ATHLEISURE LIST | SOHO GRAND

The Soho Grand is a favorite downtown hotel destination. We enjoy its ambiance as the hotel's design pays tribute to the 19th-century industrial elegance of SoHo marrying the grit of the artist lofts with the grandeur of the turn of the century's gilded age.

Bill Sofield, Cooper Hewitt Interior Design Award recipient and designer of retail boutiques for Tom Ford, Bottega Veneta, Yves St. Laurent, and Gucci, has collaborated with Soho Grand since its inception. He incorporated distinct architectural materials and styles that celebrate SoHo’s history.

Briana Stanley, the hotel's Creative Director, expanded on Sofield's concept when designing the new interiors. Paying homage to the hotel’s rich history while creating a thoughtfully refreshed space. Custom king beds are adorned with cognac leather and blue mohair headboards; bespoke oak armoires feature inset chicken-wire mirrors. The hardwood European oak wide plank floors are complemented by rich textured wall covering, vintage sconces and gilded brass mirrors.

When you're hungry, the Soho Diner serves upscale American favorites, The Grand Bar and Salon provides elevated bar bites and in the warmer months, Gilligans brings out seafood and summertime specialties. You can also head to the Club Room which is a staple in New York Nightlife, a glamorous haven that has carefully crafted cocktails, live music, and dancing.

On NYE, Soho Grand’s 14th Annual Black & White Masquerade Ball is an ode to Truman Capote's infamous Grand Masked Ball, hosted in New York 1966. The soirée was thrown in honor of Kay Graham and still seen as one of the most brilliantly eclectic parties of the century, attended by ingenious creatives across verticals. You can purchase your tickets as a farewell 2022 for an epic New Year’s Eve!

All bars are open and accessible for complimentary drinks from 9pm - 1am for all guests; and at midnight along with the confetti cannons bursting - everyone is served a champagne toast to ring in 2023 to Frank Sinatra, New York, New York in style.

DJs will sit atop the Reception Desk, making the lobby into a dance-floor, kicking off with Chopstix, then Baby Bro, DJ Reach and Erol bringing heat to your heels. The hosts for this night of glamour includes: Christian Siriano, Mohaby, Nick D'Orazio, Ryan Matthew and Nabeel Minaj.

Special packages for table guests include tableside bottle service – unlimited Tito’s Vodka, Casamigos Tequila and Champagne flowing from 9PM to close. They will serve appetizer bites with lobster mac & cheese croquets, caviar bellinis and mini-Grand Burgers until 11PM.

SOHO GRAND HOTEL

310 W Broadway

NY, NY 10013

sohogrand.com

IG @sohograndhotel

PHOTO CREDITS | Soho Grand

Read the DEC ISSUE #84 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | Soho Grand in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | STUDS

A number of 80's and 90's babies are familiar with what was involved in getting their ears pierced whether it was the mall, it seemed like a communal affair and not an experience that makes you feel like proper attention is being paid to it.

At STUDS in Soho, they allow their guests to enjoy the experience of getting their ears pierced. STUDS is focused on the EarScape - the combined art + science of decorating one’s ear with personalized piercings + earrings, resulting in a form of extreme self-expression.

Whether you have an appointment (there is an appointment window that you can book one within) or opt to walk in, STUDS encourages people to come in, browse and decide the style that they will get.

The process begins with a consultation to decide how many piercings you will get and whereas they have a chart showing a number of places along the ear that you can have. Upon deciding on what you will get, your ears will have a trained professionals that don't uses a needle and not an ear gun. In addition, this service will be conducted in a private room!

Just this process alone makes us wonder how we endured those mall days of getting our ears pierced. This studio focuses on ears and has a number of piercings from hoops, studs and more. In addition, pricing is straight forward with the cost being a flat rate that includes the number of piercings and the jewelry to avoid surprises!

It's worth noting that the jewelry offered at STUDS offers implant-grade metals: surgical steel, titanium, or 14k gold. All of their piercing jewelry is hypoallergenic, as is some of their non-piercing jewelry (any sterling silver options). For those with a nickel allergy, you’ll want to choose titanium or 14k gold pieces.

STUDS NOLITA

12 Prince St NY, NY 10012

www.studs.com

IG @Studs

Read the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure List | Studs in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | HIT HOUSE

In March 2018, Muay Thai focused method, Hit House opened in Nolita in a luxurious boutique studio. Created by husband and wife co-founders, Tyler Scott and Dana VanPamelen this studio offers Traditional Muay Thai kickboxing and Private Training.

