ATHLEISURE LIST | PUA MANU CLUB

Founded in 1997, Paradise Helicopters is the leading locally owned and operated provider of air-tour, charter and commercial service flights in Hawai‘i. Paradise is an award-winning, veteran-owned company that is widely recognized for safety practices and exclusive tours that immerse guests in the awe-inspiring natural beauty, history and culture of Hawai'i.

Tours are offered from Kapolei West O‘ahu and Turtle Bay Resort on O‘ahu, Lana‘i, and from Hilo, Waimea and Kona on the Island of Hawai‘i; custom charters are available statewide, and specialty flights on an authentic WWII aircraft are available through Pearl Harbor Warbirds on O‘ahu.

In 2021, Paradise opened up a luxury membership service to the Pua Manu Club that provides VIP amenities and priority access to private flights on its Bell 430 twin-engine helicopter.

This service is across O‘ahu, Maui, Lana‘i and the Island of Hawai‘i. The membership offers guests an exclusive package of benefits on flights, retail, catering and ground activities, as well as helicopter access throughout the year. Luxury SUV ground transportation in West Hawai‘i is included. Membership starts at $40,000 per year.

Guests can sink into comfortable leather seating and enjoy an incredibly smooth ride in Paradise's Bell 430. It is the best choice for island hopping and overwater sightseeing by virtue of its reliability and stability. The Bell 430 also offers the largest cargo capacity of any tour helicopter in Hawai‘i, and seats up to seven guests.

Members enjoy safe and experienced operations, access to Paradise-exclusive landings for statewide excursions, direct transportation between Paradise's network of private terminals and convenient heliports. Automatically check-in en route with heli-side service and no delay in boarding, carbon offsets for each flight with Paradise's Green Your Seat program which supports the reforestation of native trees in Hawai'i, seating of up to 7 guests with enhanced cargo space for 4 golf bags and in-flight beverage and gourmet snacks as well as access to Paradise's private VIP airport lounge. You can arrange for an interpretive guide (such as a world-renowned volcanologist on a visit to Volcanoes National Park), as well as private heliports to minimize wait and travel times.

Guests can use their flight time on custom flights or select from air-tour and charter experiences across their Romance, Cultural, and Malama Collections.

Paradise Helicopters

Kona International Airport

73-341 Uu Street

Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

puamanuclub.com

IG @paradisehelicopters

PHOTOS COURTESY | Pua ManuClub

Read the NOV ISSUE #71 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | Pua Manu Club in mag.

IN THE ORANGE WITH ELLEN LATHAM

We've walked by a number of Orangetheory Fitness studios here in NYC, as well as other locations across the country. Known for their interval training and having the data accessible for accountability as well as to create positive competition, we were thrilled to have an opportunity to talk to its founder Ellen Latham. We wanted to find out more about her motivation behind the creation of the studio, empowering others and how she gives back.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about your background and were you always interested in being an entrepreneur?

ELLEN LATHAM: Before Orangetheory, I owned a pilates studio and my members were very frustrated. Pilates was giving them some fantastic core strength, but was not hitting their metabolism, so I opened a studio with a solution I called ‘Ellen’s Ultimate Workout’ that included cardio and strength training. A year later I was approached to franchise it and that’s how Orangetheory developed.

AM: What was the aha moment that made you realize that Orangetheory Fitness was something you wanted to create and what was the process like in realizing that this was something that should become a national chain?

EL: The members at my pilates studio were complaining it wasn’t affecting their metabolism. They were taking cycling classes, boot camps and working out at the gym and nothing was working. I wanted to find the best way to coach people in fitness. That’s why I committed to growing Orangetheory into something everyone can experience and enjoy.

AM: Tell us about HIIT and why you feel it is beneficial for everyone?

EL: Interval training is the most efficient way to increase calorie burn. At Orangetheory, we’ve made it very simple with our endurance, strength and power routines that push members to work harder in bite-size intervals to produce afterburn. Our members burn up to 20 percent more calories the first 24 hours after a workout.

