I had a hard time locating a good haircut I could afford when I moved to New York; everyone was either off-the-charts expensive, or wouldn’t let me choose exactly what haircut I wanted, or just plain scared me. Like you, I’m pretty picky about who cuts my hair and how they cut it. I want it done right. And I don’t want to have to forfeit two weeks’ worth of groceries for it.

Enter the Aveda Institute. The Institute trains hairdresser, colorists, and aestheticians, and to help them learn, they provide low-cost haircuts, facials, and other spa treatments to clients under the watchful eye of an instructor. Unlike some training programs for hairdressers, Aveda allow clients to choose exactly what haircut they’d like. I brought pictures and was thoroughly pleased with the results.

And best of all, treatments use Aveda products, which are manufactured using natural ingredients from sustainable and organic sources and “green” power (100% wind power). So you can look pretty and feel good about what you’re contributing to society and the environment.

Expect the haircuts and treatments to take longer than most – one to two hours for a haircut – and book the appointment weeks in advance.

Aveda Institute New York
233 Spring Street at Sixth Avenue
A/C/E to Spring Street
212.807.1492
Call for appointment

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Aroma is a branch of the popular Israeli coffee shop, filling the scarcity of good inexpensive places to grab a sandwich or cappuccino in upper Soho. It’s just a short walk from the Angelika, making it a great place to meet with friends before your art-house fix.

Aroma has some of the best espresso in town, as well as standard coffee and espresso drinks that look lovely and taste even better. And what girl wouldn’t love a place that includes a piece of chocolate with every coffee drink? Also on the menu are sandwiches, in half- and full-size, with choices for everyone (vegan? celiac? love meat? they’ve got you covered) and reasonable prices.

Aroma looks a lot like it’s was outfitted by IKEA – sleek and sparse decorations keep the environment fuss-free. And free wi-fi, plenty of electric outlets, lots of seats, and 24-7 service round out the mix for an altogether satisfactory hangout.

Aroma Espresso Bar
160 Wooster Street at Houston Street
B/D/F/V to Broadway/Lafayette
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week

Famished | Email | Print | //

After spending a luxurious two weeks in Paris sampling mousse and berry tarts, coming home to a sultry New York summer replete with hour-long lines at Starbucks and crowded thoroughfares, I was desperate for a little bit of Paris in Soho. Meet Ceci-Cela: a charming, cozy (cozy in New York speak = claustrophobic) cafe that evokes nostalgia for the crowded patisseries of Paris. Maybe it’s the glass cases of impossibly delicious pastries baked by chef Laurent Dupal who was trained at the prestigious Compagnons du Devoir du Tour de France or the loaves of warm bread smothered in strawberry preserves, but this shop is the eminent destination for sweet-hounds and gourmet coffee lovers, tired of the morning coffee carts lining the streets.

Owned by two former French pastry chefs who met while working at a Club Med, Ceci-Cela boasts a loyal following of downtown hipsters, expats and anyone seeking a cafe au lait and a flaky croissant (much better than the over-hyped Balthazar down the street). Although the service is a touch on the slow side, the savory fare is well worth it.

Duck into the woody back room with your Sunday Times and treat yourself to petit fours, a hearty sandwich and quiet in a notoriously rowdy neighborhood.

Ceci-Cela
55 Spring St
New York, 10012
(212) 274-9179
Subway: 6 to Spring Street

Famished | Email | Print | //