HANDLING THE HOLIDAYS WITH CHEF TOM DOUGLAS

There are a number of events surrounding the holiday from those that you plan to those that just happen! We took some time to get tips from Chef Tom Douglas, an Executive Chef, Restaurateur of Tom Douglas Seattle Kitchen Restaurant Group, author and radio show talk host. He is known for his innovative role in defining Pacific Northwest cuisine. He won a James Beard Award in 1994 for Best Northwest Chef and in 2012 he won another for Best Restaurateur. He is the author of Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen which was named the Best American Cookbook by the James Beard Foundation and KitchenAid in 2001. Later he would appear on an episode of Food Network's Iron Chef America where he defeated Chef Masaharu Morimoto.

With a number of restaurants under his belt, Prosser Farm which provides all his restaurants with organically grown produce, a catering business, an event space, a product line of sauces and spices, a cooking school and NY Times Best Selling Author, he seemed like the perfect person to get us ready for our culinary challenges as well as how to be the hostest with the mostest.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you wanted to be a chef?

CHEF TOM DOUGLAS: Well you know, back in Highschool, I took Home Ec and it turns out there were a lot of girls in Home Ec and it seemed like I was in the right spot! I’ve been enamored with it ever since and it has become my life’s challenge, work and passion.

AM: How do you define your style of cooking?

CTD: I would call it Northwest in a way because for us the real key is to keep it simple. For us, I’d say that we spend about 50% of our time on trying to buy the best product and then really, it’s all about getting out of the way whether that comes down to wine or fish or meat. You just try to buy the most delicious things, put them together, walk away and let people enjoy them. That’s a real Northwest style.

AM: What is the most important part of creating a successful holiday party.

CTD: The plan! You have to have a plan. I plan everything – the dishware and the wines. I buy the wine about a week in advance so I can taste them and see what kinds of foods I want to serve with them. For me, at a party, I always want to have a little sparkling wine for people when they walk through the front door so I bought the Domaine Ste Michelle Brut and I made a homemade cranberry syrup, I got some cranberry bitters at the store and I made what I like to call, a Cranberry Fizz. It’s a welcoming pink fizz cocktail that goes great with Goat Cheese Fondue which is goat cheese, cream and chives that are mixed together – super simple with grilled bread and apple slices which gives you a welcoming feeling that says, “I’m happy to have you at my house.”

AM: That sounds pretty easy for a lot of people to do!

CTD: Well, it’s super easy and I serve them in individual goat cheese fondue pots so that you don’t have the big crush! A lot of people have the one big fondue pot and it gets a little funky in there after a few minutes. With these, I can just put them around the house because they have little tealight candles under them and you can refresh them at any point and just a couple of people are eating out of them. It’s a nice way and trick to have a successful fondue party.

AM: You mentioned that you want to test the wine about a week in advance – why is this something that we should do?

CTD: Because I want to think about things and get things prepped in advance. So let’s take this Eroica Riesling for example, I tried it and it has this lemony kind of citrusy flavor. It’s a bit sweet and has nice acidity. It seemed to me that it would go with all sorts of foods and I know that in my menu planning, I want some vegetarian and some not and some gluten free and some not for dishes. So it’s all part of that process and I thought about the wine and decided on a leek and potato empanada. It’s got cheese tarragon in it which is fragrant and I just baked them off and the treat is that I can get them all made up and then freeze them raw so an hour or two before your party, you can pull them out and bake them and it feels like you made them that afternoon. Those are little tricks of the trade that help you to be a more successful party planner.

AM: How easy is it for someone to take a dish and change it for those that are vegetarian, gluten free or other kinds of dietary needs?

CTD: Well it’s super easy because just 10 years ago, it was hard to find a good gluten-free flour, now they’re all over the place and they’re really good! Gluten-free flour, pasta, you name it – the key has been into the lock on gluten- free so we have delicious foods that way. Simplicity is key and vegetarian is key too so this little fennel tart that I made – a little caramel, a little fresh fennel slices and a little gluten free fennel on top, you cook them upside down so when you pop them out you get this golden mahogany nugget of deliciousness and you can serve it just like that or you can take a nice piece of Wagyu beautiful steak like what I have here and sear it and slice it thin and put it right on top and now you have a meat eaters delight. So with the same dish, you have made a classic dish that no one has had vegetarian wise and something for the meat eater that is coming to the party.

