June 28, 2005

Red Highlights

Red Market Salon Opens

Evolution of a hot neighborhood, circa 2005: First comes cheap sex. Then overpriced cocktails. Finally, fancy beauty treatments.

Some would argue that “devolution” is the better term, but whatever.

If only to keep another tacky velvet roper from hogging the real estate, we applaud the salonification of the Meatpacking District — Michael Angelo’s Wonderland and Sally Hershberger’s new Face Place, an amazing facials-only haven upstairs from her (obscenely overpriced) hair emporium.

And we were totally wowed by newcomer Red Market, which took a little from every era and came up with a genius concept: a salon that keeps evening hours and is cool enough to hang out in.

Co-owned by Fekkai alums David Cotteblanche and Reynald Ricard, the salon shares space with Nalunyc Surf Shop and has hipster-chic trappings — hand-painted robes, wi-fi, rotating DJs on the playlist, and a rooftop deck.

Just imagine: You’re getting no action from the cuties at Five Ninth, so you skip upstairs for a quick snip, then go back and show them who’s boss. (You, and you are now so over it.)

Hey, that’s progress.

Red Market Salon & Lounge, 32 Gansevoort Street, third floor, between Hudson and Ninth Avenues (212-929-9600). Open Monday through Wednesday, 4-11 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 4 p.m.-12:30 a.m.; Sunday, 2-10 p.m.