Hit House is the first of its kind concept, focused on bringing the world of Muay Thai into group classes. This fitness method is disrupting the fitness landscape by making Muay Thai accessible to all types of fitness enthusiasts at all levels.

Classes are led by Muay Thai fighters turned trainers, the 50 minute fast paced, full-body workout class is designed to improve your cardio, muscle tone and fight skills with every punch, kick, knee and elbow. From the very beginner to the experienced fighter, all will find this class challenging and fun.

Tyler co-designed an exclusive floor to ceiling bag with Century Martial Arts called Bishop - hybrid heavy bag/fight dummy, designed to lessen the impact and prevent injury (and no bruises!). Bishop incorporates elements from four of the most commonly used bags in string-based martial arts. By combining these bags into one, this allows class members to train with lightweight gloves and leave the studio sans bruises.

It's made with a dense foam and doesn't swing from a chain, rather it bends and flexes with your strikes so you'll be able to throw more, full power combinations and really improve your technique.

Prior to practicing combinations, they teach form so you won't feel lost during the class. Classes include energizing pop and hip-hop mashups playing through their high-quality sound
system. The goal is for everyone to leave class with a feeling of accomplishment and self-confidence. The 4,800 sqft studio is designed by Hyphen & Co. and is inspired by a modern,
boutique hotel with industrial finishes, clean lines, and Thai inspired greenery.

With plans for expansion in multiple studios, the Nolita location offers men and women's locker rooms with showers, full refresh bar, lockers, state-ofthe-art sound system, exclusive Hit House apparel, gloves (rental at $2, for purchase at $20) and Hit House quick wraps (purchase for $2).

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HIT HOUSE
2 Spring St.
NY, NY 10012
www.hithouse.com
IG @hithouse

Read more from the July Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure List | Hit House in mag.

HIS SPRING EQUINOX

Obviously, the Spring has us all feeling a certain kind of way with changing temperatures, longer days and more. That's more time to take your workouts outside, run errands without worrying about the weather and eating outdoors. We sat down with menswear designer, Stan Cheung to talk about his line EYSOM, how he became a designer and how he will enjoy the upcoming Spring Equinox.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about your background and how you came to being a designer.

STAN CHEUNG: It wasn’t a conventional route. I began my career in Los Angeles, working in the executive buying program for May Department Store. Up till then, the experiences I had at the entertainment studios didn’t ignite my passions, so my mentor – who was the Dean of the Business School at USC – recommended that I pursue retail. He was right. It clicked. I fell in love with buying menswear. Back then there was a lot of autonomy in this role. You could take risks. You could be creative with buying assortments. But my experiences were cut short when Federated merged with May, and so my life took a turn and I moved to New York to work on private brands for Macys. 

New York City is where I really learned about the design world. My buying experiences in L.A. were a good fit for brand strategies in my new role. I quickly transitioned into product development after Macys saw my talent in this area. 

Working on multiple Macys’ brands led me to source factories all over the world, collaborate with them to create collections that resonated across Men’s, RTW and Children’s. I became fascinated in thinking, not only about fashion, but also about the white space and what would appeal to each brand’s end consumer.

Everyone knows New York is fast paced, which I loved. What I loved less were the long and weary winters. I longed for the L.A. sun. I came back to So Cal to take a role as creative director in the fast-fashion business. I led a design team that created collections for many of the largest U.S. retailers. In the business world of Juniors, you’re bound to create collections non-stop, and at some point you eventually burn out. That’s what happened to me. 

I took a short sabbatical to re-center. I spent a lot of time working on myself, both spiritually and physically, lots of meditation and workouts. Unable to find the right gym clothes, I decided to make them myself. With luck and good timing, I got a push through the Axe/Esquire Mentorship, and so EYSOM was born. 

AM: Tell us about EYSOM.

SC: EYSOM is truly a concept and collection that’s been brewing in my thoughts for over a decade. I’ve always been a workout fanatic. I take as much pride in my workout clothes as my “work” clothes. I found it so perplexing why it’s always so difficult to find great gym shorts. Men can find great jeans, fitted blazers, and the best dress shirts with much less effort. Why don’t the same rules apply to workout clothes?

EYSOM stands for “Exercise Your State of Mind”. The name itself is really about the journey to find balance between the body and the brain. In the logo, we used the M for Mind to reflect the sign of the heartbeat to show this connection as a symbol of feeling good — inside and out. Wellness today includes physical and spiritual wellness — we are much more conscious today of this wholeness feeling. We want integrity and totality in all that we do. 

