ATHLEISURE MAG | #40 MAR 2019

This month Athleisure Mag is covered by Wilhelmina models’ Mietta (Front Cover) and Theresa (Back Cover). This issue also includes interviews with Celebrity Fitness Trainer to Ne-Yo and Kevin Hart – Ron Boss, model and swimwear designer Monica Hansen of Monica Hansen Beachwear, Adam Carolla with car trends and Chef Navarro of TREVI in Las Vegas in this month’s The Art of the Snack.

As always, we have a number of our features and roundups that we include in each issue and on some articles, you will see links to our multimedia podcast network, Athleisure Studio (#TRIBEGOALS, Athleisure Kitchen, The Road to Tokyo 2020 and Bungalow SK) and is on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast and additional platforms.

Read more from the March Issue of Athleisure Mag.

COMMUNICATION ESSENTIALS WITH DR. V

When it's coming from a place of love and concern, we're all about a straight shooter. We've been team Dr. V since we first saw her years ago on BRAVO's LA Shrinks, where we were introduced to this Clinical Psychiatrist that was never shy to tell you how it is and to call you on your crap! We continued to follow her as she appeared on a number of daytime, primetime and reality TV show spots, including as a host on WE TV's Marriage Bootcamp. We took some time to talk with Dr. V about her job as a Clinical Psychologist, the power and importance of communication, her new book Bad Advice and of course being on Marriage Bootcamp.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We fell in love with you on BRAVO’s LA Shrinks as well as on the The Real Housewives of NJ and on WE TV’s Millionaire Matchmaker and Marriage Bootcamp! Can you tell us how you came to Clinical Psychology as a career and then how you were able to parlay that into you being on Reality, Daytime and PrimeTime TV?

DR. V: You know I knew from a very young age that I was very equipped to solve problems. So I kind of went from the stoop to the screen. As I sit here talking with you, I think about how I used to sit on my neighborhood stoop and solve problems. It was a very working class neighborhood where all the houses were connected – row homes. So it was the kind of place where people would gather out front in front of people’s stoops.

I remember being super young like 4-5-6 and hearing people discuss their lives in very intimate ways! I mean a lot of shit goes down on the stoop for sure! So I would listen and it seemed like people would have this idea that somehow their problems were unsolvable. At a very young age, call it naivete or hopefulness, I never saw it that way. I always thought that the problems could be solved and I would go into my own head and solve the problem.

Like I’d be like, “wait let me tell you how shit goes – this is not a big problem.” I would go inside myself and be like, this is easy guys, it can’t be this hard. By the way, this is very different than giving advice. Because when you’re young, you’re able to use and even when you’re older – you use what’s called Executive Functioning in your brain. It’s when you’re able to re-engineer problems. I think that at the end of the day to get back to your first question, I had a very early development of that in my brain of Executive Functioning and being able to see problems and than rearrange them, which is different then giving advice. I don’t even like to give advice by the way – I stay away from it.

AM: We like that you make that distinction because hearing you say that – definitely is a difference and to do so at such a young age and to understand that is phenomenal.

DR. V: It’s the idea that solutions and advice are different. I think that when you come from it at that perspective, how can we work together to find a solution as opposed to “I’m the expert, I know better than you and you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Fuck that – we can work together and find solutions. I think that at the end of the day, that’s how I got started in Psychology and it was at that young age – I knew I was able to re-engineer my own problems and other people’s problems.

Taking that a step further, I sought after higher education. You had pointed out Clinical Psychology which is different the Counseling Psychology and other forms. Clinical Psychology just means that it’s research based and as a science lover, I love doing research. But at the end of the day, it’s really just that I was dumb enough to take the longer route – that’s really what’s happening! You tack on another couple of years for your dissertation, so a lot of doing the same things, just the degree of Clinical Psychology which is a PHD has more of a research focus where Counseling Psychology has more of a counseling focus – talk therapy. So that’s really the only difference there. I love research, I love doing it, collecting other people’s research. Anyone of those degrees, they can also share that same love of research – it’s just required as a PHD in Clinical Psychology to do the research for the degree.

So how I found myself, I was there on the stoop re-engineering everyone’s problems and I gained enough confidence to tell people what if you did this or what if you did that? And I think that coming from a very working class Italian neighborhood where there was a sense of community, the volume was turned up and we never had enough of anything but love and emotions – I think I developed a way of communicating that I had to be super clear. I had to make my point super clear and it has to land! Because for Uncle Rocky to take in my advice or my solutions – it has to land. Because of that, that was Prime TV talk as it has to land and it has to make an impact. If not, it’s not entertaining or there is no reveal or whatever entertainment words we use.

I think that is how I find myself in front of the screen and I battle on a regular basis – my own shyness. I know it doesn’t come off that way, but I am a very shy person.

AM: We would have never guessed that!

DR. V: Oh yeah! I am incredibly shy and I have had to really talk myself through my own levels of courage. Obviously as I have gotten older, it’s gotten easier as I will be 47 and I am sitting in this bath of “I don’t give a fuck” – but I battle this on a daily basis in front of the camera. I battle this by getting so into the process that I forget that the camera is there. I immerse myself into the person that we are talking to or the project that we are dealing with and I really have to forget that the cameras are there and I am able to cope better with my shyness and I can hone in on the person I am talking to?

AM: How important is communication with the person that you are talking to whether it’s a significant other, a friend etc?

DR V: Well communication defines the relationship. It is the key to every aspect of our lives. Communication, if we were to think of it as our form of expression and creativity, it leaves us room to be able to take in feedback about our communication. Your sense of self expression isn’t my way of self expression. The way that you communicate is not the way that I would creatively do so. The words that you choose, the metaphors that you give and how you choose to communicate with someone else is really quite magical. Communication and how we communicate in the world defines who we are, defines the relationship, defines our friendships and really is the most important ingredient in life!

I don’t like when people say, “that person can’t communicate effectively.” It just means that you can’t hear their message. Communication is co-created. We don’t realize that as humans we help each other feel things. As we sit on the phone with one another, we help each other feel things and this is what sets us a part. We’re almost contagious to each other. Communication seems like it’s such a simple word, but to me it’s more then just that word and it embodies so much more! It embodies the self expression, how you perceive yourself and others – it’s creative. It’s a creative endeavor.

AM: It’s a great point as for years we use to say, “this person isn’t an effective communicator.” One day we thought, we should try to figure out what this person is saying as they are making a point, they seem to believe it, perhaps we’re just not getting it. So we started re-engineering. Hearing that this person said x and then trying to get the meaning behind it really makes us understand what you just shared as they had a different method and that it is a creative process to understand what is being said.

DR. V: Right and then from that place, you’re able to go to where I excel with solutions! You’re able to find the solution. If someone isn’t communicating effectively if we use that word, you’re immediately put on your heels, you’re set off, you’re turned off – when you categorize it in that way. We need to be more curious and ask more questions instead of having this knee jerk judgement. There is nothing more that makes things go wrong then taking a cruise on the SS Judgmental! Once people begin judging each other, things go wrong. When we get curious and ask questions, you’re better able to understand the person you’re talking to. If you’re curious in a genuine and relaxed way – I have been in situations where I was curious but being a bitch and I was asking questions only to hide my annoyance and that wasn’t good! But when you do it genuinely, that person gets curious too and then they relax too!

So when we talk about communication, it’s obviously one of my favorite topics – I see it differently. Usually when people are bringing it up, they mean it in a, “we just don’t communicate well” kind of way. That’s when I say, “we have to ask more questions.” We’re allowed to help each and other. My husband and I have been together for 22 years and I think it was about 5 years in where I would create narratives for him. I would write him in an email, which is a little condescending haha – I’m not going to lie. This would take place during an argument where he would go to his respective work and I would go to my respective work and I would say let me help you. In quotes I would write what I wanted to hear and he would write back, “wow I didn’t know it was that easy as I would have said that to you. I just couldn’t find those words and didn’t know the words you wanted to hear.” This would go on for 3-4 years about what I needed to hear. A lot of people would say, “that’s not genuine – he should know what you need to hear.” But no, not at all. Sometimes it’s ok to help people figure out how to love you. Because that is a creative endeavor. Many people say that men and women have different language styles, but I don’t believe that. I think everyone wants the same thing. Both men and women want to be loved and to love – everyone wants it. How people get there is very different and men aren’t pushed or taught to be emotional leaders, “boys don’t cry” – this sort of toxic masculinity has infiltrated our society to a point where it has stopped men’s growth to express how they’re feeling. Men get this bad wrap for not expressing how they are feeling and women feel like they have to consistently be the emotional leaders or that we’re all emotional brains and we’re crazy – no it’s just that you don’t understand her – she’s not crazy.

