Read the OCT ISSSUE #82 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | Armin van Buuren in mag.
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On today's episode of Athleisure Kitchen, we catch up with Chef Kristen Kish who we enjoy seeing her hosting, judging a number of culinary shows and taking us through her recent trip to Seoul. We took some time to catch up with her since talking earlier this year ahead of TRU TV's Fast Foodies 2nd season.
We talk about her co-hosting Netflix's Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend alongside Alton Brown, her new show on National Geographic - Restaurants at the End of the World and being on Selena + Chef on HBO Max.
We also talk about her latest partnership with Jongga Kimchi, a worldwide number-one Korean brand. She also talked about their Generation Preservation campaign to preserve plant-forward foods, health and wellness through fermentation and the environment to minimize food waste.
You can stay in the loop on who future guests are by visiting us at AthleisureStudio.com/AthleisureKitchen and on Instagram at @AthleisureKitchen and @AthleisureStudio. Athleisure Kitchen is hosted by Kimmie Smith and is Executive Produced by Paul Farkas and Kimmie Smith. It is mixed by the team at Athleisure Studio. Our theme music is "This Boy" performed by Ilya Truhanov.
Read the OCT ISSUE #82 of Athleisure Mag and see HOW TO DRESS | For Inspiration Walks in mag.
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In this month’s issue, our cover story is with International superstar, recording artist, producer and Global Ambassador of UNHCR, MIYAVI. We caught up with him to talk about his latest studio album which has covers from anime programs, his current tour, his creative process and the importance of giving back to others through the power of his music. We catch up with the cast and filmmakers of Prime Video’s The Peripheral. We talked with Gary Carr, T’Nia Miller, JJ Feild, Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy and Vincenzo Natali. We catch up with Chef Richard Blais who talks to us about his love for chili, unexpected pairings and the second season of Next Level Chef which premieres Super Bowl Sunday. We also talk with Brookelyn Suddell Global Fitness and Strategy Development of Crunch Fitness as she talks about the brands’ ethos, the importance of group fitness classes and how they onboard their programs. Chef Nick Wallace talks about his passion for showcasing Mississippi cuisine, how we can make meals quickly that are full of flavor and of course, how he gives back to others. We also talk with Chef Kristen Kish to talk about a number of shows that we have seen her in recently, as well as her upcoming one on National Geographic. She talks about her partnership with Jongga Kimchi and shares a recipe with us that’s on our list for fall gatherings. We also talk about her upcoming projects.
This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from EDM DJ/Producer Armin van Buuren. Our 9DRIP comes from chef and restaurateur, Chef Justin Sutherland. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from choreographer and Creative Director Tanisha Scott. Our The 9LIST STORI3S comes from beauty founders Deepica Mutyala and Trinny Woodall.
Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack shares the perfect fall spot that is great for friends and family, Osteria Accademia. This month’s Athleisure List comes from PAVE and Ras Plant. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.
Read the OCT ISSUE #82 of Athleisure Mag.
This month, our cover is with EDM DJ/Producer Alok who has over 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify, over 26 million fans and is the most listened to Brazilian artist in the world! He is also the 4th Best DJ in the world via DJ Mag's Top 100 in 2021. Known as one of the most influential Brazilian artists of all time, he has worked with a number of icons in creating great music from John Legend, The Rolling Stones, Dua Lipa and more. He previously shared his 9PLAYLIST with us in our MAR ISSUE #75.
We talked about his passion for music, how he approaches it, his latest single DEEP DOWN which is #1 on Billboard here in the US, how he collaborated with Ella Eyre, Kenny Dope and Never Dull, his recent performance and panel discussion here in NY where he kicked off Climate Change Week as well as his intitiative with The Future is Ancestral, his work with indigenous people and their communities and the power of making the world a better place!
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you loved music?
ALOK: I think it was when my grandma would sing me songs so that I could go to sleep. So, I think it probably started from that. But I would also say that I never had any doubts about me and music.
AM: When did you realize that you wanted to be a DJ/producer?
A: Well that’s actually, my parents were DJs right? It’s kind of a very direct inspiration you know what I mean because honestly watching them performing at parties and stuff and also the ecosystem that they worked in for the festivals and parties – it’s kind of like I got very inspired by that and also the whole lifestyle. For many people, that kind of wasn’t a career to be a DJ. Sometimes, it was weird when I went to school and they asked what did my parents do and I was like, “oh they’re DJs” and people did not understand at all. It’s also like, they kind of didn’t want me to be a DJ to be honest! They wanted me to be able to go to university, but you know I’m a dad now guys and I understood that your kids will not do anything that you tell them to. But they will do exactly what you do! So how can they tell me to not be a DJ when they’re performing everywhere and I was always with them because they had no one to leave me with.
So me and my brother, we started to play at night, but at 12, I would say that we were professional. We started to do our own songs and we started to get our first fees. So 12 years old, we started our career.