You know that you’re going to have red wine and we have the Chateau St Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon from Indian Wells Vineyards so you need a rich dish to go with a wine like that. You’ve got a party with all of these different kinds of wines and it really helps to try them in advance and then to plan the apps to go with them!

AM: What are ingredients that we should always have at home just in case someone comes by that we don’t expect and then it becomes a bit of a party?

CTD: That happens all the time at my house – that’s so funny! There are some really good premade dough out there. I try to always keep in my freezer, a pie dough and puff pastry dough. It’s the beginning of everything good and I always keep a chunk of smoked salmon in my fridge. We have beautiful wild salmon here and it would go along with all of these wines (probably not the red one that we talked about). I always keep that around and have good crackers, a little fresh chevre (goat cheese) – those are some of my ideas on quick apps to get things rolling.

AM: What are your suggestions for dishes to make for office parties for busy people that want to look like they have spent so much time on them?

CTD: Well they have to look good right? I mean, if you’re bringing it to work, it’s going to be hours later. One of the dishes I love to make which everybody loves them is a Roasted Vegetable Salad. It goes great with a Northwest Chardonnay. Take all the different veggies – fennel, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, pepper rings – all those different vegetables, douse them with a little olive oil and pop them into a 500 degree oven and roast them off until you have all kinds of caramelized edges, and dress them with lemon juice and vinegar. Bring a bottle of the Eroica and bring it to the office as you’re going to be a hero because you have solved every problem right? You’ve solved gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan!

IG @TomDouglasCo

Read more from the Dec Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Handling the Holidays with Chef Tom Douglas in mag.

RAF'S GAMBIT

Thanksgiving is this month and while many of us are looking forward to family, friends, food etc. This year, an extra amount of anticipation for the national holiday means the debut of NETFLIX/Spike Lee's 'She's Gotta Have It' which begins streaming on the network for this movie turned series. Rafael V DeLeon plays Manny Garciela and we caught up with him in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 

ATHLEISURE MAG: We've seen you in print campaigns and we know that you have acted in a number of shows/films, tell us about your journey in both areas.
 
RAFAEL V DELEON: Yes, I have! Well, the journey is still ongoing, but I’m extremely grateful for the opportunities I have been given so far. When I first moved to NYC, I worked the graveyard shift at a hotel. That was the bottom...I mean, “beginning” of the journey. lol
 
AM: Tell us about your role in Netflix/Spike Lee's 'She's Gotta Have It', how long were you filming and what was the auditioning process like? 
 
RVD: I filmed scenes over the course of several months. The audition process was like any other; you go in, do your best work, and leave the room knowing you gave it your best. 

AM: In your opinion, how has 'She's Gotta Have It' been tweaked from the world it existed in 1986 to now?
 
RVD: Well for starters, in 1986, social media didn’t exist. The integration of social media and cell phones are the two biggest tweaks. Other themes like: racial inequality, gentrification, feminine empowerment, and social justice were already top-of-mind issues for Spike...back in 1986. “Been Woke” as Spike would say.    

AM: What did you know about this movie prior to auditioning and what are your thoughts on this now that you have played the part of Manny Garciela that plays the best friend of Mars Blackmon played by Hamilton's Anthony Ramos?
 
RVD: I was familiar with the project but had not seen the film prior to auditioning. I had done my research on the film and prepared accordingly though.  My thoughts now are “Whoa. What an experience!” To work with creatives at the top of their game both in-front of and behind the camera is a milestone moment for me. You find yourself surrounded by so much talent it’s awe-inspiring sometimes. 

AM: With 'She's Gotta Have It' streaming on Thanksgiving, how excited are you to be a part of this iconic series?
 