AM: How important is it to motivate whether you're in the gym or outside of it?

EL: The coaches at Orangetheory focus on being inspiring and coaching with language that encourages people and makes them successful. This positive reinforcement, inside and outside
the gym, is the key to success at Orangetheory.

AM: What recent successes have taken place at Orangetheory and what should we keep our eye out for?

EL: 2017 was amazing for Orangetheory Fitness. We opened our first studio in Tokyo, Japan, which was a tremendous success for our international endeavors. We’ve also taken our technology to the next level and passed the 800-mark for the number of open studios.

Our primary goals for 2018 are to continue to open 5 to 6 studios a week and to continue bringing our fitness professionals to the next level. We’ve hired a clinical exercise physiologist
and have plans to build a lab at the corporate office to prove Orangetheory not only gives you more daily energy, but can extend your life. As always, I plan to continue to be an intentional
learner and work on being a better version of myself.

AM: When did you realize that in addition to giving people the keys to a great body, that you also wanted to empower others through motivational speaking and what do you enjoy about this portion of your work?

EL: I’ve always tried to connect with members beyond the physical benefits of a workout by speaking to the mind and spirit. I enjoy the motivational opportunities that public speaking provides.

AM: Are there charities/philanthropies that you give your time to?

EL: Orangetheory has raised more than $2 million dollars for Augie's Quest (ALS). We hope to raise this amount to $3 million dollars in 2018. Personally, I’ve been involved with Women in Distress and children's hospital fundraisers.

Read more from the Feb Issue and see In the Orange with Ellen Latham in mag.

FROM AIR TO TABLE

Chef Robert Irvine is known for his ability to come into restaurants and turn them around while also boosting the morale of the owners and staff. He is also known for his work with the military through his USO efforts, serving them during the holidays and working out. In addition to his work in these areas, you'll see him frequently on Food Network, morning shows, his own restaurants as well as with additional items within his brand that include gyms, his own food line FIT Crunch and more. 

During NY's Food and Wine Festival, we caught up with Chef Irvine at JetSmarter's Meet and Greet at Hunt & Fish Club in midtown to find out about his role as an ambassador with the charter, his work out routine and how he is spending the holiday season. 

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us the level of your involvement is with JetSmarter.

ROBERT IRVINE: I’m an ambassador and I am also a user of the service as well as I travel 340 days out of the year.

I’ve partnered with JetSmarter to help design handcrafted meals for members – ensuring access to a healthy meal even in the middle of traveling when many people seem to eat whatever is most convenient. I’m excited about this new partnership with JetSmarter because we share the same views about the culture of air travel and never compromising the quality of a meal, whether on the ground or in the air. Each meal is prepared just hours before takeoff, made fresh to order in Manhattan’s Great Performances catering kitchen. 

AM: What are your favorite amenities that are available at JetSmarter?

RI: JetSmarter gets me to where I'm going quickly and has changed the way I travel as flights can be booked through the app which saves time and there are a number of routes available. It's a no hassle service which is great for me.

AM: With the holidays coming up what is a typical Chef Irvine feast?

RI: It really depends as I spend a lot of time at military bases serving the nation's men and women. I think the holiday season is so important to spend time with loved ones and those that you honor and to give the gift of time. 

AM: How do you stay fit and what is your diet like?

RI:  I work out six days a week and I am able to work out each muscle group using low weights and higher reps. I start each session with 30 minutes of cardio and then each day focus on a different muscle group (chest, legs, arms, etc.). Use a low amount of weight so you can do a higher amount of reps, typically four sets of 12 to 15 reps.

I eat small meals more frequently — eight to 12 meals a day, every two and a half hours. My protein is literally — whether it be chicken or shrimp, whatever it is — no bigger than a deck of cards each meal. And my starch — rice, potatoes, French fries even — no bigger than a mouse you use on your computer per meal. In the afternoon, I don't do carbs. I just do protein and salads and vegetables.

Read more from the Oct Issue and see From Air to Table in mag.