AM: That’s a great story! How do you define the Alok sound?
A: I would say that I am a free spirit you know? In my life, I always tried to define my sound. When I was doing psytrance for 7 years, people said that it wasn’t psytrance and that it was kind of house trance. When I started to do house, people said that it wasn’t house – it was kind of whatever. Then I started to say that this was techno and people said, that this was not techno.
So, I said that I created Brazilian Base and they were like, ok this is Brazilian Base and it started to work well. It was that collective mindset where it was like, ok this is Brazilian Base. But at some moment, I didn’t want to be stuck myself to only one kind of style because it’s kind of a prison you know? I feel that my creativity does not fit into one place only. So, it’s like I can do whatever I want to do. Of course, you’ll still feel and kind of understand my signature there and there will be something that you will be able to relate, but definitely it’s not going to stick to one kind of style.
AM: When you’re creating, how do you stay inspired and how do you approach creating your music?
A: It really depends, every music has a different kind of inspiration and where it comes from. For example, sometimes I’m traveling and it inspires me you know? Looking at the ocean or nature inspires me. But also, when I am leaving a process in my life. For example, I was 3 months in Europe so that whole process to be there, inspired me to do songs that relate to the culture. When I’m back in Brazil, for example, I start to create the music based on what’s going on over here to understand specifically the markets because I do not believe that all the time you can create one formula that can work everywhere. It’s hard, but what I do, for example, is that there are songs that I do that perform well in Romania and Poland. So we start to promote over there, but it doesn’t happen really in other parts of Europe and there were songs of mine that went huge in Europe, huge in Mexico and Brazil, but never got across the US. So it’s really about understanding where I am and where I want to be and I am very happy actually that this is the first song, DEEP DOWN that I got #1 on Billboard in the US. But for example in Brazil, it’s not working haha!
AM: OMG what? First of all, I love that song. I love Crystal Waters and love Gypsy Woman so when I heard it, I knew that it was going to be amazing! The fact that it is #1 on Billboard congratulations. Tell me how this song came together with you and Ella Eyre, Kenny Dope and Never Dull. What was it like to put this collaboration together and to be part of it.
A: I feel that this song, if you go to the credits on Spotify, you can see how many people are involved. I think that it’s going to beat the world record of the most people involved in one song! Why? Because as you said, Crystal Waters, there’s also Chicago Hills, and Ella Eyre, she was writing a song which was very similar to Chicago Hills so we said it’s got to be a new version of it. Then I was doing this version with her and suddenly, Never Dull released the mashup on Tiktok between those 3 songs but in the very old school style, I think it was 20 seconds of audio and it became huge on Tiktok. But he didn't have the license for it and it was only kind of a mashup on Tiktok. So I got the idea and I was like, “this is a very good idea” to mix those two classics. So that’s what I did and when I did it, I finished it and I invited Never to be on one of the songs because he inspired me with the idea and also Kenny Dope he had all the rights for the song and it was a lot of teamwork. To be honest, the most hard process of it all was the office. It was the background of how to make the deal work and I was in the creative process and I was ready for a long time already!
AM: You have had such a busy summer! You played in Hï Ibiza in the Main Room and you had your summer residency and you were just at Tomorrowland. What does it mean to you to be able to show your art and creativity to so many people across so many different platforms?
A: The first question you asked me was when did you realize that I loved music. I feel that the music has something that accesses your emotion and it can be like emotionally healing and it can be something where you kind of forget your problems. It reminds you of some memories and some great new memories so to be there, I really feel that I am kind of serving people. I don’t know how their life is going what there issues are or problems – I don’t know. But in that moment, I want them to have their best time of their lives.
That’s kind of the reason why I want to be connected to them when I do the DJ set. That’s why when I am doing the DJ set in Europe, I want to play what brings the energy up. But if I play the same set in the US, it wouldn’t work. If I do the same set in Brazil, it also wouldn’t work. So it’s kind of like I’m respecting the place where I’m at. But it’s a very good feeling when I see people say, “hey this is the best night of my life,” and I say, “how old are you?” They say 50 and I say,”are you kidding me?” The best night in your life? You’re 50, there are so many nights that you've had. But that's the power of the music. It’s not mine it’s just the power of the music. I’m very grateful to be able to spread this around the world.
AM: We just saw your set at Rock in Rio which looked amazing. It was great to see all of the performances that you did as well as seeing that there was a gaming aspect to this festival. Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion were also performing. Can you tell me more about what this festival is and why you wanted to be part of it?
A: This is by far, the biggest festival that we have in Brazil at the International level. We have all of those huge names and of course we have Lollapalooza which is very big. But Rock in Rio, is something that is kind of our own brand. So we feel very proud of it because it’s a local and national festival that has an international component to it as well. It’s probably one of the few ones that can bring all those huge international acts and for me, it’s very important!
