By Dina Fierro
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Walking into the legendary Hotel Chelsea is like taking a step back into New York City’s wild and dirty bohemian history. Punk rock lovers will remember the hotel as the site of the notorious murder of Nancy Spungeon by her boyfriend Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols. On the less sordid side of things, the Hotel Chelsea remains a well-known past and present residence for artists, musicians, and writers like Leonard Cohen, Jean-Paul Sartre, Jimi Hendrix and Jack Kerouac.
Situated on the third floor of the hotel, Suite 303 is the quintessential downtown salon experience, offering a full range of hair and makeup services. Proprietor April Barton is enormously charismatic – bold and direct – and boasts an enormous portfolio of editorial work on celebrities and musicians alike (including Bruce Springsteen, Rufus Wainwright and Elvis Costello), yet she manages to make even the average client feel special the moment they visit her chair.
Barton’s aesthetic is rock & roll, yet she believes in working with what you have and taking it up a notch. Whether a mohawk or a modern flapper bob speaks your language, you’re in capable hands at Suite 303 as the stylists carefully consider a person’s entire look and lifestyle before picking up the scissors.
The atmosphere of Suite 303 is homey, with hard wood floors, a fireplace and an outdoor balcony. Barton’s sweet pup completes the picture, roaming the salon at will and visiting patrons that inspire an interest – no dog haters allowed!
Suite 303 is located in the Hotel Chelsea, at 222 West 23rd Street. For an appointment, call 212-633-1011.
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