You couldn't make it up. Flaxon Ptootch is a designer hairdressers with shocking prices, wiggy 'artistes' on the scissors, pounding house music and everything you'd expect from a trendy North London 'salon'. Plus it is a party venue and an art gallery.

Ptootch's owner is an eccentric extrovert (surprised?) with an eye for modern art. The small art gallery attached to the salon has gone from being an expensive indulgence to a serious part of the enterprise, with a selection of cutting edge artists adorning the walls, legendarily debauched private views each month, and a reputation for spotting talent ahead of the curve.

Seriously, you can see some great shows here and the parties are good... but it's also a surreal experience, beyond any parody.