In Brazil, 93% of the songs that we listen to are actually local songs. Only 7% are the international ones. Where I am competing with Harry Styles, Adele and all of these people. I’m there in that 7% because my songs are in English and I have this kind of English career right? If you go to the Top 50 on Spotify in Brazil, you won’t see any of the US in there, it’s all just local.
The point is, for me to be there it’s a very important moment for me to position myself of course between all of those huge acts and to show that – it’s kind of like a special moment for me to be there. Everyone that does a show at Rock in Rio is a unique experience that they cannot do anywhere else. So it’s important for me to create this awareness around what we have been doing. It’s also a statement on what’s next.
AM: Your shows have such high energy. Do you have any routines that you do hours before your performance and then are there things that you do after the performance so that you can come down after completing?
A: No, ha ha. It’s funny, in the past I would get very nervous before the show and that’s kind of a sabotage you know? You get too nervous, you lose control of it. So the same feeling that you have when you’re nervous, you also have when you’re excited. It’s the same butterfly in your stomach – excitement or nervousness. I just kind of switch and change the key so that every time I start to feel this nervous energy, I say, “no no this is excitement.” I am excited to be there. I have worked so much to be there that I will go there and I will do my best. I was in Brazil and the reporter was asking me what was going on for the show. I told her that she show has started and she asked me if I had to go right now and I said, “no I still have 10 seconds it’s fine.” They were all shocked because people said that I was too relaxed for the show!
AM: Ok, I’m going to have to remember that. I know at various points when I’m working on something or doing something, I get anxious feelings and I have that “holy shit” moment. But I’m going to think about turning that key to know that what I’m actually feeling is excitement and that is what I am going to tell myself.
A: Yeah. It is actually the same feeling.
AM: When you said it, I know that I know that and it’s a smart thing.
You have a collab coming out next month on Oct 7th. What can you tell us about this?
A: So it’s a collaboration with Ellie Goulding and Sigala. It’s a song that I have been working on for awhile. I think that this one has 30 versions. I’m a big fan. I started it with Ellie and in the middle of the process, I felt that it could connect well with the melody of Enjoy the Silence from Depeche Mode. I did a test and it actually fit very well. So we got the sample of Depeche Mode's Enjoy the Silence and mixed it together with the Ellie Goulding song that she wrote and again, it was a mashup. I’m very excited about this one. I think that it’s going to be very interesting.
AM: We can’t wait to hear this as well!
I know that you were just here in NY at the United Nations over the weekend kicking off NY’s Climate Change Week with The Future is Ancestral Event where you performed on the rooftop of the UN Building as well as partnering with your institute and the UN Global Compact Brazil for urgency to recognize Indigenous People Globally and their importance of the Future of Climate Change. Can you tell me more about what this was for you?
A: Ha you said everything!
AM: Yes, I’m that good!
A: Basically, last year I asked myself, where was the future? And the answer came to me. The future is ancestral. I started to work on an album that was inspired by indigenous roots with the indigenous. I did 12 different tribes. But my connection with them started 9 years ago when I was looking for inspiration in my life. I went on a very long journey. I went 13 hours on the road, I don’t know how many hours on a flight and then 9 hours on a very very small boat and I got suddenly to the Yawanawa tribe and I realized that I was in the heart of the Amazon. I had no option but to live in the culture and at that moment, I started to change my whole perspective about my career level, my spiritual level and also the way that we deal with nature. I also realized that there’s so much about culture and there are various failures and goals.
I felt that last year, we’re always talking about how can we protect the forest, but we are also very disconnected with it. I think that the best way to do this is to listen to what the forest has to say. A good way to do this is through indigenous songs because it’s kind of like they are translating that. I found that the music could amplify their voices. So actually, this project is a very important project of my career. That’s because it’s not about me, it’s about how we can get their voices out there through this collaboration. So I was there and of course at the UN we talked about all the topics among Climate Change and global warming. It wouldn’t make sense not to have the indigenous there and we brought them via the Alok Institute along with the UN Global Compact and we joined forces. And I also did a performance there when we were on the rooftop. So, it was a very interesting environment.
AM: That’s amazing and you also committed to support the Ancestors of the Future fund which benefits the Brazilian Indigenous communities. What can you tell me about this fund?
A: I realized that I’m 31 years old, a white man, I have a lot of privilege and I had access to school, university and everything. I realized that everything that I had learned was wrong. Why? Because they never had the opportunity to tell their story. They also don’t write so everything in the culture is done orally. So it’s kind of like, how can we change this collective mindset about the indigenous and I feel that entertainment is a very good instrument that we can do this through the music, the venue, the Web3 and the cinema. But giving them the protagonists the ability to tell their story with their point of view and so we can learn it properly. Also, what we learn in school is based on a European colonizer point of view. I feel that this will help them to be the protagonist through all of this entertainment stuff and also we have in the second path, technology. So getting good technology to help them preserve the forest – very nice drones, sophisticated tools so that they can instantly integrate and communicate what they wish to say in order to share it with the world.
