HOLIDAY HEALTH | LA LA ANTHONY
We always enjoy when we catch up with La La Anthony! Whether it's talking about her latest TV/film projects, entreprenurial endeavours or how she balances her day to day, she always keeps it real and gives us words of wisdom that we can use in our own lives. In this month's issue, we catch up with her to talk about the holidays, what she's gifting, staying healthy, and more.
ATHLEISURE MAG: It’s the holiday season. We can’t even believe that it’s the end of the year!
LA LA ANTHONY: Right? How did that happen?
AM: It’s like we blinked in April and here we are in Dec!
We’re enjoying tons of activities, but it’s also the time of year that we can get a bit under the weather. How do you navigate that during this time of year?
LLA: Well, that’s exactly why you know that I wanted to do this partnership with Delsym. It’s been a staple in my house so especially having a son for a very long time. So, you know when that cough is starting and we’re not feeling well, that is my go-to. So why not let the world know?
Delsym, you know is the #1 doctor-recommended 12-hour cough suppressant. That along with this chicken soup that my mom taught me how to make when I was growing up, that’s the one thing that I learned in the kitchen, because I’m not that good in the kitchen. That combo right there, you’re good to go. So I definitely wanted to be part of Delsym’s, Bring Comfort Home Campaign. In this kit, you’ll also get all the ingredients to make my favorite chicken soup. It’s delsymmeal.com. You’re seeing it behind me right now and it’s just something that Kiyan and I have been rocking with for a very long time.
AM: When you’re under the weather, you have the things that you do. I have my favorite set of cashmere, my streamed shows, that oversized mug that I’m drinking out of. I love a good chicken soup recipe so what is it?
LLA: So, I grew up in a Hispanic household. Both of my parents are from Puerto Rico, so it has Spanish, Latin, Puerto Rican flavor in there. So, it’s however my mom taught me, what seasoning to use, how to mix it up – it has that kind of flavor to it, which is why I love it so much and it’s easy. Because if you follow the steps, I feel that anyone can do it, because if I can do it, anyone can do it, because I don’t know how to cook at all, so it’s literally like, if I follow it and she tells me what it is start to finish, the result is going to be good! It definitely has Latin flavors like Sazon to it. So you know it’s going to be good!
AM: Definitely checking it out as the other night I enjoyed having Avgolemono (Greek Lemon Chicken Soup), which I thought was amazing and I had never had it before. So this, sounds like another winner to me even if I’m not sick because I do love Chicken Soup!
LLA: Oh no, that's the same with me! It's just my go-to for holiday seasons in general. I don’t know, there’s something about eating something that you had growing up that makes you feel nostalgic, like holiday, and home. So, it kind of for me, brings all of that out for me.
AM: There are a number of traditions that we enjoy as well as those that we make as we go along. What are some of your favorites during this holiday season?
LLA: So for me, I grew up and always had tons of people in my house. It was my whole family, that’s how it has always been. So I have continued that tradition so now in my home, Thanksgiving just passed, I had 30-35 family members – it might have been more now that I think about it. 35 family members in my house, which my house ain’t even big enough to fit 35 people!
So we were all just cramped in there and we’ve always been like that. Just playing games, music, laughing, and fun. We just had a great time and the same thing with Christmas, it’s just continuing that family gathering and having everyone together and taking a break from their crazy lives, work, and everything that they have going on. So, it’s always been like that. It’s nice to be in a place where I can continue that same holiday tradition.
AM: Well, this season means that we do tons of different activities whether it’s with our colleagues at work, friends, and family. What’s the best way that we can keep it cute and fresh when we’re doing all of these different things?
LLA: Stay healthy! That’s how you keep it cute and fresh! The holidays are when people get sick, so stay healthy so that you can be outside and that you can enjoy these social events and gatherings.
It’s fun being outside and doing the Christmas parties, the NYE parties, it’s fun. You get to be social, you get to meet people, and you don’t want to miss out on that stuff because you’re not feeling well. Stay on top of your health, stay on top of you're A-game. Another reason why this partnership was important to me is because I want to be my best, and I want Kiyan to be his best so that he can be great at everything that he is doing.