AM: We were going to ask about the difference in love languages between men and women. But we like hearing how you were able to articulate what you said and what you wanted to hear reminds us that when we're talking to our significant other, we’ll say that we know you said x, but what I actually here is y. This makes the conversation a lot longer to break down the components of what’s said vs felt vs what we should do.

DR V: Right it becomes a creative endeavor. When you’re saying what you heard and what was felt it actually entails a vulnerability. So not only are you attempting to have better communication, but your partner is learning about you, who you are, what makes you tick and your deepest vulnerabilities which invites them to do the same. When we talk about men and women and their differences, men are not able to show their vulnerabilities as a society. They are uninvited to that party usually. So when they get with someone who is an emotional and has a creative expression of how they use language and are able to communicate what you feel, these men are like, what the fuck?

I have so much empathy for that struggle and form of expression and I don’t believe that we’re talking in different languages. Everyone knows what it’s like to be sad, hurt or to feel vulnerable and both men and women feel that. It’s how we express those emotions that matter.

AM: With us being firmly in the New Year, a lot of people are looking at their resolutions, being their best selves etc. What is the best way for people to optimize their lives without feeling the pressures of changes that may not have taken place or come out the way that they had hoped?

DR. V: Wow well patience is it’s own kind of confidence. It takes patience with other people and ourselves to attain goals. It’s a trust in your self and in the process. If you have fallen off of the wagon or have fucked up, it’s never wrong to start again. It’s always right to start again!

AM: So you released Bad Advice last fall. What led you to writing this and tell us more about this book!

DR. V: Look, I was just tired of hearing things repeated back to me – bad advice. Theories are very important! How we walk through the world and how we define our world is through theories and words. If those theories aren’t correct and are in fact, scientifically wrong – where does that leave us? I was inspired to write this as I’m just irreverent in general and I love to punch holes in things. I just got tired of hearing these one liners that seemed to have blown up even more so on the Internet like: “Just be yourself”, “You can’t love anyone until you love yourself”, “Expectations lead to disappointment” or “Follow your bliss” – it’s like birds flying! Because we’re passing around this bullshit more and more, I got curious about it. Is it really true that you can’t love anyone until you love yourself? Is that true? In the event that you need to hear, just be yourself – does that help? Is it helpful? Do expectations lead to disappointment – is that true – I got really curious! I found these statements and of course, I have my own hypothesis. I collected pieces of Bad Advice that enjoy the shit out of me and I debunked them in the book with heart and humor and it’s a super fun read. It’s one of those books where my hope is you get done reading it and you say, “you’ve never thought of it that way.” Then I have done my job as an author. My favorite books were always those that I would close them and be like, “Oh my God I never thought of it that way – that is so interesting.” You’re able to affect how people view the world.

AM: How long did it take for you to put that together?

DR. V: I would say that while the writing process was 2 years, it’s a lifelong project for me. There were so many pieces of Bad Advice that I didn’t include that I am still collecting them.

AM: Will there be a part two?

DR. V: Yes! I feel that I have been doing this my whole life. I am a very curious person and I always ask myself, how do I know this to be true and forget about bad advice – I’m just curious about the world. What we know – how do we know this to be true and forget about bad advice. Who is the messenger – who is saying it, why are we saying it and who is coming from? I ask myself things like this all the time.

AM: How can someone identify when bad advice is being given to them?

DR V: When it denies your humanity. When it denies what you feel. For example, “Nobody can make you feel bad without your permission” – that’s a chapter in the book. That is like the worse advice that I have ever heard. I get it. My mom used to say it to me when people would make fun of my name. We say it because we want to help people but what it does – I mean when was the last time you gave someone permission to hurt your feelings?

AM: Um never!

DR. V: EXACTLY! Like I will give you permission to hurt me? It doesn’t make sense. So when it denies your humanity and how you’re feeling then you know it’s bad advice!

AM: You’re so right. I mean I can see why we say it because we’ve all heard it from other people who meant it from a good place. But when you think about it, it’s kind of taking a knock at you and you’re internalizing it!

DR. V: You’re right and so for a split second, you’re put in a an area of denial and those emotions come back double fold because you’re trying to hold back from what you really feel. When it comes to relationships, “you can’t really love anyone until you love yourself.” Look, we are meant to love people that is what humans do. So you’re going to love people and your self doesn’t give a fuck about what you think of you. It also creates a “series of events” first I love me, then I love you it implies that love is linear and it’s not – it’s co-created. But we hear love yourself and we’re all the while being conditioned to self hate! Self hate is very real, but the concept of self love – no one tells you how to love yourself. Do you know why? It’s because it’s impossible to love yourself the way that you would love someone else because it’s not supported by brain circuitry. You’re going to love other people and that’s just what will happen – it’s what we do. It denies your humanity – you will love people regardless – you may not love them well, but that’s not what we’re talking about.

AM: How do you prepare for your work on WE TV’s Marriage Bootcamp, especially with all of the different personalities that are involved? How do you ultimately get them to the relationships that they desire?

DR. V: Well bigger personalities require bigger jolts. They require different methods. So, the goal of Marriage Bootcamp is to provide a cellular experience which jolts the system. What I love about the show is that my goal isn’t to keep the couple together. It’s my hope, but it’s about choice. Is this the person that you should be with? It’s about re-engineering that problem – is this the person for you? With all the evidence given to you over the last 10 days, do you want to be with this person? It’s about giving the couples the information they need about themselves and the relationship and asking them to make a choice.

My hope is that they do, but then again staying together is not always the right choice. It may be that they need to live a part. This is what I love about the show – our stakes aren’t in whether the couples stay together, but that the right choice is being made for the person and the couple.

How I prepare for the show, well before those 10 days, I get a lot of sleep. I don’t sleep for 10 days!

AM: We’ve been a fan of the show for years, but we can only imagine how it must be to be there in your position. With such big personalities how do you take the space you need so that you can do the best work for them?

DR. V: Well I’ll tell you. I have been in the field for – I started volunteering at Mt Sinai at 20 – I’ve been doing it a long time, 25 years. You really do learn how to separate yourself and it came naturally over time for me. I know when I need to restore myself and when I begin to become a judgey asshole. I’ll say wow, “I really need to take a break because this person is really getting on my fucking nerves!” Because you can’t help people if you can’t find something to love about them. That is the truth. You have to find something about them that you love and that you like. If you don’t like them – you can’t help them. It’s an incredibly professional and profound thing to admit that this person is tapping into something in me that I don’t like. I need to take a step back and to restore myself and grow from that. That’s what I love about the work because I am consistently growing and being pushed to my own limits season after season after season. I love that – whatever field can I grow and learn in a fun and chaotic way haha!

AM: Everytime we see that you’re back for another season we’re like she’s still hanging in there!

DR. V: Haha Dr. V is still alive! It’s funny because when people are put in a therapeutic environment when they may attack me or say something to me – I feel their pain. They are really talking to pieces of themselves. I feel like I have a deep empathy for that.

As a side note. You know what’s funny about Marriage Bootcamp? That show is so fucking crazy and YET when I watch it on TV – they actually make the drama LESS! They don’t even need to make it more dramatic like a lot of reality shows do. They don’t edit it a certain way to make it more dramatic. I was there – I know that that was way more intense than what they are showing. I think that is what has made the show last for 13 seasons, because the drama is already there. So they don’t have to do much!

You get to see some of your favorite personalities in a different light. Like Brandi Glanville on Marriage Bootcamp was not the same Brandi Glanville on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. People who follow her and love her got to see her in a different way and that’s amazing to me.

AM: You’re based in LA – where do you love grabbing a meal/cocktail, working out and going out for a little shopping?

DR. V: Let me tell you – I love a good diner! I’m from Philly – I did my education in NYC and there is nothing to me that beats a good diner. Kitchen 24 in Hollywood is open 24 hours. I can go there and get egg whites and feta. If I am working late and I need to wind down, I can get a margarita at 3am in the morning – it’s the best place on earth – it’s like my mother’s kitchen! There is nothing like a good diner.