I was asking myself about the future and we always think about it in an apocalyptic way. Like there are neon cars, there aren't forests any more and there are flying cars or whatever. What is the future like for the indigenous in small boats, in the middle of the Amazon where you can just take a sophisticated phone and scan the birds, you can see the borders of where they are with the scientific points and they are searching for healing with humanity. It’s kind of like, how can we change this mindset of this apocalyptic future? I think that this project is really about bringing consciousness. It’s more than just music you know?
AM: What is the Alok Institute and why did you want to create it?
A: If you asked me 9 years ago if I believed in philanthropy, I would say no. I would have said, why don’t you buy a Ferrari and just be happy. I didn’t have this kind of perspective on philanthropy. But at one point in my life, I had everything that people told me was a success. I had money, I had popularity, I had cars, my partner whatever and I suddenly realized that I was feeling a huge emptiness inside of myself. For me, life had no reasoning anymore. There had to be something else for why we are here.
So first, I went to the indigenous tribe which I told you and it was a very game changing experience. Then after, I went to Chokwé in Mozambique. We had a project where we had 300 kids and I remember that there was a lady there and I think that she was 80 years old and she was blind in both of her eyes. That woman told me that she was praying to God to send someone to help. I told the translator to tell her that God didn’t exist because if he did, there wouldn’t be so much poverty and that he had abandoned her. The translator told me her answer and it changed my whole life! The lady said, “no, no, I’m very connected and I’m praying for him and I can feel it.” So at that moment I realized I was the biggest miserable person there. I had everything and I was complaining about God's existence when she lives in that existence and she was still connected to the divine. She was way more connected then I was. I realized that God never abandoned her. What abandoned her was us, you see the stories of what took place in Africa, we abandoned them and at that moment I realized that I couldn’t abandon the situation any more. Of course, I can’t change the world, but I can change their world. So I started there. We have 20,000 kids there. Oh and I sent her to the hospital and she had cataracts so it was easy to help her. So one year later, she met me personally and saw me and it was a very interesting moment that we had. She finally looked at me.
I realized that my life could only have real meaning if I use my success for philanthropy as well. It’s about making this world a better place, it’s not about me it’s about a big movement that already exists. I was in a depressive mind and I was only thinking about the negative points. I remember I was feeling sick once and I took this antibiotic and the next day, I woke up better and I looked at this medicine and I said, “who created this?” I remember that there were a lot of people that were working hard so that this world is better today and so that we can have a better life. I want to be part of this movement. It’s really about giving meaning to my life.
So the Alok Institute developed after a few years through a lot of money that came through a collaboration that I did with the game, Free Fire. It’s the most downloaded game. And when they asked me what super power that I would like to have, I asked if it was possible to heal people? They asked me if I was sure and I said yes. I was doing music to be on the top charts and yet I was also doing it to use music as a way to heal. Then the Free Fire team gave my character the ability to do this and my character became the top selling one not because of me but because of the super power that actually created a whole new dynamic of the game. So I wanted to heal inside and outside of the game. So I donated 100% of my royalties, to charities around the world. If I could, I would have brought most of it to Brazil because we really need it here, but I also had to bring it to other countries. There was a country that I couldn’t bring in – South Africa because the players there weren’t buying and I convinced them to do it. I convinced them and that was 6 million there.
The Institute came because I really felt that with this amount of money, I needed a structure that had this brain that could think about the best solutions with the money. Because I was only doing it from the heart and there wasn’t any kind of strategy and we needed the Alok Institute to do it in the right way. We are very very very small in terms of employees and I almost don’t spend money to keep it because what we do is co-create together with projects that already exist so when we spend money, it’s not for us. We find the best projects that are going on and we help them to improve. We believe that there are so many amazing projects going on already that they only need that collaboration.
AM: In researching you, speaking with you today, knowing your impact in music as well as learning more about how you are giving back, what do you want your legacy to be known as musically as well as being a changemaker? What is that fingerprint?
A: First of all, I don’t know how, but in the future, the same way that I looked at the antibiotic – where there were a lot of people working hard to make the world a better place – there wasn’t just one person doing that. It was part of a movement. I don’t know who created that antibiotic, but I know it worked.
I don’t want to be reminded with my name, I want someone to remember that a lot of people in the past were part of a movement that made this world a better place. It’s more about giving meaning to my life because I was very afraid of death and what happened after death. But now I know, the right question isn’t what happens after death, the right question is, why are we here? I know that if I don’t do this, I will go back to a very deep depression because this is what drives me. I feel that depression is very hard to explain – it’s like how can I explain to you about something that you have never tried or never tasted? So, the flavor of sugar, but you have never tried sugar – how can I explain that to you? I do feel that people who have depression have a very powerful mind, but it’s just in the wrong direction.