The company really started from this emotion of wanting to offer men some thing better and different. I wanted to use really beautiful, yet technically functional fabrics. I wanted to create a line that was tailored, sporty and elegant at the same time. EYSOM is all about effortless designs that make you feel good when you put them on.
 

AM: How did it feel to have John Legend pick your brand to be included in the Axe Collective and what is the nature of this partnership?

SC: I was so honored. He’s such an amazing talent. In addition to being a style icon, he’s just an overall good guy. It was fantastic to have him be so into the brand. This encouragement gave me the extra energy to go after my vision. Had it not been for the Axe Collective, ESYOM would not have started when it did, and be where it is today.

AM: Presenting at NYFW Men’s must have been a great experience, tell us what it was like.

SC: It was such an amazing experience – it was so fast, but at that point in time, it was incredible to see the collection all come together. Now onto my third collection, it’s nice to see how the brand has evolved, but stayed true to that initial concept.

AM: You currently sell at Equinox, what's next for EYSOM?

SC: Equinox has been such a natural and organic fit. They’ve been hugely supportive of EYSOM. It has been an amazing way to expose their clients to the brand. Next for EYSOM, we are looking to organically expand in markets where there’s most interest – Europe and Asia. 

Also, I am starting to explore categories that people have been asking for. We have been asked since day one to add swimwear, including by Esquire Fashion Director Nick Sullivan. During the time the product has been in Equinox, we’ve also had a lot of requests to create a women’s line.

AM: What are the trends in menswear for this spring/summer that we can find in your line?

SC: EYSOM is always about being effortless and stylish all day, and year-round. You’ll notice our introduction into camouflage, which is a trend across all activewear, but we’ve taken a much more designer approach by playing with our signature print in a range of more sophisticated colors including sage green, brilliant navy, and red.

With the activewear trend, we also have our assortment of joggers and sweatshirts. 

AM: What are your favorite pieces in the EYSOM collection and where would we find you wearing them?

SC: Living in LA, you’ll find me wearing EYSOM about 90% of my life! I love the training shorts, because they have a tailored elegant feel that allows me to wear them in and out of the gym. I’m obsessed with the tops – usually in black, because the fabric is amazingly soft and you kind of don’t want to ever take it off.

AM: Where do you workout and what are your three favorite places to eat in NYC?

SC: I work out at Equinox obviously, but I’m also a regular at Barry’s Bootcamp because I love running. When I’m in NYC, I prefer running outdoors on the WSH or Central Park and just zoning out for miles at a time. 

I am a big food lover, especially in NYC. I think the right balance of a great workout is that you can enjoy and indulge in some great meals. My consistent go-to places would be Morimoto for sushi and Balthazar after working out in Soho. Indochine is my classic staple.

AM: With the Spring Equinox and having 12 hours of sun, how are you going to take advantage of the day?

SC: I’m obsessed with being outdoors, so I always take advantage of the LA sunshine. Hiking Runyon Canyon in the morning, enjoying the beaches of Malibu and Laguna, and of course, dining al fresco whenever I can. My favorite is The Beverly Hills Hotel or the garden at Pailhouse.

AM: What Axe Collection items are a part of your rotation?

SC: The Axe Gold Signature dry spray and skin hydrator body wash. 

Axe Gold Signature Dry Spray

Axe Gold Skin Hydrator Body Wash

Read more from the March Issue and read His Spring Equinox in mag.

BEYOND BALTHAZAR

Many of us have our favorite restaurants that we frequent. Maybe it's by our jobs, a workout studio or just a place that feels like home. You know the staff, menus, other regulars and more - but how much of an insider are you? At Balthazar, by Reggie Nadelson, looks at one of NYC's iconic restaurants in every way possible by breaking down who has been a part of its success, the staff that keeps it running smoothly, the patrons that visit and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: The book has a number of notables that have been at Balthazar: those in the literary, acting, publishing, and culinary communities. Although you are referencing them in terms of their visits to Balthazar, it's also a reflection of a who's who in your network! In reading this book, you're also sharing who you interact with, we'd welcome an invite to your dinner party anytime. Please tell us about your background as the diversity of characters shared in this book seem to represent people you have encountered during your day-to-day or through your work as a writer. What is your background as we know that you are a writer as well as someone who has eaten at a number of restaurants - tell us more. 