I love to cycle and I feel that at my age it’s so great because you’re not compounding your joints. I’m a big SoulCycler and I do that 2 times a week. For shopping, I love style but I’m not much of a shopper. I’m not one of those women that get up and say, “I’m going to go shopping.” I can’t handle that, but I do love shopping online. I don’t have to shop, they just send shit to me, “we think you’ll like this.”

AM: Are you a beauty girl and do you have 3 must have products that you enjoy using?

DR. V: Ok I want to tell you that I recently decided to go from a rose kind of color to more of a peachier color for my face, lips and eyes. I’m completely obsessed with Stila Cosmetics that has these Liquid Eyeshadows that are glitter! The Bronzed Belle for brown eyes and a little olive skin is so gorgeous! Girl, I got the small one - the travel one and I keep it in my purse – that’s how much I love it! That’s my shadow and I like that it is so glittery and pretty. I’m obsessed with MAC’s Spring Sheen Shimmer Blush and it’s the most beautiful, peachy shiny and luxurious look!

AM: We love a peach moment!

DR. V: I know! Peachiness adds a beautiful alive and awake color. The right peach shades just are natural but then you’re wearing makeup. Then I just recently changed from Chanel’s Foundation to Santees – no. 280 and it’s beautiful! I know you said 3 but the 4th one popped into my brain – so you know it’s the winter months and you want a little color on your face. I am in love with La Luxe The Face and it is an illuminating and self tanning drops. It can be placed in any moisturizer or even an exfoliant that you put on your face at night – you can control the color with the amount of drops you put in. I love that you can just have it in your moisturizer. I use it as night and I get up and I love that I wake up with color on my face! It’s beautiful and one of my favorite products!

AM: We believe that your vibe is your tribe from a #TRIBEGOALS perspective. Who are 3 people that you look to for inspiration?

DR. V: I find that people in my immediate environment are inspiring. When I am feeling unlovable and I can think of nothing good about myself, I turn to my husband. There is so much unconditional love I can turn to him and he is able to help me see me through his eyes. That is a really beautiful thing when you can count on someone to recenter you. Then, the hopefulness of children. I have a 10 and 12 year old boys and a 2.5 year old daughter. The hopefulness of kids is just so inspiring me and when I am feeling a little cynical, I hang out with them! That spark of hopefulness is boom right there! I am also 1 of 5 so I have a few sisters and one brother and there is nothing like the love that a sibling has! No one can get under your skin or build you up like a sibling. I feel that as I have gotten older, I have relied on my immediate relationships to bring a sense of purpose, meaning and fulfillment and I’m really happy about that. I value these relationships with my life!

IG @Doctor_V_

We enjoyed chatting with Dr. V and you can hear this interview at Athleisure Studio, our podcast network with one of our latest episodes of #TRIBEGOALS. Enjoy wherever you hear your podcasts including Spotify, Apple Podcast and Google Podcast.

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Communication Essentials with Dr. V in mag.

S1. E2. | Athleisure Kitchen with Chef Marcus Samuelsson

We’ve been a fan of Chef Marcus Samuelsson for over a decade starting with enjoying his Deviled Eggs at Red Rooster in Harlem! We’ve enjoyed seeing him on Food Network when he’s judging Chopped or seeing him on BRAVO’s Top Chef. Whether he’s releasing a cookbook, or opening additional restaurants, we know that Marcus is always creating innovative dishes that are focused on phenomenal taste, dynamic flavors and comfort foods that we need. In today’s episode of Athleisure Kitchen, Marcus cooks us a meal that we should make for date night, talks about his formula in opening as well as finding the perfect locations for his restaurants and the importance of Harlem Eat Up, his food festival that highlight his city, chefs and music of the neighborhood.

To see the meal that Chef Marcus Samuelsson prepared, check out the video below check out the interview in Athleisure Mag’s Feb issue!

ATHLEISURE MAG | #39 FEB 2019

This month Athleisure Mag is covered on both of its covers by Brandon King, Jonathan Jones and Obi Melifonwu of the New England Patriots Super Bowl LIII Champions and the shoot took place at Serafina Tribeca. We interview them about the win as well as their passion for the game. This issue also includes interviews with Boston Celtics' Al Horford, producer and entertainer Drumma Boy, Celebrity Chef and TV Personality Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster, WE TV Marriage Bootcamp's Dr. V and fashion designer, Christopher Raeburn.

Read the latest issue here.

S1. Ep 1. | Athleisure Kitchen with Chef Brooke Williamson

The latest episode of Athleisure Studio’s culinary show, Athleisure Kitchen just dropped today with Chef Brooke Williamson.

When it comes to culinary competition shows, BRAVO’s Top Chef is one of our favorites. We enjoy the quick fire challenges, restaurant wars and watching competitors navigate across the show. We also like finding out about their restaurants and often seeing them re-appear on future seasons or other shows. On season 10, we were introduced to Chef Brooke Williamson, who came in second only to come back in season 14 - to win it all! In addition to these accolades, she is the Co-Owner and Co-Chef at The Tripel, Playa Provisions, Hudson House Bar, Da Kikokiko, Small Batch Icecream and Triplikit in Southern California. We find out more about her creativity, how she got into the industry, how she keeps fit and it all together.

BINGELY BOOKS

SHOE DOG

Phil Knight

Simon & Schuster

In Shoe Dog, Nike's founder and board chairman Phil Knight gives an inside view on being the man behind the swoosh. He shares how the early days of his company started as a feisty startup which grew into one of the most iconic brands in the world. This CEO walks readers through mistakes that were made, his struggles and sacrifices that he took to grow his company.

His story begins after graduating business school and borrowing $50 from his father to import high-quality, low-cost running shoes from Japan. Selling them out of the trunk of his car in 1963, he grossed $8,000 in his first year versus currently having annual sales of $30 billion.

Although many know about the beginnings of Nike, Phil Knight is a shy man that has always been a bit of a mystery. In this book he explains the highs and lows, how he curated his employees to be ambassadors of his brand and to embrace the ethos of what his company stands for.

BECOMING

Michelle Obama

Crown Publishing Group

First Lady Michelle Obama gives a first hand account in this memoir about her life as well as embracing her role in the White House. In addition to being the First African American First Lady to serve, she has also been known as an advocate for women and girls in the US and around the world. In addition, one of her most notable platforms is her initiative focused on ensuring that families pursue healthier and active lives.

In addition to her platform, Michelle talks about engaging with the media that she embraced from appearing on Ellen, Carpool Karaoke and other outlets as well as being scrutinized in other areas within media throughout her husband’s presidency.

Ultimately, this memoir walks readers through her life, who she was prior to her marriage, being a wife and raising two girls in the limelight. We are introduced to her childhood in the South Side of Chicago and we get an inside look on the public and private aspects of her life.

MILK STREET TUESDAY NIGHTS

Christopher Kimball

Little, Brown

Tuesday night recipes are reserved for easy dishes to make that can be executed after your busy day of work, post happy hour drinks etc. But Milk Street, created by Christopher Kimball (formerly of America's Test Kitchen). This book includes a number of recipes that makes Tuesday night’s meals something that you can get excited about.

Regardless of your cooking skills, readers will find an array of meals that will get them through the middle of their week. Dishes include: Peruvian ceviche or glaze potatoes with gochujang.

Read more from the Jan Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Books in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #38 JAN ISSUE

Our editorial, Winter Chill showcases fitness, lounge, on the go and evening wear and is modeled by Charlie and Alyne of Wilhelmina models. In this issue which focuses on all things regarding a fresh start to the New Year, fitness, wellness and more – we talk with Celebrity Fitness Trainer Lacey Stone of E! Revenge Body with Khloe Kardashian to talk about how she got into the fitness industry, her approach with working with clients an the importance of creating superheroes. We also have a fun interview with BRAVO’s Top Chef, Chef Brooke Williamson about her restaurant group, her love for cooking an how she got into the industry. When it comes to nutrition, we like to kick off the year to find out about what we need to be mindful of eating regardless of what are food journeys are, in this month’s issue we talk with Amanda Baker Leimen MS, RD to find out about rich nutrient foods, non-starchy veggies and more.