RVD: As excited as Spike was when the Yankees won the World Series in 2009. 
 
 

AM: We know that you live in Brooklyn, where are your 3 favorite places to eat, workout and to grab a beer?

RVD: 1.) Eat- I really enjoy Archie’s Pizza in Bushwick (I hope they read this). 

2.) Workout- Any playground basketball court. Always good competition there. 

3.) Grab a beer - The Rookery Bar (I REALLY hope they read this). 

AM: Do you still play basketball as we know that you played Division I at Temple?

RVD: Temple is not only Division I, but is the 5th winningest Men’s Basketball program in NCAA history behind Kentucky, Kansas, UNC, and Duke; but I digress. ;) 

I do still play! A colleague of mine has pick-up every week (shout out to DG) and gets a bunch of ex-division 1 guys together for weekly runs. 

AM: What's your personal style when you're going out to grab a drink versus when you're running errands?
 
RVD: Oh man, when I’m going out I try to dress in something that is comfortable, individualist, and on-trend. When I am running errands? Whatever is clean.  
 
AM: What roles can we see you in next?
 
RVD:I have a few opportunities in the pipeline, but nothing I can announce currently. I will just say that I am excited for what 2018 has in store.
 
AM: With Christmas around the corner, what are you doing this season and where will you spend NYE?
 
RVD: I am spending the week leading up to Christmas with my family in Prince Georges County, MD and will be traveling to Costa Rica on the 26th through the new year! 
 
AM: Tell us about charities that you are a part of? 
 
RVD: I work closely with the Make-A-Play organization, Camp Ryan, and volunteer at a middle school in my neighborhood. Lending a hand in my community is something that is very important to me.
 
AM: Is there anything else that you would like to tell us that we have not covered?

RVD: I love playing Chess, day-trading stocks, reading The Atlantic, and watching critically-acclaimed films with my Somali princess. Oh, and I still haven’t beaten a local chess-master in Union Square.

Our shoot took place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at the McCarren Hotel and Pool as well as the famed The Meatball Shop. You can watch Rafael V Deleon on NETFLIX in Spike Lee's, 'She's Gotta Have It' streaming now. You can also connect with him socially. 
 
Twitter | @RafaelVDeLeon
Instagram | @RafaelVDeLeon
Facebook | /RafaelVDeLeon

We're big fans of The Meatball Shop at Athleisure Mag and it was fun to chat with their Marketing Director Natasha Miller about their history, menu, neighborhood locations and spirit.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about The Meatball Shop - what the concept behind the restaurant is, who are the co-founders, when it was created, and current as well as upcoming locations of this eatery. 

NATASHA MILLER: The co-founders are Daniel Holzman (Chef) and Michael Chernow, a pair of childhood friends who opened the first The Meatball Shop location on the Lower East Side in 2010. Since then, they’ve expanded to open locations in the Upper East Side, West Village, Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, and Williamsburg. The Meatball Shop is all about eating responsibly sourced, delicious food in a fun, hip location. 

AM: What are some of the signature dishes and cocktails that are available at The Meatball Shop? 

NM: The beauty of The Meatball Shop is that you can put together any dish you'd like! But, some of our guest's favorites combos are definitely our Classic Ball (a mix of beef and pork meat) with our Classic Tomato over Spaghetti. Our Kitchen Sink Salad is also a big hit with our guests. Our cocktail menu changes seasonally, but I’d say our Moscow Mule is pretty classic (and delicious).

AM: For those who are vegetarian, can they also enjoy the experience at The Meatball Shop? 

NM: Totally! We have vegan veggie balls that are out of this world, I like them best with our pesto, but they can be served however you’d like! We're all about cooking seasonally and are always changing up our awesome roster of veggies sides. Currently were serving sides like Roast Brussels Sprouts and Apples, Braised Kale and Tomato Soffrito, and Butternut Squash Sage Rissoto. 

AM: If you haven't done so already, can you tell us about Sidepiece? 