AUTHOR REGGIE NADELSON

REGGIE NADELSON: I think you’ll see in the book that many of the famous people are not necessarily my friends. I do have friends who are writers and actors, but most of my friends are lawyers, doctors, editors, house-painters, teachers, not necessarily famous; just fun. I grew up in Greenwich Village in a pretty free-wheeling world. It was the 1960s and 70s, and by the nature of the time and place, there was a lot of diversity. 

I’ve been a journalist all my adult life, have worked in London and New York, for magazines such as Departures and Conde Nast Traveller UK, as well as newspapers like the Independent and the Financial Times.

I’ve written a series of mysteries featuring Artie Cohen, a New York Cop, which have been published in New York, London and translated into a dozen other languages.

I’ve travelled a lot, including to Russia, Iran, across Europe and to South America., as well as across the USA.

AM: You have eaten at so many places, why did you decide to write a book about Balthazar as opposed to another restaurant in Keith McNally's portfolio or another restaurant group?

RN: The answer to this question is the book itself. I think you’ll find the first chapter really does it best. It has long been my neighborhood place, where friends and family hang out.

AM: There are a number of anthems/themes that run throughout the book - resilience (what it means in the restaurant industry, a retail establishment in the tough NYC market, and what it means in a 9/11 - post/9/11 world), the importance and necessity of immigrants, change and adaptation, the importance of being a brand that moves into a culture and how those who are at the helm continue to manage this, honoring the past (old NY vs new), and the global perspective (how Balthazar embodies a french style while being in the bustling center of the world) - were these intentional elements that you planned to weave in the book as this is very relevant in today's world and really makes you think of the intricate fabric that we live in.  

RN: Of course they were intentional elements. I’m glad it works for you.

AM: What do you think is next for Balthazar?
 
RN: Another twenty years, I hope.

AM: You share the many faces of Balthazar in terms of the interactions that you have had with the staff and identifying those relationships that are real versus those that exist during your meal - who has become a part of your personal network from the Balthazar world where you have a relationship with outside of the restaurant's world?

RN: James Weichert, who was the morning manager, has become one of my best friends, though he has moved on to real estate development.

AM: Your commitment to writing this book was so integral to making it a phenomenal read. When you went to the oysters farm (do you like them more now), meat processing plant, winery and received your potatoes - which of these trips were your favorite and those most insightful? 

RN: Gosh, I can’t really say. I enjoyed them all so much in various ways.

AM: Soho is just as much of a character as the restaurant and we've seen the changes that have come over this area - what do you think is next for this neighborhood?

RN: If I knew, I’d buy real estate and get rich. Hard to say. More shopping. More tourists?

AM: Do you think with the unique characteristics that make Balthazar what it is - that there will be the "next Balthazar"?

RN: For me, if something is unique, it is unique. There will certainly be another special restaurant, a place that stands out. But not a Balthazar.

AM: What's next for you - what are you working on and/or what's the next book of yours we should be reading?

RN: I’m working on a documentary about ELLA FITZGERALD for her 100th birthday, which is this year.

But you can always ready my mysteries, all available on Amazon under my name.

AM: We enjoyed reading the shifts of how Balthazar evolves from day to night and the characters that move about - what is your favorite time of day there?

RN: I like the very early morning when almost no one is there, and if I’m up, very late at night at the bar.

AM: In a general week, how many times would we see you at Balthazar?

RN: In a normal week, a couple of times at breakfast, maybe once each at dinner and weekend brunch

CHEF SHANE MCBRIDE

AM: What are your top 5 restaurants in NYC?

RN: Augustine, Aquagrill, Pig Bleecker, Café Cluny, Blue Ribbon Sushi

AM: What is your perfect meal at Balthazar for breakfast vs lunch vs dinner?

RN: Lunch: cheeseburger with raw onions and frites.

Dinner: cevice to start, Steak frites or skate, then banana ricotta tart for desert.  

AM: Who are your favorite people you interviewed for this book?

RN: It would be like choosing your favorite child, but Chef Shane McBride, and Chef Eric Ripert were fun.

AM: Will you write another book of this nature - if so what and do you plan on writing another about Balthazar?

RN: I just don't know.

AM: You span the 20 years of Balthazar while being extremely current to as late as last year, how long did it take for you to research and write this?

RN: In a sense, twenty years. In actual terms of writing, about two.

AM: When you're not eating at fabulous iconic places, what's a general NY day like for you?

