If entering this small, warmly lit salon makes you feel as though you’ve mistakenly crashed an elegant cocktail party, don’t worry—that’s exactly how owner Albert Amin wants you to feel. “Would you like a glass of wine?” he asks a newly arrived customer, winking. “You just let me know. This place is all about relaxation.” It’s easy to see what he means: Decorated with brocaded settees, huge gilt-framed mirrors, and dangling chandeliers, the one-room, five-chair salon is akin to a downsizing socialite’s parlor with the constant hum of good-natured banter floating above the mellow trip-hop and the sound of blow-dryers. Services are almost strictly hair-based, but even light trims and tints are taken seriously here, and your standard shampoo includes a stupor-inducing scalp massage. Makeup applications are available by appointment only. — Sarah Gold

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