IG @alok
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | FRONT COVER + PG 19 Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images | PG 16,23 + 24 Alisson Demetrio | PG 20 Ozuna Snake | PG 26 Courtesy of Alok | PG 29, 30 + BACK COVER Hudson Renan |
Read the SEP ISSUE #81 of Athleisure Mag and see The Power of Healing | Alok in mag.
As our readers know, we are fans of companion podcasts that give more insight to the show, reflect on where the program sits within our world and hearing interviews by those that are part of the show! It adds an extra layer and should we have missed an element, we can pick up what is missed. THE OFFICIAL GAME OF THRONES PODCAST HOUSE OF THE DRAGON does this and much more as we listen to its hosts Jason Concepcion and Greta Johnsen walk us through each episode. Both have watched Game of Thrones (the sequel to the prequel that is currently airing) and at various times during the podcast, Jason will say how the House of the Dragon and the books by George R. R. Martin support one another. In addition to each episode recapping the episode, there are interviews with those in front of and behind the camera as well as telling us more about the characters and what we can expect later in the season or in future seasons.
There are a number of true crime stories that we are familiar with; however the ins and outs of what made some of the most notorious serial killers do what they did, may be lost due to when it happened and the lack of media scruitny that exists today where people can learn very quickly about something that is taking place.
In Ryan Murphy's DAHMER MONSTER: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, we learn about how a man went from growing up to become one of the nation's most grizzly serial killers. We also see that the crimes that he committed had racial aspects to it due to the killings of black and brown gay men were not seen as something to investigate despite those who realized something was wrong telling them about it.
It also delves into how Dahmer's family navigated what happened once he was arrested and during his time in jail. We also see how the city decided to move on despite nearly 20 victims being affected by these horrific crimes.
We are big fans of James Bond and there has always been a question as to who this character is molded after. The Broccoli family has always stated that he is a blend of various inidividuals; however, people continue to try to find the inspiration(s). In Rubirosa, Christopher Rivas shares his journey in finding out about Porfirio Rubirosa a diplomat, race car driver who drove in Le Mans, a playboy and Dominican who was known for having wealthy wives.
In this podcast, Rivas tells us about how he became who he was, how his paths and exploits crossed Ian Flemming, being friends with The Rat Pack and how identity and being aware of who you are is important no matter who you are.
Read the SEP ISSUE #81 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.
With the fall being upon us, we're excited about a number of dishes that are perfect for this time of year! A key one is chili. This dish has a number of varieties and you can learn about them in Seriously Good Chili Cookbook: 177 of the Best Recipes in The World, created by Brian Baumgartner from The Office who played Kevin Malone. In this cookbook, he takes us through the history of chili, the kinds of chiles that are used in a number of dishes, his recpie, Kevin Malone's from the iconic episode and an array of recipes from various chili enthusiasts, chefs, award winning chefs and more! You'll even find that we have a recipe in this book for Mezcal Jalapeño Tortilla Stips Chili Verde and our Mexican Lime Crema for garnish!
This slipcased hardcover is for the music collector and fan of David Bowie. Bowie @ 75 has a gatefold timeline, gatefold artwork, frameable pull-out gig poster and a pull out photo print!
Veteran rock journalist, Martin Popoff looks at his career and highlights 75 career and life achievements that he had. We get insight into his 27 albums, various singles that have been earworms in our culture and how his events made his career what it was! From his debut LP in 1967 to his final album Blackstar which dropped 2 days prior to his death, we get to see a number of the people who worked with him and were inspired by his passion for music from Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Tina Turner, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Nile Rodgers and more. We also have a look at his iconic style, personas, romances, film and television roles.
The effects of what he brought to the entertainment industry will continue to be felt.
The perfect dessert is the cookied and with recipes such as Pumpkin Snickercrinkles, Coffee Bean Crunchers and Bronze Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, we're excited to try out these finds. In Fabulous Modern Cookies: Lessons in Better Baking for Next Generation Treats you'll find the modern and scientific takes on making an array of cookies from those that you grew up with to those that are new to you. They have even created updates on classic cookies which is always a nice twist.
Read the SEP ISSUE #81 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Books in mag.
After a billion total views across 10 wildly successful Gymkhana Films, setting the current bar for automotive action movies, Ken Block is back with a new partner to launch the future of his acclaimed viral series. Driving an entirely bespoke machine developed and built by Audi, Ken Block is electrifying Gymkhana in the first ever Electrikhana! To provide the perfect setting for the Audi S1 Hoonitron’s tire-slaying debut, Hoonigan Media Machine shut down one of the busiest cities in the world: LAS VEGAS.
There's never a bad time to have a great steak, but with the seasons about to change to the fall, heading to Vinyl Steakhouse is on our list. From enjoying a fantastic steak and having a soundtrack filled with vinyls as we eat and a cool vibe - we're already making our reservations! We take some time to chat with the owners of this experience, Kevin and Sofia Flannery to find out about this concept, what we should eat on our next visit and of course cocktails that we need to have!