RN: Up around 7, out to grab a coffee, back to do some writing, out to Fanelli’s, our local bar for a late breakfast/early lunch/ back to writing or doing interviews. Maybe a pilates class. Always a long walk.

Out to the movies, occasionally the theater, or a jazz club or concert with boyfriend/friends. Or out to eat with friends, or friends over to eat here.

I always read for a couple of hours be-fore bed, usually a novel.

Favorites: Pride and Prejudice, Age of Innocence, Anna Karenina, Midnight’s Children, Portnoy’s Complaint, The Yiddish Policeman’s Union…too many to name.

Interior pictures courtesy of Peter Nelson and book cover by Simon & Schuster

Read more from the Mar Issue and read Beyond Balthazar in mag.

STEP OUT FOR A DRINK

Spring means that being outside is a given. Any excuse/reason is welcome. To toast this, we put together three looks for after work drinks, impromptu poolside and post brunch beverages with our friend Rachel Sheen, who is in Marvel’s new movie, Deadpool.

We shot our brunch and after work looks at JIMMY Soho which sits atop the James Hotel and we’re sure these looks will find their way into your rotation.

| PHOTOGRAPHY Steve Zak | WARDROBE STYLIST Kimmie Smith/Accessory2 | MUA/HAIR STYLIST Christina Padilla |

ATHLEISURE MAG: What is the aesthetic/vibe of the JIMMY at the James Hotel?

JIMMY SOHO: JIMMY is a grown up, stylish, fun and unpretentious cocktail lounge that has indoor/outdoor capacity. We’re not a dance club although often people are bopping their heads to our DJs (THUR/FRI/SAT night and SAT/SUN afternoons in summer). We’re 18 floors above Soho/Tribeca with nearly 360 views of the city. JIMMY is a fairly intimate space, holding about 100 indoors with room for another 75 outside
in good weather. The vibe is for conversation and socializing, whether that’s after work or post-dinner.

AM: Since JIMMY lounge is a rooftop, what areas are guests able to enjoy now that spring is on its way?

JS: Our roof area is always open for people to step outside but right now people are more focused on staying cozy inside, sitting on couches by the floor-to-ceiling windows, grooving to some great music, and catching up with friends or making new ones.

AM: JIMMY Soho just had an Oscars party, what other events do you have coming up that we should place into our calendars?

JS: We always do Super Bowl and Oscar parties. The next afternoon we’ll have a special gathering will be for The Kentucky Derby. And we open
our afternoon pool-deck parties on May 21, which is when we start opening at 3pm on weekends with afternoon DJs. We’ll also be showing the Olympics this summer both out by the pool and indoors.

AM: What is the signature drink of JIMMY lounge and what are some of the favorite dishes that are enjoyed by guests?

JS: We don’t have one signature cocktail, but we have two cocktails since we have opened that we can’t take off the menu, the Legal
in Vermont-which is Bourbon, Maple, Cinnamon and Shisho over a cinnamon bark ice block, and the other one is The Grapes of Wrath-Vodka,
muddled Grapes and Cucumbers with Elderflower syrup and seltzer.

In terms of dishes the most popular are: Cheeseburger Sliders w/ Jalapeño & Parmesan Fries, Artichoke Flatbread w/ Garlic Ricotta & Fresh Basil
and Falafel Bites w/ Cucumber, Mint & Tzatziki. 

AM: Who are the creators of JIMMY lounge and what are their backgrounds in terms of the culinary and nightlife/mixology scene?

JS: JIMMY was developed by David Rabin and Johnny Swet. David was a founder of Lotus and other well-known nightspots, and is now a partner in Cafe Clover, The Lambs Club, The Skylark and JIMMY. Johnny Swet worked at many of the most iconic spots in NY like Bowery Bar and Pastis before opening his own places, Hotel Griffou and Rogue and Canon. He’s also the cocktail consultant for the Dream Hotel, Cafe Clover, The Skylark and JIMMY, and several other prominent NYC venues. 

AM: What makes JIMMY lounge distinctive in the nightlife scene?

JS: JIMMY is nightlife for people who are either “over” going to big clubs with EDM where they can’t hear themselves speak, or for groups to
gather for a cocktail or two before they head out for a real late-nighter. It’s also the ideal spot to spend a spring/summer weekend afternoon, sipping a cocktail out by the pool. In that way, it’s kind of “day-life”.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | JIMMY

JIMMY LOUNGE 15 Thompson St NY, NY 10013