As always, we have a number of our features and roundups that we include in each issue and on some articles, you will see links to our multimedia podcast network, Athleisure Studio which has a number of shows that we launched in #TRIBEGOALS (Lacey Stone as well as Sara Happ was recently include), The Road To Tokyo 2020 (US Track & Field Natasha Hastings) and more.

See the entire Jan Issue of Athleisure Mag.

ATHLEISURE STUDIO | INTRODUCING THE ROAD TO TOKYO 2020

What does it take to be an athlete that dedicates years to making a national team and to compete on a global stage for the coveted medal that defines their career. We all enjoy watching the Olympic Games whether it’s a sport, a specific athlete or just getting into the competitions. Before they hit the stadium, there are years of work, drive and focus that take place with countless training session, coaches, and qualifying competitions. Athletes come from various backgrounds and walks of life. They sacrifice their lifestyle, homes, jobs and personal life to prepare for and win these monumental moments and leave a lasting legacy.

The Olympics is a registered trademark of the International Olympic Committee.

The Road to Tokyo 2020 is produced and mixed by the team at @AthleisureStudio

AthleisureStudio.com/TheRoadToTokyo2020 | Instagram: @TheRoadToToyo2020 | @AthleisureStudio

ATHLEISURE STUDIO | S1. E1. #TRIBEGOALS WITH LA LA ANTHONY

La La Anthony has had a phenomenal career that began in radio, continued with her being a host on MTV's TRL, continuing on to a series of successful seasons of her own reality show on VH1, being a bestselling author and of course her role on STARZ Network’s Power as LaKeisha. As she is currently back on set filming another season of this epic show, #TribeGoals took a few minutes to talk with her about who she is inspired by, how she is able to stay organized in the midst of a busy schedule while juggling being a mom and more.

Check out #TRIBEGOALS on Athleisure Studio, Athleisure Mag’s multimedia podcast network.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #37 DEC ISSUE

It’s the last issue of the year and we are excited to have Entrepreneur, EDM DJ and Instagram Star - Universal Music Latin America’s, Gianluca Vacchi for this month’s cover! In addition, we have interviews with La La Anthony of STARZ’s Power, Parveen Kaur of NBC’s hit show Manifest, Poppy Jamie of Happy Not Perfect, Sarah Potempa - Celebrity Hairstylist and founder of Beachwaver Co and more. We also have brought back our annual, NEW YEAR N3W YOU as well. Read the full issue here.

NATURALLY DREAMY AT VICTORIA'S SECRET WITH CHARLOTTE TILBURY

Each year, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show stage comes alive with 60 models including Elsa Hosk, Martha Hunt, Lais Ribeiro, Adrianna Lima and more. Next month, these Angels, in NYC, will rock their wings by the lingerie brand and their glow will be courtesy of Celebrity Makeup Artist, Charlotte Tilbury and her covet worthy line as the official makeup partner for this year. We had a moment to find out more about the collection as well as how to get the glow as we get into the holiday season.

We caught up with Charlotte to find out about her approach to creating the makeup vision for this show with an angelic filter for the face to enhance what nature has given to you naturally. The show was infused with fresh glowing looks for the complexion, the ultimate dreamy eyes and of course, a supermodel glow.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the inspiration behind this year's show?

CHARLOTTE TILBURY: Darlings, I am beyond thrilled to share with you the official NATURAL, FRESH, GLAMOUROUS look I created for the Victoria’s Secret Show 2018! This look is all about enhancing the most beautiful, dreamy angel version of YOU. I designed the look to act like a glowing, angelic filter for the face and body, and to enhance what nature naturally blessed you with… so they can light up the runway and casts a spell on the world!

One of my inspirations for the look was inspired by the healthy, happy, naturally flawless beauty look of Gisele – she embodies that signature fresh, glowing ANGEL gorgeousness! I also wanted the makeup to channel that Victoria’s Secret feeling! Victoria’s Secret is all about pure fun, joy and abandon! It is a world of confidence, glamour, sexiness, power and magic that we all sail off to for the night! Whether you are watching it at home, or front row - everyone gets lost in the hypnotising allure of the angels! And this year we have such an inspiring group of women who light up the runway and people’s lives - 60 amazing women each with their own unique story, from over 20 different countries! It is so incredible to see so many sexy, brilliant women sharing the power of makeup with the world!

AM: How would you define the Natural, Fresh, Dreamy Goddess look for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show this year?

CT: It’s an angelic filter to enhance what nature naturally gave you and make you feel like a beautiful, celestial angel… A look that lights up the runway and casts a magic makeup spell on the world! The skin is all about enhanced goddess skin, it’s natural and flawless at its best!

AM: Walk us through how we can achieve the Natural, Fresh, Dreamy Goddess look that will be in the show?

CT: I prepped the Angel’s skin with my Magic Skincare Trio for a healthy, lit-from-within glowing angel complexion:

1. First, I used my secret to supermodel skin, Instant Magic Dry Sheet Facial Mask, for a glowing radiant looking complexion. The genius ingredients including vitamin B3, crocus bulb extract, peptides, oils and butters penetrate deep in to the skin providing nourishing nutrients where skin needs it most.

2. I applied my award-winning Charlotte’s Magic Cream. An instant turnaround cream for the complexion that floods the skin with moisture and provides the most beautiful, glowing base for makeup. It is made up of oils and actives that feed the skin, Hyaluronic acid and peptides that give a plump-effect to the compleion, vitamin C and E that brighten and soothe the skin, and Frangipani and Aloe Vera. It's my secret to the ultimate runway glow! The cream is applied to model's skin using famous Angel Wing Motion Magic Skin Massage to wake up the complexion.

3. Next, I gently tapped my Magic Eye Rescue to revitalise the eye area. The time released retinol molecules in the formula resurface the skin around the eye to help your eyes appear younger and more radiant, hour-by-hour

The secret to flawless, poreless Angel skin:

4. I applied the ultimate glow primer, Wonderglow to the model’s skin. The primer is full of Hyaluronic Acid and has a genius fluorescent core that redirects light to more flattering angles of the face.

5. I buffed on my Light Wonder Foundation for a natural skin but better effect. I used a shade which was slightly warmer than their natural skin tone to give them a healthy glow.

6. For any areas which needed a little extra coverage, I applied my best-selling Magic Away Concealer to conceal any redness or blemishes, brighten darkness, smooth fine lines and hide the appearance of pores

7. Next, I applied my Hollywood Flawless Filter. With the versatility of a primer, the mega-watt glow of a highlighter, and the perfecting properties of your favourite digital filter it soft-focuses and instantly illuminates the Angel’s complexions.

A naturally killer contour and ethereal glow…

8. I wanted every Angel to have a natural contour and ethereal glow under the lights of the runway. I used my Filmstar Bronze & Glow palette to sculpt the appearance of the face and carve out killer cheekbones, add warmth to the complexion with the most natural bronze tones and give a celestial candlelight glow to the skin.

9. The glow was then amplified by using Charlotte’s ‘Diva Light’ Beauty Light Wand. The rose-gold highlighter gives a soft-focussed glow to the cheekbones that plays with the light beautifully.

10. To finish the complexion, I dusted my Airbrush Flawless Finish powder onto the T-area, soft focusing and blurring away any lines and imperfections and creating a soft micro-fine cashmere veil to the complexion.

The ultimate natural supermodel brow

11. To reveal the shape of the brows, I brushed them up using her magical Brow Lift tool and then used the soft pencil to fill in any gaps using upward strokes. I used Victoria’s Secret Brow or Never Clear Eyebrow Gel to fix the perfect supermodel brows.

The Supermodel exagger-eyes eye filter

12. To start, I curled the eyelashes for definition using my Life-Changing Lashes curler.

13. For the ultimate Supermodel eye, I brought back my sell-out sensation Exagger-Eyes Luxury Palette. Part of my Beauty Filters collection, the palette makes the eyes appear bigger and brighter just like an Instagram filter. Using a blender brush, I washed the enhance shade forwards and backwards across the eyelid like a windscreen wiper. The smoke shade was used along the lash line to add definition.

14. To enhance the Angel eye look, I used a second best-selling favourite Eyes to Mesmerise in Rose Gold. Using a smudger brush, I applied the metallic rose gold shade underneath the lower lash line to make the eyes naturally pop.

15. To elongate the eyes and create a seductive, sexy lifted shape I lined the eyes with an Angel Wing using my chocolatey powder pencil eyeliner in The Sofia.