NM: Sidepiece is the bar connected to our Hell’s Kitchen location – you walk to the back of the restaurant, past the restrooms, through a little hallway, and you’re there! Sidepiece has a totally different cocktail menu and acts as our meatball test kitchen where we serve some super fun dishes like Pretzels Balls and Meatball Nachos, in a speakeasy-esque space. It can also be rented out for private parties too!

AM: With a number of locations in NYC, what is the thought of the aesthetic of the restaurant in relation to the location of the neighborhood that it resides in? 

NM: The aesthetic of each individual restaurant definitely changes based on the neighborhood that surrounds it. We want each location to feel like its own restaurant - the Williamsburg location, for example, is more subdued and looks lovingly worn in, while the Lower East Side shop has a poppy-feel, with a deep navy wall coated in bright white metal meat grinders. 

AM: We shot a portion of our shoot in the Williamsburg location of The Meatball Shop. What can you tell us about this particular location (when it opened, those who tend to stop in)? 

NM: We opened up our Williamsburg Shop in 2011 and it's become a stable of Bedford Ave. We get a lot of neighborhood locals for sure but as the neighborhood has changed we're also seeing a ton of tourists stop in which has been really fun. We recently started serving brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am-4:00pm – this was the first location we started doing so, and it’s been a nice change of pace.

AM: What can we expect with the upcoming holiday season in terms of events or promotions taking place at The Meatball Shops? 

NM: We’re just about to launch our latest SHUT skateboard deck design, which will be available on our website. We encourage fans of the brand to check out our other gear as well, like our Ballers sweatshirt, Ballerina Tee, and our jarred Classic Tomato Sauce- which can all be found at www.themeatballshop.com.
 

AM: What are the Co-Founders' favorite dishes at The Meatball Shop? 

NM: Michael Chernow loves a Kitchen Sink with Veggie Balls and Pesto and Daniel Holzman loves a heartier dish of Pork Meatballs with Spicy Meat Sauce over Polenta with a Family Jewel on top!

AM: Are there new dishes (whether ongoing or seasonal) that will be coming to The Meatball Shop? 

NM: We just started serving our Grilled Cheese balls in all of our locations this week – they sit like dumplings atop a layer of cream of tomato soup and are dangerously good. Right before Christmas, we will be bringing back our Jingle Jingle Balls made with venison and paired with a traditional Cumberland Sauce. We also have a killer Bread Pudding special for dessert this month!

AM: We know that you can buy The Meatball Shops' sauce and cookbook, are there other items that are available that people can purchase when they can't get to the physical locations? 

NM: We love designing merch! In addition to our sauce and cookbook, you can find our "Balls" shirts, Grinder Snapbacks, and Grinder Carhartt Beanies at all of our shops. We also carry limited quality items such as our Hedley & Bennet Aprons, "Mini Meatball" Onesizie, and (Baller)INA Pink T-Shirts that you can find in our different shops!

Read more from the Nov Issue and see Raf's Gambit in mag.

FOREVER AGAINST ANIMAL TESTING

Growing up, we couldn't spend enough time at The Body Shop. Whether it was the variety of lip balm scents, tools to apply skincare or the natural products that were used - there was always a reason to swing by this beauty boutique. Central to the ethos of this brand was the fact that the brand has always been cruelty-free and 100% vegetarian. It wasn't until we got older that we realized the importance of this stance and as many are still finding their way
to bring these practices to their brands, The Body Shop has always embraced this concept.

In 1989, the brand launched its first cruelty-free campaign and in 1997, they were the first cosmetic company to be certified with the Leaping Bunny (The Leaping Bunny certification is the only internationally recognized scheme that enables consumers to easily identify/purchase cosmetic and toiletry products that have not been tested on animals) logo.

This month, The Body Shop has partnered with Cruelty Free International, the leading non-profit organization working to end animal testing. Together, they are working on a campaign to collect 8 million signatures from people all over the world by 2020. To date, 80% of countries don't have laws against it - including the United States. By doing so, they will be able to petition the UN to request an international convention that bans animal testing globally everywhere.