AM: What are you thinking of in terms of gifting friends and family this year? What are things that we should also be thinking about for our holiday lists?
LLA: So candles to me are always great! Like, candles are easy, but they are so symbolic and they have so much meaning. You can get candles that are engraved, you can get candles that say a quote or a scripture on it, whatever your preference is. But, I think that that’s like a not too expensive gift that it’s intimate and it feels thoughtful. That’s always my go-to. Like, who doesn’t want a beautiful candle?
It’s not something that you’ll ever have enough of. You’re not going to be like, “oh, I’m at my candle limit!” There’s no such thing.
AM: Especially those that are in those big jars!
LLA: Oh yeah, I love! Those are really pretty.
AM: Well, you’re an amazing mom, a great actress, and you’re always putting your name and intention behind great things! It’s always great when I have the ability to be able to interview you and to see all the things that you continue to do and your focus on THREESIXTY (Editor’s Note: You can find out more about this program started by La La as well as additional upcoming projects by reading about it in our NEW YEAR, N3W YOU feature in this issue) for those who are young men that are incarcerated at Rikers Island is really an amazing initiative. I know that with you, it’s always going to be excellence.
LLA: I really appreciate you saying that, thank you so much!
IG @lala
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Michael Simon
Read the DEC ISSUE #96 of Athleisure Mag and see HOLIDAY HEALTH | La La Anthony in mag.
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NEW YEAR, N3W YOU
NEW YEAR, N3W YOU
NEW YEAR, N3W YOU
NEW YEAR, N3W YOU
OFF THE MAT | NIA DENNIS
We have been a fan of National Championship Nia Dennis' gymnastic routines for a while, but then it was her iconic routine set to Beyoncé that went viral and this UCLA athlete alum popped up on everyone's radar! We've seen her at the Met Gala in 2021 and on the Gold Over America Tour alongside Olympians Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Laurie Hernandez to name a few.
We chatted with Nia to talk about her sport, how she got into it, recovering from her injury, giving us that Black Girl Magic moment and her partnership with Pressed. In this issue, you'll also hear about her 63MIX ROUTIN3S and NEW YEAR, N3W YOU.
ATHLEISURE MAG: What drew you to gymnastics?
NIA DENNIS: When I was younger, I honestly tried a couple of other things, such as ballet, and piano lessons but I cried at every lesson! My parents told me that I used to flip around on the playground as a young child kind of unsafely lol so they decided to put me in gymnastics lessons & I didn’t cry for once!! Haha. And ever since I could remember, I’ve absolutely loved gymnastics, the feeling of flying and being free had me hooked.
AM: You tore your Achilles 3 months before the 2016 Olympics. What did you learn and how have you approached the sport since?
ND: During that time I was feeling really depressed about my injury & honestly wanted to quit the sport. I no longer found gymnastics enjoyable. Through digging deep and understanding there were other goals in the sport that I wanted to accomplish, such as, competing for team UCLA and getting an education, I discovered how resilient I was. Once entering UCLA I was able redefine my identity as a gymnast, and also rediscover the joy I used to feel for the sport. I began to approach gymnastics as I used to when I was a child, when it was fun and freeing.
AM: I remember seeing your Beyoncé themed floor routine and being blown away by the energy, skill, and confidence that you exuded. How did you come up with this routine and I know when I watched it, I loved seeing this Black Girl Magic moment and it made me proud and excited – how has it impacted you?
ND: Thank you so much!! This routine was inspired by my annual Thanksgiving trips to New Orleans. Every year we would go to battle of the bands because a lot of my family down there went to the big school that battles in the event, Grambling. I loved the majorette dancers and loved the energy they brought to performing. Ironically enough, while I was beginning to come up with my theme for my routine, Beyoncé dropped her Homecoming album that was just perfect for what I wanted to do. I wanted to bring some of Black culture to the sport of gymnastics and it was so personal to me because a lot of my family went there. The response my routine has received truly has blown me away. I feel overwhelmed with love and light. Ya know I used to be that young girl who looked up to Gabby and Dominique Dawes & representation is so important, so I feel honored to be in this position for the next generation of young girls.