16. For extra richness and depth, I applied my Colour Chameleon pencil in Amber Haze along the lash line.

17. To complete the Supermodel eye filter look, I used Victoria’s Secret Major Lash to give a dreamy Angel flutter in seconds!

Natural, pillowy, supermodel lips

18. For the supermodel lips that everyone wants, I started by re-shaping the lips with her iconic Lip Cheat lip liner in Pillow Talk. The best-selling lip liner loved by celebrities, supermodels, beauty editors and influencers all over the world mimics the natural shade of your lips and gives you the most pillowy pout.

19. I then applied Victoria’s Secret Velvet Matte Cream in Showstopper. A luscious Pillow-y pink matte that makes the lips look instantly fuller and wider.

20. I applied Collagen lip bath for a natural dewy veil of gloss on top of the Velvet Matte Cream.

Blush-bronze like an Angel

21. To create the look of a dewy, fresh, natural health to the complexion, I applied a combination of blush and bronze Beachsticks in Las Salinas and Ibiza. The soft, dreamy makeup sticks blend with the complexion for a natural looking sun-kissed blush effect.

The secret to a healthy glow from head to toe

22. As the finishing touch to this year’s look, I applied my glossy Supermodel Body. This product created glossy-skinned perfection in minutes. Applied down the centre of the limbs using the cooling roll applicator, it makes the skin look and feel firmer, toned and supple, so every model could stride down the famous runway with the confidence of an Angel.

AM: When creating the makeup look with this aesthetic in mind, how will it appear on the 60 models in the show?

CT: The natural, fresh glamorous look will be tailored to suit each individual Angel’s beauty, and to enhance their magnificent custom-designed outfits and those famous VS wings.

About Charlotte Tilbury

One of the fashion industry’s most in-demand beauty professionals, Charlotte Tilbury has completely revolutionised the face of the global beauty industry.

The makeup artist turned entrepreneur has created cover looks for top fashion magazines, started trends on the runways of New York, Milan, Paris and London, led beauty campaigns for the biggest luxury fashion houses, collaborated with the industry’s most well-regarded photographers and has a client list packed full of the World’s most beautiful celebrities including Amal Clooney, Kim Kardashian-West, Emily Ratajkowski, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Cindy Crawford, Kaia Gerber, Penelope Cruz, Salma Hayek, Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne, Poppy Delevingne, Miranda Kerr, Kylie Minogue, Jennifer Aniston, Julianne Moore, Carina Lau, Nicole Kidman, Eva Green and Blake Lively to name just a few.

Charlotte spent several years acting as creative director for many large beauty houses before launching her own makeup revolution in September 2013. Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, an award-winning, revolutionary makeup, skincare and scent brand is now available in stores throughout the UK, USA, Canada, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Germany, The Netherlands and sold online to more than 65 countries.

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty has won over 160 global awards to date, including Walpole Emerging Luxury British Brand 2014, CEW Best British Brand of the Year 2015, and the CEW Best New Brand of the Year 2015, CEW Best British Brand of the Year 2018. Personally, Charlotte Tilbury has won Fashion Creator at the British Fashion Awards 2005, Rodial Award for Best Make-up Artist 2012, won a CEW Achiever award in 2014, was named InStyle’s Makeup Artist of the Year 2015, was a Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the Year 2016 nominee and won NatWest every woman Award 2017.

ATHLEISURE MAG EXCLUSIVE:

Charlotte Tilbury shares Beauty Backstage of Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2018 - watch the show Dec 2nd at 10pm EST.

MODELS | PG 94 Stella Maxwell + Charlotte Tilbury | PG 96 Josephine Skriver | PG 98 Leomi Anderson + Duckie Thot | PG 101 Adriana Lima - r |

PHOTO CREDITS COURTESY | Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2018

@ctilburymakeup #CharlotteTilbury
@VictoriasSecret #VSFashionShow

Read more from the Nov Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Naturally Dreamy at Victoria’s Secret with Charlotte Tilbury in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #36 NOV ISSUE

We’re so excited for the Nov Issue of Athleisure Mag which is focused on Fall Gatherings! This month we are covered by Celebrity Chef and Owner of FlipSigi, host of Travel Channels Late Nite Eats - Jordan Andino where we shot our editorial at his West Village location and caught up with him to talk about his busy schedule, his vision for his restaurant and more! In addition, we have interviews with Top Chef and Restaurant Owner, Richard Blais on how we can get ready to prepare our holiday meals. When it comes to presentation, we received some great tips from Camille Styles in terms of tablescapes and ways that hosts can engage with their guests while also being able to have a great time. We also have a conversation with Tavern on the Green’s General Manager to find out about the historic restaurant, how she enhances the guest experience and what the 6 weeks of holiday means to them in terms of events.

We also have a sneak peek at the Backstage Beauty partnership with Charlotte Tilbury and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show! Before you watch it this Sun at 10pm EST on ABC, check out how Charlotte created the look for the show.

As always, we have our monthly features for you to enjoy !

Read more from the Nov Issue of Athleisure Mag.

PARTY AT DAYBREAK WITH DJ ELOY + STATE MGMT'S COCO YU

Read more from the Oct Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Party at Daybreak with DJ Eloy and State Mgmt’s Coco Yu in mag.

HOW TO DRESS | FOR TROPICAL GETAWAYS

Read more from the Oct Issue of Athleisure Mag and see How to Dress for Tropical Getaways in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #35 OCT ISSUE

We released the Oct Issue a bit ago. This email lets you know that your product, brand, client etc is included in the issue. In addition, if you represent a number of brands they will be throughout the issue.

Our issue is covered by ESPN's Field Yates who is an NFL Insider for ESPN who contributes analysis, breaking NFL news and fantasy football insight year-round across the company's multimedia platforms. He appears on many shows, in addition to his host role on ESPN Radio and on ESPN Audio's popular Fantasy Focus Football podcast.

We also have a travel editorial called I'll Take Vermont with our recent trip to Stowe Mountain Lodge as well as our drive up with the GMC 2019 Canyon Denali. In addition, we have a fall editorial with DJ Eloy and model, Coco Yu/State Management rocking a number of looks in Party at Daybreak.

In addition, this issue included interviews with Jeff Franklin who trains elite canine dogs for the U.S. Military, we talked with Whitney Port of The Hills and The City about joining the cast of MTV's The Hills Reboot. This month's The Art of the Snack shares some of our favorite game time dishes from country music star and cook, Martina McBride with her new cookbook, Martina's Kitchen Mix.

Bingely Books, Bingely Streaming, Something You Should Know, Athleisure List, Athleisure Beauty and more roundups that focus on how to dress in a number of fall and getaway destinations.

Read more from the Oct Issue of Athleisure Mag.

EATALY'S CHEF COLLABORATIONS WITH CHEF ADAM HILL

The month of Sept is always a hectic time of year as it's summer's last hurrah, NYFW kicks off Fashion Month, football season begins and fall is embraced with it's transitional style and food festivities! As we finished our final show of NYFW SS19, we found ourselves enjoying Eataly's Chef Series, which is a collaboration of chefs including Chef Daniel Boulud, Chef Marc Forgione just to name a few, with Manzo's Chef Adam Hill. We took some time to talk to Chef Adam to find out about how he got into the industry, his work at Eataly's open kitchen Manzo, sourcing and sustainability and of course the Chef Collaborations.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us when you knew that you wanted to be a chef.

CHEF ADAM HILL: Believe it or not, probably when I was 10 years old. I started watching this show and it was before Food Network. There was a show called Great Chefs of the USA and The World. It was a very dry show and was not at all created for a 10 year old. It wasn’t like Emeril Live and didn’t have any kind of flash to it. I remember one day in particular that my dad went out for a business meeting and he came back a little over an hour later and I was still sitting in front of the TV fascinated by it! I started cooking dinner for my family at the age of 10 or 11. My mom took a job at night and even though I was the youngest in the family, I started cooking for my 2 older brothers, my mom and my dad. From there, I just fell in love with it. I started reading cookbooks at the age of 11 or 12. It got me at a young age!

AM: That’s a huge part of your culinary journey! Where else did you go and where did you train prior to coming to Eataly?

