FOR BODEGA ROSES THAT WILL LAST TWO WEEKS

57 MARKET 363 W. 57th St., No. 1; 212-586-3066

in the world where it’s easier to THERE’S PROBABLY NO OTHER CITY find a cheap bouquet—the challenge to buying bodega flowers is keeping them alive for more than a couple of days. 57 Market in Hell’s Kitchen sells flowers that are both cheap and long-lasting—remarkably so. A bouquet of a dozen roses costs a mere $20, and people who live in the neighborhood swear they last a solid two weeks. “Listen, this is the most basic corner market,” says Hell’s Kitchen resident Tessa Connelly. “And for whatever reason, it has amazing flowers.” There are a few theories as to why that is. For one, they’re not displayed in direct sunlight (which can make them wilt), there are no errant leaves floating in the water of the display buckets (which make bacteria grow), and the blooms don’t come from very far away: 57 Market gets fresh bunches of roses, chrysanthemums, and tulips weekly from cut-flower wholesalers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. “Customers come to the store weeks after purchasing to tell us how amazed they are that they lasted so long,” says Joe, the owner.