AM: As an athlete, you’re always focused on optimizing your body and mind and you recently partnered with Pressed – why did you want to work with them and what are you doing together?
ND: This year it’s not about making big resolutions but taking small steps to make big changes and my first step is getting more fruits and veggies into my day. To do that, I’m so excited to announce my new partnership with Pressed and share my new Limited-Edition Nia Dennis Routine featuring my three favorite Pressed juices and three Pressed well-being shots which is available in store and on pressed.com.
IG @niaadennis
PHOTOS COURTESY | Pressed
Read the JAN ISSUE #74 of Athleisure Mag and see Off the Mat | Nia Dennis in mag.
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ATHLEISURE MAG | #72 DEC 2021
In this month’s issue, our cover story is with film, TV and stage actor, Curtiss Cook who plays Abe in the film adaptation of West Side Story, Otis “Douda” Perry in The Chi and has appeared in countless other shows. He talks with us about how he got into acting, how he plays dynamic characters and brings them to life as well as upcoming projects that we can expect to see him in. We also have the first of 2 NEW YEAR, N3W YOU features with Curtiss Cook, STARZ’s POWER BOOK II: GHOST’s Alix Lapri and NBA Minnesota Timberwolves’ Taurean Prince. They share The Good, The Add and The Buzz as they look at 2021 and 2022.
This month’s 9PLAYLIST is from Ryan Seacrest as he shares songs for our playlist as we countdown to the New Year. NFL New England Patriot and 3 X Pro Bowler, Matthew Judon, shares his 9LIST STORI3S with us. Our 9LIST ROUTIN3S comes from NASCAR’s 2 X Cup Series Champion and 220+ trophy winner Kyle Busch, who shares his Morning, Afternoon and Night with us. This month’s 9LOOKS shares some of our favorite ensembles from Zimmermann’s Resort 22 collections.
Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack focuses on Sapphire Cuisines of India in NY. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Mad Morton and ONE19 Wine Bar + Food. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.
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NEW YEAR, N3W YOU
THE GOOD
I feel so blessed that I’ve been surrounded by family since March. There were seven, and sometimes nine, people in our pod— three kids; two fiancé’s, my husband, our nephew and three to four dogs. We fought for office space but ate memorable meals and did at-home Peloton work-outs together.
I personally had no choice but to take it down a notch. I’m still not meditating but I did download the Calm app. I also said yes to Zoom panels, speeches and was able to virtually connect with tons of people — new and old.
The coolest thing was getting to launch my dream cosmetics company, JonesRoad Beauty, from the comfort of my home (with a few in-office days). Who knew the power of a young scrappy team mixed with a seasoned professional could simply just get it done.
THE ADD
Travel! It’s the first thing I’ll do when we can. My husband and I love our vacation time together and as a family. I miss the UK and Paris and had also promised my youngest son a trip to Tokyo as his college graduation gift. I miss the Bahamas, which is one of our favorite warm weather destinations, too. I also haven’t been able to see my family in Chicago and really want to see my 85 year-old Dad.
Two of our sons put their weddings on hold, so I’m really looking forward to those celebrations.
THE BUZZ
Jones Road s releasing 25 shades of face pencils and 4 shades of eye pencils in mid-January. We’ll also be fully back ins tock of our Miracle Balm, which we underestimated the demand for. There are a bunch of monthly launches in the pipeline after that.
My wellness brand, EVOLUTION_18 is releasing several delicious new products to support beauty from the inside out. Plus, new episodes of my podcast, Beyond the Beauty, with amazing founders. And hopefully, I’ll get a chill spa day with my sister, which we usually do once a year, or I’ll finally meditate...
PHOTO COURTESY | Bobbi Brown
THE GOOD
With the Covid 19 crisis making 2020anunforgettable year for all of us, it was a strange time to have the most successful year of my career. This year I have won the European championship (ELMS) the world championship (WEC) and the 24 hours of Le Mans. I became the youngest British winner of the Le Mans as wel las the youngest winner of WEC (World Endurance Championship). This year has felt even weirder due the races held behind "closed doors", closed to the public spectators. Covid tests proved me wrong in thinking nothing would enter that high up my nose, it didn't take away from a year where I won 6 of the 9 races I entered.
