| As seen in the "HERALD" - Fabulous Salon has arrived ", by Rebecca Shalomoff |
| Fabulous salon has arrived |
|
|
Underneath a painted sky, a mˇlange of models, celebrities, socialites and neighbors gathered for the unveiling of Rodolfo Valentin, a new luxury Salon and spa in Cedarhurst. Valentin opened its doors on Tuesday, June 19 to glamorous clientele and passersby to revel in the European decor while they feasted on caviar and champagne.
|
An almost-life-size bronze figure welcomed guests, water dripping down her naked body. Behind her was a gazebo of round, wooden mirrors separated by Roman columns made of limestone draped with white fabric. Antique vases were brimming over with fresh-cut flowers; on the floor, pearl-colored granite. Up above was a fairy tale balcony. Its centerpiece: an ivy-framed, cascading waterfall. Spaced out across the walls were paintings that make you want to yodel: A river flowing into the Swiss Alps. Its soft hills reminiscent of springtime in Tuscany.
They are Trompe l'oeil murals, illustrations that trick the viewer into believing he is one with the scenic view. Valentin told salon artist and architect Michael Mastropolo that he wanted visitors to be romanticized by European style and beauty. A piece of Versailles transplanted in Cedarhurst. A wing of the Louvre.
No wonder. Valentin's home is a Spanish-style mansion in Hewlett Bay Park that he shares with his business partner and companion of 27 years, Jorge Peres. Born in Argentina to Italian and Spanish parents, Valentin discovered his talent and passion by playing hair dresser to his mother and sister. He learned some technique from his aunt, who studied at a beauty school in Buenos Aires. But it was through trial and error that he perfected the techniques that earned Valentin the international titles, Golden Hands and The Wizard of Hair.
By the age of 19, he established a following on movie sets with South American film stars. He moved to Europe and worked with the hair guru Alexandre de Paris while crafting the do's of royalty in Italy and Spain. Almost two decades ago, he made a landing in the Five Towns on his way to opening a salon in Beverly Hills.
To me, the Five Towns is Beverly Hills, he said in between sips of vino.
Valentin, six-foot-three, former South American runway model, mesh white shirt unbuttoned halfway down his chest, was seated inside the gazebo surrounded by mirrors. Around his neck, a silver monkey hangs from a black string.
I was born in the year of the monkey, he said, clutching the pendant.
Valentin celebrated his birthday on June 22, the day after the salon opened for business, three days after the gala reception that began in the afternoon and lasted until midnight. Hundreds of people flowed in, out and around the salon all night long. But it took another glass of wine before he admitted his age in secrecy. His smooth, bronze skin gives away a twenty-something allure. But his dark, penetrating eyes and bearded face reveal a wise, holy man.
Valentin recalled that it was summer when he visited a friend living in the neighborhood. Flowers were in bloom, Central Avenue was bustling with consumer activity and Valentin, who was really named after the movie star, fell in love with the Five Towns. He rented a retro space on Spruce Street for 18 years, and placed Cedarhurst on the beauty map for where to find the best wigs and hairpieces.
His hair creations are exhibited at top salons in Manhattan Frederic Fekkai and Stephen Knoll, where Madonna snagged Valentin designs. The hair he uses is top-quality, natural hair from around the world. He has done hair extensions for Sophia Loren, Marla Maples, Ivana Trump, Brooke Shields, Kathy Moriarty, Claudia Cohen and Susan Hess, young Orthodox women and the ladies of the Five Towns.
Last week, Hess, wife of the gas station mogul, and Cohen, who hosts a gossip segment on Live with Regis and Kelly, toasted congratulations to Valentin during the opening smash of Valentin's salon extraordinaire at 137 Cedarhurst Ave., the new tourist attraction for natives and out-of-towners.
There is such a feeling of spaciousness and graciousness here, Cohen said, glancing at the crowd below her. It's like being in a restaurant when you don't know what to order because there's so much on the menu.
Clients can select from five kinds of pedicures, 16 varieties of facials and 11 types of hydrotherapy using the spa's mineral pools and modern Vichy showers. Imagine lying down while warm rain falls gently over your body. And don't worry about catching a chill. The stone floors are heated.
Try a prenatal or hot rock massage, cellulite smoother treatment or seaweed body wrap; hair extensions or hair removal. Maybe both. And for men, delight in a gentlemen's facial, sport massage or moustache trim. Unwind in the relaxation room, rows of cushion-y lounge chairs surrounded by 800 yards of white fabric. How about a glass of vino blanco while floating in Cleopatra's milk bath? Treat yourself to a mimosa after a Brazilian bikini wax. The in-house bistro also serves healthy, tastyedibles of quiches, salads and wraps prepared fresh each day by chef John C-rdobo of Cedarhurst Cafe.
Spend an hour or two or four whiling away the day like a pampered aristocrat.
They don't have to look in Manhattan or Paris for luxury, Valentin said. It's better to have everything right around the corner.
Valentin travelled throughout the best salons in Europe before creating his beauty kingdom that took less than two years to complete.
>back to "LONG ISLAND REVIEWS' |
|
|