CHEF AH: I started my Lucibello’s in West Haven, CT. I started working there at the age of 16 as a dishwasher and prep cook. I worked there for about 2.5 years while I was still in high school. I ended up working my way up to prep cook full time. From there, I did some line experience also and working the hotline – starting at a young age. I also worked at a Country Club called The Stanwich Club in Greenwich, CT and I was at The Culinary Institute of America at the Rec Center – a student run restaurant called, The Courtside Café. It was simple things for students like burgers, fries, chicken fingers and cheesesteaks. It’s things that students want to eat when it’s not part of the curriculum. Even with that, after working there a couple of months, I became Student Manager – it was a good learning experience because at the CIA every 3 weeks, you have a new class. So you might be PM for 3 weeks and then in 3 weeks you might be learning Breakfast Class which starts at midnight but ends at 8am or 9am. So every 3 weeks, our staffing would change at Courtside so I got very good at teaching people because your staff may change.

Sometimes you go from having 15 available cooks to 10 and you have to figure out how to make it work with the schedule. Maybe someone has never worked a set station and you have to teach them how to do it and to pick it up as quickly as possible. That definitely helps. When I graduated from CIA, I worked at Chipotle for 6 months and I wanted to learn how they ran their business, how they did their ordering and their overall philosophy. It was also a great experience. My whole plan was to work there as that would be the job that would pay the bills and then train at other kitchens when I had free time. But once I became a manager, they said I couldn’t do that because I needed to have open availability and if I was trailing someone when I had a day off and they needed to call me in if someone couldn’t make it – it would be a problem.

Around that same time, Eataly opened and I started working at the Flatiron location when it opened 8 years ago. I started working at Il Pesce as a line cook and became a sous chef there and then I wanted to do something new, and then about a year and a half/2 years later, I came to Manzo as a line cook and worked my way through the stations. After 2 years, I became sous chef and after about 2 years I became the chef here for 3 years. So I have been at Eataly ever since it has opened and I have been able to stay here so long because there is always something new here, a new challenge to learn and everyday, everyweek there is something new and different going on. It’s great to run your own restaurant while fitting in with the Eataly structure.

AM: What’s an average day like for you at Manzo?

CHEF AH: I don’t know if there is ever an average day especially in the restaurant business and especially at Eataly.

On average, I come in and check in with the sous chef to make sure that we’re on the same page as far as running the specials, double checking with what the line cooks are doing, always walking around and talking with everyone tasting everything to make sure it tastes right before we go into lunch or dinner service. Talking with the General Manager to make sure we’re on the same page in terms of specials and changes to the menu. As we go into service making sure that we are expediting service and that food comes together at the same time. Making sure it’s right before it goes out. As we are getting through service, making sure that we are cleaning up and that everyone is taking their breaks.

The best way to explain the difference between being a cook and a chef is that a cook is a player on the team, but when you are the chef, you have to be the coach and it’s hard for some people to make that adjustment because when you’re the chef, it’s no longer about being the best player, it’s about making sure that your players are doing the best that they can and that your cooks are as well prepared as they can be. Making sure that as a chef, we’re always teaching and always having people think about the next step and training the person behind them to make sure that they are getting ready for a new station. For example, today walking kind of slow so that the person who is on salad station is learning on veg station and maybe the person on veg station learns how to grill meat and the person on meat station begins to learn on pasta. Some of the more advanced people can do the chef thing. It’s all about teaching and making sure that the cooks know that it’s not just a job to them, but that they are learning as much as they can while they are here. In this business, when people aren’t learning, they will put in a year on their resume and they will go elsewhere. The more that you can keep them invested and buying in, it keeps them engaged and hopefully you have a good succession plan so that you have a full circle of training happening.

AM: We truly enjoyed attending a recent Chef Collaborations dinner at Eataly where the menu was created by you and Chef Gabriel Kreuther. What is the purpose of the chefs series that took place there and how did it mold the menu as you partnered with different chefs through this series?

CHEF AH: We had this idea about a year ago as we had done a renovation of Manzo’s dining room. The kitchen is now in the dining room and it was an idea to help cross promote Manzo as well as the guest chefs, with some of the proceeds going to charity. It was a great opportunity for our guest chefs as well as for me to work with them to learn different styles of cooking.

The style of food and chefs definitely brings a different flavor each time. We recently changed the format because when we first did it we had the guest chef’s dish and a dish from Manzo’s menu, but as we continued through the series in the next round – we changed it to be a 4 course menu. So it was a dish of ours, either on the menu or off, a dish from the guest chef, the main course was a collaboration between the 2 chefs and then having the dessert course. This way was much better for the series to run for example at the dinner you attended, Chef Kreuther and I had a great overlap as he is from Alsace and there is some overlap with Alsace cooking and Italian cooking. One of my favorite things on the menu is Testa (it translates to Head Cheese in English, but it’s Pig Head) and I wanted to showcase this as it’s about responsible sourcing and eating sustainably and sometimes using just the pork chop or just the pork tenderloin – everytime an animal dies – the whole animal should be used. To utilize pigs head, it goes along with that ethos. If an animal is going to lose its life, no part of the animal should go to waste. That’s a big part of Alsatian cooking and Italian cooking. For the first course, I wanted to do a mix of Alsatian style and Italian style so the Testa was already Italian and Italian cooking uses a lot of sweet and sour components, which is also true for Alsatian cooking with the German influence. So I wanted to do the sweet and sour cherries and then for the main course, it was a similar idea. We wanted to a trio of pork – the braised pork is kind of Alsatian by braising it in beer which is also common in Northern Italian cooking. The polenta and green tomato sauce was a little sweet and a little sour. When you ate it, it didn’t feel forced there was enough of an overlap between the Alsatian and Italian cooking that it comes together naturally. That’s what those dishes should feel like and if you do a little digging into it – it makes sense historically and the customer finds it enjoyable, accurate and traditional.

AM: What was it like for you to create and work with these chefs throughout this series?

CHEF AH: There have been different challenges. It’s interesting to see the chef’s different styles and influences. Like, Chef Marc Forgione’s influence was a late night French Dip, but deconstructed so there was a carpaccio of dry aged rib eye and there was an au jus component – there was a horseradish sour cream component to it and it still felt natural together. But when you heard the story behind it, it was like cool that makes sense. Culinary-wise there is always a different technique, so there was a dish with Chef Daniel Boulud that was made with clams and andoulie which was very popular. We did a pork belly with kimchi that was pretty successful – so it was interesting to see the techniques and sometimes when we would get the recipes, they were more informal, where others were more precise down to the gram. Overall, it has been fun to learn about the chef’s history, their inspiration for the dish and their style of cooking. In every one, there has been a different learning experience.

AM: For you dishes that you created, how did you go about deciding what it was going to be and what ingredients that you would be using? Do most of them come from Eataly that can be purchased there?

CHEF AH: For the most part, yeah! I would say that when I do a dish, you can purchase the products here at Eataly, but it also depends on the flow of the guest menu that the chef wants to do. If they want to do an antipasta, then maybe we do a pasta. If they want to do a pasta, then it doesn’t make sense for us to do a pasta for the four course tasting, so we will try to do an antipasta. The collaboration is always the main course and it’s about finding that balance and that the flow of the menu is natural.

For this month, the whole menu had a country feel to it. Chef Kreuther’s dish had the apple cider braised rabbit with saffron butter, so we liked this idea of refined rustic cooking, and I love Testa so I thought that would work and he loved it too. So we agreed on this dish which flowed well with the rabbit and then for the main course, pork 3 ways was simple and elegant and continued the sweet sour play.

When we did the collaboration with Chef Akshay Bhardwaj from Junoon it was very natural. We tried to incorporate some thing that were very common in Indian cooking and in Italian
cooking. Naturally, you wouldn’t think that they would go together, but we did a Saffron Risotto with yellow lentils and lamb cooked two ways and this was really successful and I liked the dish a lot. It was because the lamb that we did, one part of it was Sicilian style and the other way was an Indian style where we had marsala and chili peppers and a lot of depth of flavor. We had Sicilian style lamb belly was cooked with garlic and herbs. The risotto was obviously Italian, but with the saffron in there it had the Indian approach along with the yellow lentils. When you ate it all together, it didn’t feel forced, you just loved the taste
playing well together.

AM: Although this series has come to an end, will there be another?

CHEF AH: I’m not sure. I mean, I know that the rest of the year maybe not, but perhaps next year. I know there is an Eataly launching in Las Vegas so maybe this is something that we could do there. It will be a new concept in Las Vegas so maybe getting people to be aware of this location, they can bring in other chefs that are established in Las Vegas through this series. Overall, we loved the concept and I think that going into the end of the year, we will be more focused on truffles and getting our menu ready for the winter.

