I love all things pretty.

And all things cozy. And all things sweet and lovely and charming. Unfortunately, none of those things describes Midtown Manhattan, where I find myself every day on my commute.

Except for this one spot.

Lining the corner of a convenience store along 8^th Avenue are some admittedly unassuming flower stands. They’re a little sad looking at first glance with their half empty shelves, and they’re never displaying any of the trendy flowers every Instagram star has in their latest posts (the most exciting blooms I’ve seen are peonies during their sweet, short season). But amid the blaring car horns, crowded streets, and pervasive stench of Midtown, it shines like a beacon of beauty, beckoning me to pause for a minute of my mad dash to work in admiration.

Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but seriously, it’s the only pretty thing I see until I make it to my office (which, thankfully, is always on cuteness overload).

Of course, when the selection on the street is particularly on point, I have to take a quick picture while I’m soaking up enough pretty to get me through the rest of my walk. And these are some of my faves…

Hopefully some more fall hues will be coming to my favorite little spot as the season changes. I can’t wait!