ATHLEISURE MAG: Kevin and Sofia, I’d like to know more about your culinary/sommelier background and where you previously worked which led to Vinyl Steakhouse.
KEVIN FLANNERY: I have been in the industry my whole life. I started as a dishwasher at a small BBQ joint in Akron, Ohio, worked my way up to General Manager of Morton's Steakhouse, the youngest (at the time). I was GM of Morton's Steakhouse in Burbank California and Washington D.C, and finally on to General Manager/Regional Director of Ocean Prime New York City. It was very exciting, and I worked very hard, but ultimately my goal was to always open my restaurant. And I did! I got my certified sommelier certificate in 2008.
SOFIA FLANNERY: While Vinyl has been my first foray into the industry, I have been around restaurants my whole life. I became very interested in wine about 3 years ago, and decided to get my certification earlier this year. Albeit under the tutelage of my husband, we are still very different sommeliers.
AM: What was the thought behind opening Vinyl Steakhouse as that’s 2 interesting concepts being brought together?
KF: I always wanted to have a fine dining steakhouse that played rockin' music. Loud and present music. That juxtaposition was always intriguing. The vinyl aspect came into play simply because I thought it is not something you ever see at fine dining restaurants and how amazing it would be to listen to crackles of tangible music in the order the artist intended you to listen to their records. It really is an experience day in and day out. Combining fine dining and an approachable and entertaining setting was always something I wanted to accomplish.
AM: What kinds of music do you play, how you go about curating your collections and how will this experience be shared to diners?
KF: We play all genres, but definitely lean into classic rock from the 60's/70's. That's what we have most of. However, nothing is off the table: Rock, Funk, Jazz, Soul, Punk, RnB, Rap, Disco, and Hip-hop. We'll usually pull a setlist at the beginning of the night and select from there as the night trickles along. People are still always shocked to walk in and see the music they are hearing being played on a record player.
SF: Our selection definitely corresponds with the vibe of the room at that time, the time of night we're at, and sometimes even the weather! Does anything go together more than rain and jazz?
AM: In terms of the ambiance of Vinyl Steakhouse, what can guests expect in terms of the look and the feel of the space?
SF: It's very glam meets grunge. We have 2 gorgeous bars wrapped in copper, which when the lights go down, always stands out. We have a wheat paste wall in the front of the restaurant which is our record library. The wall is adorned with vintage posters of music venues, artists, iconic photos, landscapes, and movie posters as a full-size collage. That was very fun to put together. Moving inwards, we have a huge 14 seat cocktail bar right in the middle of the restaurant. As you move past the bar you enter our intimate dining room which seats about 30 people. The walls in the dining room boast huge black and white photos of The Beastie Boys with Run-D.M.C. on one side and the other side is Debbie Harry and her guitarist Chris Stein. The massive, tall press tin ceilings give the space an impressive look as well. There is an intimate kitchen right next to the dining room as well, making the setting epically New York. In short, we wanted a space that provided a stunning setting worthy of fine dining and the best steakhouse experience in town, but still is very relaxed and not stuffy.
AM: For those who opt to eat at the bar what are 3 items from the bar menu that you suggest for those looking for a bite to eat?
KF: Easy. Our Sliders, Crispy Sushi, and Shoestring Fries.
AM: For those coming in for dinner with friends and/or family what are 3 appetizers that you suggest?
KF: Our Crabcake is phenomenal. It's inspired by the state of Maryland. So you can find hints of sweetness, and Old Bay seasoning. The Torched Teriyaki Salmon Nigiri is a great choice as well. I just love the idea of having a few bites of sushi before a steak dinner. I would also recommend our Kale Salad.
AM: For those who are coming for a great steak, what are 3 entrees that you suggest?
SF: The Porterhouse is one of the best you can get in the city. Our Cajun Dry Rubbed Ribeye is just the right amount of spice for a little something extra on a steak. And lastly, our Flatiron Steak which is a great value at $49 for 10 oz and delicious.
AM: For those that are either looking for chicken or vegetarian options, what are 3 entrees that you suggest?
KF: We have a Chicken Parmesan with Homemade Tomato Sauce as well as fresh rolled pasta. For pescatarians, we have a Scallop or Salmon Dish. We are always happy to whip up a specific dish to dietary needs as well!
AM: A great steak needs amazing sides what are 3 that we should have to complete our meal?
SF: Loaded Potato Pavé. It's like a constructed scalloped potato. Our Creamed Spinach Carbonara is a super unique take on creamed spinach and is actually served with the yolk in the middle. The idea is to blend it in while the spinach is hot to make a very creamy, true carbonara. Then, our Bone Marrow Corn. It's grilled corn served on a husk with bone marrow butter.
AM: What are 3 desserts that we can end our meal with?
KF: Our Upside-Down Apple Pie is fantastic. We have a Key Lime Mousse that is layered with graham crackers, as well as a towering Red Velvet Cake - someone said the other day that it reminded them of the Flatiron Building, which is nearby.
