International Haircutters

Uliana started out as a hairstylist in her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. It was at the urging of her friends, a band of musicians living in New York, that she relocated to Manhattan, following a lifelong spiritual pull to the city. Uliana speculated that the Big Apple may have called to her because her parents, both Italian immigrants, first settled here when her mother was pregnant with her – an intangible connection that she never lost. After working at a beauty shop on 9th Street for a year and then spending time as a color specialist at a high-end salon on Madison Avenue, Uliana realized, “I just want a room where I can do my own thing. ” As serendipity would have it, the business she once worked at in the East Village was looking for a buyer, and Uliana was more than thrilled to swoop in and take over the upstairs space. Though she later moved into the larger downstairs area, she is thrilled to say that she has remained at the same address – a historic building that was once home to Jimi Hendrix in the 1960s. Helming her own salon has allowed Uliana to focus on her overarching hair styling philosophies: keeping the integrity of a person's hair and bringing out their beauty.

Beneath the Spanish Benevolent Society lies La Nacional, one of Manhattan’s most authentic Spanish restaurants and the most easily accessible part of the society. Just by walking down the steps into the dimly lit basement lounge, we felt the bustle of 14th street quickly recede and we were transported across the ocean. La Nacional has the same relaxed, no frills atmosphere as most tapas bars in Spain. We gazed at the old photographs from the society’s earlier years on the walls and then had the option of sipping a drink at the bar, sampling some classic simple Spanish tapas such as tortilla de patatas, croquetas or chorizo, or dining on a full meal of paella. Perhaps the most authentic option, though, was to simply have a seat by the television to watch the fútbol game - it is always on. For visitors from Spain who want a taste of home, those of us pining for the Spanish travels of our past, or New Yorkers simply curious about a new culture, La Nacional is the place to go.