AM: How many times a year does the menu change at Manzo?

CHEF AH: Constantly ha! It’s an organic thing. You change the menu based on seasonality, availability, for example we recently took off summer squash because it’s fall and even though it’s a bit early to put winter squash on the menu, we can’t call out to summer squash because it’s not summer. Tomato season is winding down so even though we love selling heirloom tomatoes and caprese, we can’t run it all year and it’s not true to the Italian cooking philosophy.

Somethings that are on the menu are mainstays and they don’t change too much like some of the steaks we have – it doesn’t go out of season. But it’s the garnishes that might change and as we go into the winter, we want to make our menu more comfort friendly, so tomato based pastas aren’t so friendly with truffles so we do more butter and cheese sauces because it goes great with truffles. Just keeping the menu flexible for things like that is key.

AM: What are your favorite dishes that you like to create at Manzo?

CHEF AH: Well that’s a tough question! I like doing something that is traditional but a little bit different. A good example of this is the lamb shank that’s on the menu right now. In the spring
time in Italy, much like we do a barbeque here in the US with a whole roasted pig on a spit, they will do lamb in the same way over an open fire. You eat it as soon as it comes off the fire.
You dig into it when it is so hot that it burns your fingers and it’s so hot, but you eat it any way because it is so delicious. The dish translates to “lamb that burns your fingers” – we do a version of that, but it’s not the whole lamb because we’re not going to sell a whole lamb. So we do lamb shanks and it’s marinated with white wine and olive oil, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest and a little anchovy. These are all traditional flavors and we slow cook the lamb for 24 hours and then we cool it down. When the customer orders it, we coat it with salt and sugar and we roast it so it gets crispy on the outside and when you cut into it, it’s crunchy and juicy
and falls off the bone. When you dig into it, it burns the roof of your mouth or your fingertips and it pays homage to the original. There's a story to it and it’s kind of modernized in a way that makes it appropriate to sell into a restaurant. You might sell 10 a day or 2, but if you cooked a whole lamb everyday, that wouldn’t be sustainable.

AM: That sounds really good – we’ll have to try it!

CHEF AH: Well you should come in soon as we’ll be taking it off of the menu soon as it is more of a spring or summer dish.

AM: Oh no!

CHEF AH: Realistically, we probably could change the garnish on it to make it feel more wintery, but the overall story of eating lamb in the spring or the summer time outside in the piazza where people gather around – is just like having a suckling pig for a barbeque – you think of it as more of a summery thing.

AM: Are you constantly thinking of different dishes and coordinating with the sommelier as well as your pastry chef?

CHEF AH: Yeah usually for pastry, there is some sort of collaboration between the party chef and myself, but I try to leave Chef Rebecca to have more creative freedom there and just make sure that it is something that we can execute consistently. As far as coming up with a new menu, we work with Central Kitchen. It’s like a group of chefs that oversee all restaurants at Eataly. I’m the Chef at Manzo, but then there are a team of 5 chefs at Central Kitchen which oversees all the restaurants as another set of eyes. If we weren’t all under one roof like Chef Wolfgang Puck who has 10 restaurants, Wolfgang isn’t in every restaurant every day, but he has a trusted team of people he meets with I’m sure that make sure things are going to plan, food costs are looked after and that the menu makes sense. The same can be applied here with our Central Kitchen, as they are not in everyday but they are making sure things are ok.

AM: How do you define your cooking style and how does that marry with the ethos of Eataly?

CHEF AH: That’s a good question. I like simple food that is well prepared. I like making something that is the best version of something that you have had before. Like, finding what it is that people don’t like about food or something that they could potentially like. A lot of people say that they don’t like mushrooms and when I was younger, I had a lot of bad mushroom – just thrown on pizzas with no seasoning and they got squishy and it’s a texture thing that grosses people out. I love mushrooms now and what changes them is when you get them a little crispy and mix them with a little garlic and butter and thyme. There are only 3 or 4 ingredients but it makes a lot of difference. Eggplant is another one if you eat it and there isn’t enough salt and you roast it – again, it’s a texture thing. If you get it a little bit crispy and roast it in a really hot oven, a good amount of garlic and oregano – people will eat it and the hugest compliment to me is when people tell me that they don’t even like eggplant but they ask me what I put in it to make it taste so good. I like to keep it simple as you don’t need to throw the kitchen sink on eggplant but if you find the right flavors to highlight it and to make sure the texture is correct – people can change their minds about it.

At home, I would say that I don’t cook strictly Italian. I cook some different things. The other day, I was kind of sick so I made some noodles with a lot of garlic, sesame oil and soy sauce – because when I’m sick I want to eat a lot of garlic which is good for your immune system. That’s not traditional anything – just ingredients that I like to cook with. My style is very simple and focuses on seasonality and it matches up with Eataly because our whole style of cooking is about paying respect to the traditions of Italian cooking.

“The best way to explain the difference between being a cook and a chef is that a cook is a player on the team, but when you are the chef, you have to be the coach and it’s hard for some people to make that adjustment because when you’re the chef, it’s no longer about being the best player it’s about making sure that your players are doing the best that they can an that your cooks are as well prepared as they can be.”

— Chef Adam Hill

AM: When you’re not cooking, how do you take time for yourself?

CHEF AH: I like watching football a lot and now that it’s football season, I’m very happy! I’m a Steelers fan. I like to go out with friends and it’s tough in the restaurant business as we don’t all have the same time off. Usually, when we get out of work at midnight, we’ve been cooking all day so we want to eat now because we haven’t all day. Sometimes we’ll go out for late night drinks and to grab a bite and since we're close to Koreatown, we go there as it’s open super late. A lot of people who don’t work in the industry are surprised that when we get out of work we don’t want to cook fancy food, we want comfort food. Like a pot of rice and bulgogi is great. Different kimchis and vegetables that are just stripped down and it’s not messed with too much. You want to be full and happy. I love Bonchon late night with their fried chicken wings. We try to go out once a week to go to the bars which turns into going to Koreatown for some Hot Pot or Korean barbeque. Late night tacos are a go to for me as I love Mexican food.

If I have a day off, I’m just doing laundry and relaxing. I’ll clean the house and if it’s on Sunday, then I am going to be a lazy couch potato and watch football!

IG @ChefAdamHill @EatalyFlatiron

PHOTO COURTESY | Eataly Flatiron

Read more from the Sep Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Eataly’s Chef Collaborations with Chef Adam Hill in mag.

SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW | GET READY FOR WORLD SAKE DAY

Sake (pronounced SAH-kay not SAH-kee) fans rejoice, we sat down with Benihana Inc.'s Senior Director of Beverage, Alfredo Martinez to find out about RA Sushi, World Sake Day, how this rice wine is brewed and a few misconceptions about this beverage in this month's Something You Should know!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Can you tell us about RA Sushi, which we know is under Benihana Inc, the parent company to RA Sushi, Haru and of course, Benihana. Also tell us who you are and what you do at RA Sushi.

ALFREDO MARTINEZ: I’m the Senior Director of Beverage for all of the 3 brands that you mentioned as well as Samurai which is a concept here in Miami. We’re very lucky to have various brands. Benihana which everybody knows – we cook in front of you. RA Sushi, is the wild child. We are high energy, vibrant environment that is built on a strong happy hour with very innovative sushi. If you ever have a chance to go, we will be very happy to take care of you. It just so happens that during October, we will celebrate Nihonshu No Hi or World Sake Day and it’s just a world wide celebration day of Japanese food and culture. We’re thrilled to share a little bit of that which starts on Oct 1st and we will have specials such as $1 hot sake, Spiked Sushi Roll which is a brand new roll that we have where the tuna is marinated in sake and there is a sake pairing with it. We’re thrilled for people to try it.

AM: For those that aren’t familiar what is the process of making sake, are there varietals and in making it – is more like a wine or a beer?

