me by my sister-in-law as a birthday present a few years ago and, of course a nice bottle of wine. Being a florist, we ALWAYS have a floral arrangement on our table.  Usually, it is made my by three year old daughter who has an eye for floral design.