THE ADD
I said to myself that I was going to rekindle my German this year, 2 phone apps and the subscription page to an online language platform later I still haven't given it the time it needs. It's one of those things that won't make me a faster racing driver and therefore doesn't take priority, but then again that's exactly how I excused myself this year. Maybe next year will be the year.
THE BUZZ
Next year I am signed for another season of WEC, and ELMS with the same team as 2020 alongside both returning and new teammates. Another strong season next year is almost a make or break for my career with new manufacturers on the horizon to enter in 2023 and their development likely to start in 2022. Next years performance could solidify my name amongst the top to be first in line fora seat in one of the upcoming campaigns to win the top class of sportscar racing. The pressure is definitely going to be piling on over the winter months of training to make sure I'm in the best shape possible to hit the ground running where I left off this year.
PHOTO COURTESY | Phil Hanson
THE GOOD
I think that on a very big level, there has been a massive awakening of people on the planet. There’s so much. Anytime there is an election year, the pandemic, the amount of variables that have been going on is massive. Where people saw protests, I saw people coming together. I saw so much alignment in a way that we haven’t had in my lifetime that I can remember as an adult. I thought that that was special.
For me personally, when things slowed down and got quiet, I had an opportunity to listen. It was a year for me to let go and listen. When you sit down and listen, the answers are there. I realized that there were people, places and things that I could let go of now. I wondered why I was holding and why I was chasing to-wards them which could take me off my path. Being still, I saw relationships that I could let go with love and without any drama. It also allowed me to see some of the most amazing people on the planet that I am able to call friends. That goes to my family as well. It’s been a crazy year. My brother’s fiancé passed away very early in March not COVID related and we have never been closer. He lost his fiancé, we've been separated by a pandemic, I’ve seen him once the entire year and you know my brother and I get to FaceTime and we’re closer now then we were 10 years ago so there are gifts within the loss and that forme was great. So relationships with my brother and others has been great.
THE ADD
There are a couple of massive things I’m really proud of! One being Openfit. It’s a brand that basically I’m going back to coaching. So we’re filming a massive program that will be out in the world and we will film it in Jan. It will go out in Feb. I want to be the modern day Richard Simmons - having great access to health. I can't dance as good as Richard but man, it's going to be fun and special. All this programming is so intense and there’s no place for people that are beginning or trying to get back in. So Openfit and I have built this wonderful program and I can’t wait to do it because I haven’t coached this way in years. It will be available in streaming and I’m really excited about it. It’s exciting that people will be able to bring me back into their homes and living rooms again.
The other big thing is my CBD company! I started GetUP, a CBD company a year ago.COVID was tough, I couldn’t do shipping and getting things out – it really helped me identify the purpose of what this was.I know that there are people who may not be familiar with it, but they trust me and this will be the people’s CBD. CBD is so expensive and this is going to be like, "hey pay what you can scale" and I will send it to you. I want people to have access to health and it shouldn’t be exclusive based on affordability. It’s a really big initiative that I have decided to put together and I’m really excited as that will be available in Jan. It’s a really good start to the new year. I wanted to demystify fitness and I did, food/nutrition and I did and now I want to do the same thing with CBD. I love the name because no matter how much you get down, you get back up and that’s the mantra of 2021.
THE BUZZ
I encourage people to sign up and go to my mailing list Widerstrom.com. I send an email out every week. Sometimes it’s what just in my head or little tips. If you’re getting that, you know about things that are going on with me, challenges that I’mlaunching, Transformation will be in there I’m sure and I have things like that happening but I always say get on the mailing list and we start from there.
PHOTO COURTESY | Jen Widerstrom
Read the Dec Issue #60 of Athleisure Mag and see NEW YEAR, N3W YOU in mag.
Featured NEW YEAR, N3W YOU