AM: In terms of your cocktail program, what are 3 drinks that we should enjoy on our next visit?
SF: Without a doubt the Vinyl Martini is a standout. Grey Goose is the base spirit and it has olive bitters that makes it like a clean dirty martini. Our Rose Negroni is also very unique: Bombay Gin as the base with a plethora of Martini & Rossi Vermouths. It is a stunning deep rose color when presented to you. I would also suggest our 1987 Cosmo. Cosmos are back and ours is it.
AM: Steak and wine are always a great combination. What are 3 wines that people may not think pair well with a steak but are actually perfect to do so that are offered at your restaurant?
KF: We have a Beaujolais that can pair quite nicely with a filet mignon. A Chianti, which is generally paired with pasta and pizza, actually has great tannins from the Sangiovese grape that match very well with a marbled steak. Also, from the Southern Rhone Valley, Chateau Mont Redon whose main varietal is Grenache - the smokiness and cured meats on the nose of these wines go particularly well with dry-aged beef.
PHOTOS COURTESY | Vinyl Steakhouse
Read the SEP ISSUE #81 of Athleisure Mag and see THE ART OF THE SNACK | Vinyl Steakhouse in mag.
For the past few months we have shared a cosmetic and skincare brand, Trinny London that looks great on our vanity but also focuses on keeping our skin looking radiant no matter our skin type. We wanted to find out more about the brand and how its founder, Trinny Woodall created the brand and what we have to look forward to from this beauty line.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Before you created your beauty brand, can you tell us a bit about your background as we know you started as a fashion and makeover expert! As a fashion stylist, I have actually seen you on What Not to Wear on BBC.
TRINNY WOODALL: I started my career in media for twenty-years and first established myself as a fashion advisor, initially as a columnist for The Daily Telegraph, and later as a co-host for What Not to Wear and The Trinny and Susannah makeover shows, filmed across 20 countries and viewed by over 30 million women. In 2007, I founded Trinny London on a mission to give everyone the tools they need to feel their best.
AM: What is your approach to style when it comes to dressing others and yourself?
TW: On Sundays, I like to put together outfits for the week ahead, I don’t like to worry about what I’m going to wear. I like to mix patterns and prints and be creative with my looks. Sometimes, I also love matchy matchy! For decades I was led by style rules, but I now follow one mantra for clothes: ‘Does it make me happy?’ If you feel happy in what you’re wearing, you will radiate happiness to those around you and that’s what dressing should be about.
AM: With your success in TV and in fashion, what led you to launching Trinny London?
TW: I was inspired to launch Trinny London after struggling to find a suitable makeup brand or counter in a department store. I saw a gap in the market for stackable, portable and premium makeup and spent four years perfecting the products, while developing the brand’s signature Match2Me algorithm, an online tool that helps our customers find the right shades for their complexion.
AM: I remember trying out the makeup first and love the concept of how they stack together – who is the Trinny London customer?
TW: Before I launched Trinny London, I felt there were a lot of age 35+ women who were being ignored by the main market. We never use professional models for our marketing campaigns, we like to prioritize realism over aspiration, which is why our brand appeals to older women who feel under-represented in the beauty industry. Our products are suitable for all ages and skin types, but we wanted to ensure the brand was catering towards the 35+ demographic, creating a unique point of difference from other premium brands in the space.
AM: Why did you want to include skincare within this line?
TW: I’ve always been passionate about skincare and spent years suffering from acne. Through my work with thousands of women around the world for over twenty years, I’ve interviewed hundreds of skincare experts, tried thousands of skincare products and spoken to millions of women every week about their skincare dilemmas and aspirations. With skincare, I wanted to provide customers with a clear way of understanding it, so that you can actually diagnose what you should do. My goal is to demystify the world of skincare by dividing it into easy-to-understand chapters so that our consumers fully understand what their skin needs are, which is why we’ve launched one skincare category at a time.
AM: The packing and fun colors that are found in the skincare are really the ultimate in the perfect shelfie or sitting on your vanity - how do you decide what colors should be with what product?
TW: We want to make a skincare routine a fun and enjoyable experience for everyone, which is why we created joyful and colorful packaging that is also sophisticated, so you’ll want to keep it out on your vanity and pick it up every morning and night.
AM: I remember attending a few of your virtual launches and I would always messaging your PR team about new products that I thought would be natural progressions and so far, you have been checking off my list – can you tell us about additional products that will be coming to the line?
TW: As this goes to press, we are launching our most innovative serum called Plump Up and we have done alot of clinical trials on this peptide serum which increases skins firmness and elasticity by 64% and it’s a game-changer in anyones routine and you can layer it by alot of different products! I’m so excited by it! I think I’m most excited by this than anything we’ve ever launched.
AM: What are your 3 favorite go-to products for Trinny London?
