'Jerseylicious' Recap: Verona Salon Named 'Hot' in New Jersey

The stylists on The Style Network's hit show "Jerseylicious" already think they're "hot." But on this week's episode, they all had the chance to lead a writer from Modern Salon magazine to think their salon was hotter than any other salon in New Jersey when the magazine's Maggie Mulhern toured the , in Verona, the , in Greenbrook, and The Glam Factory, in Hoboken.

Stylists from all three salons scrambled to think of ways to best represent their salon to Mulhern, including wearing matching outfits (all the stylists wore black at The Gatsby), showcasing beautiful furniture and fixtures and even, at The Glam Factory, hiring triplets to model three phases of a makeover at the salon.

The Glam Factory Owner Alexa Prisco was certain her triplets would win the heart of Mulhern.

"I know that no salon did anything as creative or as innovative as we did," she said.

Meanwhile, stylist Tracy DiMarco, who helps run the Gatsby2Go operation at The Gatsby but also works full-time at the Anthony Robert Salon, tried to convince Gatsby owner and Bridgewater resident Gayle Giacomo to show off more than just to the writer. DiMarco felt the Gatsby2Go operation, which brings stylists into customers' homes, was truly unique and worth bragging about. So much so that without her boss' consent, she began talking about it to Mulhern when she visited.

But despite Mulhern's interest in hearing about Gatsby2Go, Giacomo was not pleased with DiMarco's actions.

"I'm really upset that Tracy hijacked this tour, but it doesn't surprise me because she's always trying to promote herself," Giacomo said.

After Mulhern left, Giacomo pulled DiMarco into her office to talk about what had happened. DiMarco defended herself.

"I feel like you were only talking about product," she said. "This salon has so much more to offer."

Giacomo said she was more upset at the way it looked, with DiMarco chiming in the way she did, and she thought it could decrease the salon's chances of getting into the magazine.

"I felt like she was looking at us like we really didn't know what we were doing here," she said.

Read more Montville Patch coverage of "Jerseylicious" here.

At the Anthony Robert Salon, Owner Anthony Lombardi had been waiting and ready for Mulhern's visit for days. When it seemed as though she was not going to show up, the stylists began packing up and DiMarco opened the front door to leave for the night. But just as she did, she saw Mulhern walking in and scurried back inside to tell the stylists to get ready.

Cathy Giove greeted Mulhern and began showing off the fine Italian upholstery that makes up the sitting room couches and the granite marble counter top at reception. But Lombardi knew the salon would not make it into the magazine based on looks alone.

"Unless you can talk about the services and the staff, we're not hot in Jersey at all," Lombardi said.

The staff members must have represented themselves well because Mulhern called later to tell Lombardi that the salon had been chosen as the hottest in New Jersey (read Mulhern's article here). He was thrilled.

"I finally feel that Anthony Robert Salon has made it to the big leagues," he said.

Several other local salons were named as "Jersey gems," including The Gatsby, Bangz in Montclair, Dieci in Livingston and Salvatore Minardi in Madison.

As a back drop to the competition for hottest salon, graduate Olivia Blois Sharpe helped Filippo Giove, also known as the "Staten Island Pizza Prince," break into an underwear modeling career. Blois Sharpe prepares Giove by picking out a few underwear selections for him to model during a photo shoot for his portfolio. He immediately opts for a thong.

"If I want to get the attention of the modeling agents, I'm going to have to show them the perfect portfolio," he said, later adding, "The more skin I show, the more confident I am."

"Jerseylicious" fans will get to see more of Giove's blossoming career as the show continues to air at 8 p.m. Sunday nights on The Style Network.