AM: That’s a great question. The misconception comes when people call it a rice wine but it is actually brewed more like a beer. Since that is the case, it means that it is going to have some
of the elements of beer making. The important things to remember about sake is that there are only 4 ingredients various varieties that you can choose from), water – which is very important so the sake depending on where it is brewed in the North of Japan or the South of Japan you’ll have different qualities of water which are all amazing – but one may be a little bit more heavier, softer or sweeter depending on water content and it will have a big impact on what sake will taste like. Then you will have different kinds of yeast, which the makers will have to select the right kind to go with the rice that they are using, and koji – a special Japanese mold that will help with the brewing process and the fermentation process. Sake is the only beverage in the world that goes through a complex fermentation, but most importantly it’s sulphate free, gluten free as well. The craft and mastery of the sake creations are what we try to showcase at the restaurant to have a varied assortment for our guests to try that come from all over Japan as well as the US.

AM: Is there sake production in the US?

AM: Absolutely, you have breweries that are popping up everywhere. You have some very established ones in California and Oregon. Now we’re also seeing some are popping up in Minnesota, Tennessee and Texas. There is a lot of interest in learning more about this very special beverage because it is very versatile with food. That’s another misconception that you should only drink sake with Japanese food. It goes well with things such as steak, cheese, even dessert! There is a sparkling sake that we have at RA Sushi that we actually create mixology with that, but also as a great way to just finish your meal.

AM: What are some of the sake drinking traditions and what do you guys have going on at RA Sushi for World Sake Day?

AM: What we try to do with the celebration is to train our servers and to share with people this experience. On Oct 1st, we have Sushi 101 Classes where people can come in to learn not only how to make sushi, sushi rice, how to pair it together, but also we pair it with sake. We also include traditions. For example, if I am sitting with you, it’s never appropriate for you to serve yourself sake. I would serve you as it’s important to embrace hospitality and that’s what we do in our restaurants. The other thing is that sake is used at various ceremonies and rituals like weddings, sumo matches, etc. When we open a new restaurant, we will break a new cask of sake to celebrate the fact that we have just launched a new property.

AM: Should it be enjoyed hot or cold and are there certain sakes that should only be consumed one way?

AM: Another good point! We have been used to drinking it hot, but it’s another misconception that it should be enjoyed this way as it’s best slightly chilled or room temperature. It depends on the type of sake. The best type of sake in my opinion to warm is the fuller body or Junmai. When it’s warmed to the perfect temperature it becomes a little sweeter and softer. The more delicate sake should be enjoyed chilled because you are eating lighter types of food with it. That would be my recommendation.

AM: You talked a little about this earlier but how is the Spiked Sushi Roll made?

AM: The culinary and beverage teams put our heads together and tried to think about how the best way to celebrate sake month in Oct could be. Our chefs came up with a sushi roll where the tuna is marinated in sake and its rolled with seaweed and rice and we top it with two kinds of tuna, white and red. We then pair it with a Nigori sake which has been infused with cucumber. So of course, when you're ordering this sushi, we are going to card you – so bring your ID! You’ll also experience the rich flavors of Nigori sake with the tuna.

AM: How is it celebrated in Japan?

AM: Well basically, it’s more of a cultural celebration. This event really marks the start of the brewing season of sake. There are a number of small celebrations in the houses because people are saying goodbye to their loved ones before they go to the breweries to produce this beverage for days in a row. They have to be there everyday.

AM: So how long is the brewing season?

AM: It can go anywhere from 4 weeks to 8 weeks and then there is an aging period. So all together, it’s 6 months for it to be brewed. It's meant to be drank within a year. For our restaurants, that's why there is such a big dynamic in how we change our menus. It’s a great opportunity to try different styles because they are all going to be a little different.

AM: How do you toast someone or say cheers on World Sake Day?

AM: When you come to our restaurants, we have a lot of things going on during the whole month of Oct! But when you are with a group of friends, you just raise your glass and say kanpai! That’s the traditional way to say it in Japan.

IG @RA Sushi

Read more from the Sep Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Something You Should Know | Get Ready for World Sake Day in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #34 SEP 2018

We just released the Sept Issue of Athleisure Mag with our celeb cover, CNBC anchor, Melissa Lee. We talked with her about when she knew she wanted to be a journalist, reporting on finance news, how she approaches hosting 2 shows and how she takes time for herself. In this issue, we also chatted with Boy II Men’s Nathan Morris about his new show, Hit Properties with Nathan Morris on the DIY Network, out next month! We also recap NYFW SS19 and we talked with Dr Rebecca Robbins on how to prepare for your nightly rest as well as Daylight Savings Time.

Read the Sep 2018 Issue here.

BINGELY STREAMING

THE REALNESS

WNYC Studios

Spotify

Albert "Prodigy" Johnson of Mobb Deep passed away from his lifelong battle with Sickle Cell Anemia Blood Disorder last year and this six-part pocast series from WNYC Studios delves into how he got into the music industry, his talent, his fight for his health and the people that loved him that supported him professionally as well as keeping him well.

Throughout the podcast, you hear from Prodigy as well as his brother, former doctors, Big Twins and Roxanne Shante. Through his sicknes, this disease also shaped how he lived, his thoughts on life and eventually it left him to rap and times he battled the disease in order to perform.

Although he was in and out of the hospital to manage the disorder, Prodigy continued to tour in the last decade of his life despite feeling his bones were breaking and that he was on fire. The show takes you on his tours and shows how he navigated hip hop and had a series of people in his life that supported him in living his dream up to his last performance which would eventually begin his final hospital stay in Las Vegas.

S2. SLOW BURN

SLATE

Apple Podcasts

Slow Burn looks at what it was like going through political scandals. Last season, they focused on Watergate and the fall of Nixon from the infamous tapes to those that you may not have been familiar with the scandal who lent their voices to highlighting it.

This season, they focus on the Impeachment of Bill Clinton which includes a number of the -gate scandals and and of course Monica Lewinsky and the perfect storm that converged to bring all of these activities to light. The show covers the concern of Clinton's infidelities leading to his run for president, various women that were already known as well as how Linda Tripp cornered her "friend" Monica into talking with the FBI when she thought she was just meeting her for lunch.

We go behind the scenes with a number of people who worked with the Clintons as well as those who were on he investigation share their stories (even though Monica herself declined interviews for the podcast). Through the 8 episodes, listeners will revisit the events and see how it was framed.

ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE

Amazon Prime

Agatha Christie's novel is brought back to life again in Ordeal By Innocence. An aristocratic family looks to rebuild their life after the brutal death of their wealthy, philanthropic matriarch. With her death on her estate, the family looks at her adopted son Jack. Family wounds are reopened when a person arrives to provide an alibi for Jack who is accused and convicted of the murder.

When his name is cleared, there is the sobering reality that the murderer is still out there and has the potential to be one of them!

Read more from the Aug Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | SOURCED ADVENTURES

Founded in 2013, Sourced Adventures’ mission is to make the outdoor accessible and affordable to anyone and everyone who lives in New York City. Since then, they have expanded to more than 5 different US cities and now offer a suite of international destinations as well.

Sourced Adventures has its roots in the travel industry. The brand’s founder, Kyle Davidson was an Adventure Tour Guide in a previous life. Now, that same commitment to a great customer experience is embodied by the company’s tour guide feels as a central sentiment within the company culture. The SA Management team now consists of a diverse group of travel professionals with varied experience including the Ski industry and Outdoor Education.

We had the pleasure of attending a recent trip that left NYC and combined yoga in a vineyard, a wine tasting and some free time to enjoy the space as well as to continue drinking more wine. Day trips include your transportation, lunch on site and the opportunity to bring a group with you or to meet new people. Trips leave from two locations in the city earlier in the morning and return early evening which allows you to go home and continue your night.

Sourced Adventures has three main product offerings. The flagship products are local adventure day trips out of several US cities including NYC, DC, Boston and Chicago. The goal with these products is to make it easy for absolutely anyone to escape the city and get into the outdoors. They also have several guided and unguided international trips to destinations such as Iceland, Mexico, Scotland and more. Finally, they work with corporate and private clients to build tailor-made international itineraries or custom corporate retreats.

Feedback is an integral part when it comes to adding new adventures to the offerings at Sourced Adventures. When we attended our adventure, we noticed that a number of people had attended their Hiking and Brewing Program or had planned to do so. According to the Sourced Adventure team, this trip was included due to repeated requests from the community of travelers for a hiking trip to be offered.

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SOURCED ADVENTURES

85 Delancey

NY, NY 10002

www.sourcedadventures.com

IG @SourcedAdventures

Read more from the August Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure List | Sourced Adventures in mag.