TW: I obviously love all of our products, but our BFF Rebalance is really special to me. When I suffered from badly congested skin, it was so difficult to find a product that gave me enough coverage, wasn’t too shiny, and would actually not make my skin worse by wearing it. This product delivers just the right amount of coverage while helping to tackle congested skin. Our Miracle Blur is a continuous bestseller and what we call our little pot of wonder. Not just a miracle by name, the creamy, colorless formula blends effortlessly into the skin for a seamless base to smooth fine lines, pores and acne scars. Another go-to product is our Lip2Cheek. It’s matte and perfect for giving your lips a little stain that will leave you looking gorgeous.
AM: When you're not working on Trinny London, how do you take time for yourself to recharge your batteries?
TW: I either have downtime with my daughter, Lyla and we just go shopping or go we in the car and we play loud music. Sometimes, when I’ve got something on that I’m worried or stressed about I will tidy my cupboards and I find it very therapeutic. When I’m really relaxed and my brain has space, I do the New York Times crossword because it gets challenging each day of the week and I feel that need to challenge my brain so I get stimulated by that and when I’m doing the crossword I know its a point where I’m really relaxed, I’m on holiday or I’m having a day off where I totally tuned out from work.
PHOTO COURTESY | Trinny Woodall
Read the SEP ISSUE #81 of Athleisure Mag and see DEMYSTIFYING BEAUTY | Trinny Woodall in mag.
POUND fuses drumming and movement to connect mind, body and sound and combines cardio, conditioning, and strength training, for an electrifying experience set to incredible music. They use Ripstix, lightly weighted drumsticks engineered specifically for exercising.
POUND offers three different group class programs and has one on-demand class.
POUND Rockout. is an all out 45-minute group fitness class that turns drumming into a sweat-inducing workout. The intervals and fat-burning sequences offer a high-intensity workout in a short amount of time. It mixes brain-boosting and stress-reducing effects of drumming.
POUND Unplugged is a new 30-minute group fitness class designed for mental wellness. We created this class so you can rock and reset. It blends 20-minutes of high-intensity training and a challenging mat workout to build strength inside and out with 10-minutes of rhythmic breathing, restorative stretching, mindfulness and meditation.
Generation POUND is a kids program that combines kid-friendly choreography and group activities, it promotes social and emotional well-being by fostering relationships, building self-esteem and self-awareness, and inspiring the next generation of happy, healthy kids.
POUND Backstage is the on-demand option. You can access a variety of POUND workouts filtered by length, area of focus or your favorite instructor!
They worked with experts to address breathwork, mental wellness and fitness movements to offer an efficient holistic 30-minute class with 20-minutes of high-intensity training and strength-building mat work combined with 10-minutes of restorative stretching, guided meditation and breathwork. Mental well-being and self-expression have always been at the core of POUND. POUND Unplugged is the perfect next step to support people and help them feel lighter emotionally and more in tune physically.
poundfit.com
PHOTO CREDITS | POUND
Read the SEP ISSUE #81 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | POUND in mag.
Breathwork as a category is rooted in bonafide clinical science. Not only are breathing exercises proven to positively impact qualitative stuff like how you feel, they also improve biometrics like heart rate and blood pressure. Breathing exercises provide nearly instant relief, and with prescriptive combinations of inhales, exhales and holds, require no skill or experience.
For all these reasons, the team at health app Breathwrk believe their product is one of the most powerful solutions for the mass market. In the app, content is grouped into 4 core categories:
Night Time: Trouble shutting your mind off before bed can result from an overactive sympathetic nervous system, which controls your fight or flight response. Extended exhales raise your body’s relaxation center, the parasympathetic nervous system, to soothe overactivity and help you sleep faster.
Calm: Whenever someone tells you to "take a deep breath," the techniques in this category are what they’re referring to.
Perform: Executing a challenging breath hold at the end of your exhale increases your body’s red-blood-cell production for superior oxygen efficiency. The techniques in this category also support faster recovery by lowering your pulse after periods of intense exertion.
Energize: Short-burst inhales & exhales raise your body’s activity center to prime your nervous system for intense mental & physical effort, increasing heart rate, alertness and focus.
The free version of the app includes a small percentage of the exercise library, with their most popular breaths. For those interested in a deeper and more diverse Breathwrk practice, the competitively priced Pro version unlocks all content. There are a number of features that incentivize habitual usage. The most powerful is tracking against oneself, using features like Streaks to motivate consistency.
The company also extended into the real world with one of the first studios specializing in breathing exercises, building an even stronger community. At the studio, classes will help people wake up, strength train, sleep better and even achieve psychedelic-adjacent states.
If you would like to check out Breathwrk's app for a 7-day free trial, then click here to get 30% off Breathwrk Pro for 1 year, exclusive to Athleisure.
904 Pacific Ave
Venice, CA 90291
breathwrk.com
IG @breathwrk
TT @breathwrk
PHOTO CREDITS | Breathwrk
Read the SEP ISSUE #81 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | Breathwrk in mag.