With this upcoming effort, you can lend your voice by signing their petition online, at The Body Shop stores and sharing socially @TheBodyShop #ForeverAgainstAnimalTesting. To find out more about this initiative, we sat down with Megan Grant, General Manager, USA - The Body Shop.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about The Body Shop.

MEGAN GRANT: The Body Shop is an iconic British retail brand with an extensive and growing global presence. The Body Shop was founded in 1976 by Dame Anita Roddick in Brighton,
England, and blossomed from Anita’s personal belief that business could be a force for good. Since its founding, The Body Shop has always created innovative, naturally-inspired products.
We’re dedicated to enriching people as well as the planet, working fairly with farmers and suppliers, and are committed to helping communities thrive through our Community Trade program. In addition, The Body Shop was the first international beauty brand to campaign against animal testing in cosmetics back in 1989. We have never tested any of its ingredients or products on animals, and never will.

AM: What does Cruelty-Free mean and why has this been such an issue in the beauty industry?

MG: Cruelty-Free means not tested on animals, however, this is an ongoing issue in the beauty industry because cruelty-free is a label term and not established by law (yet). While there has
been considerable progress in animal testing, animal testing of cosmetic products and ingredients is legally allowed in 80% of countries worldwide. The only way to make sure that the practice is ended is to build on the groundwork carried out by Cruelty Free International and The Body Shop since 1989 to ensure that a global ban is established. As current, Cruelty Free International estimates that more than 500,000 animals are used for testing every year, and a global ban would bring to a close decades of animal suffering and would ensure that customers everywhere can shop with the confidence that no animals were harmed for their cosmetics.

AM: How do you know if your products are in fact Cruelty-Free?

MG: Make sure that the ingredients are cruelty-free and the product is backed by science and research. Consumers will know our products are cruelty-free because of the packaging. The Body Shop is adding the Leaping Bunny logo or the words “Against Animal Testing" to all of our packaging. This means that the product is certified by Cruelty Free International.

OUR FAVORITES FROM THE BODY
SHOP THAT ARE PERFECT FOR THE
SUMMER | Ultra Fine Bath Lily | Round
Cotton Pads | Moisturizing Lip Care
Stick | Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter
| Wild Argan Solid Oil Lips | Limited
Edition Piñita Colada Shower Gel |
Brazilian Cupuaçu Exfoliating Scrub In
Oil | Matte Kajal White Eyeliner |

AM: You partnered with Cruelty-Free International, who are they and what does this partnership mean for The Body Shop?

MG: Cruelty-Free International is the leading organization working solely to end animal experiments worldwide. It is the first global non-profit organization dedicated to ending cosmetic product and ingredient testing on animals. For The Body Shop, this partnership
will allow us as a brand to reclaim ownership of the fight against animal testing forever. We want to raise awareness of the issue to customers and deliver the largest and most ambitious
campaign ever to seek a global ban on the use of animal testing in cosmetic products and ingredients.

AM: There are those that argue that animal testing takes place as it's the greatest indicator of how those products will react to humans; however, animal testing only reflects 40-60% of
the reactions that humans have. Alternative methods of testing can indicate 80% of the reactions, what are alternative methods of testing?

MG: There has been a lot of progress made in establishing alternative non-animal testing methods, and these progressive alternatives are often cheaper, faster and better at predicting
human reactions. Further, the results acquired by these animal tests, in many cases, are only 40-60% effective. Humane alternatives to animal tests can use simple organisms like bacteria or human tissues and cells as well as sophisticated computer models. Human tissue can be grown in the lab from donated human cells, and the tests use reconstituted human skin and other tissues from voluntary donations. Computer models also provide the ability to replicate aspects of the human body, and can be used to predict the safety of new cosmetic substances based on knowledge of existing substances.

AM: You're currently promoting the Forever Against Animal Testing Campaign and seeking signatures - what will take place after getting the signatures?

MG: The Body Shop’s goal is to collect eight million petition signatures by 2020. Once achieved, and together with Cruelty Free International, we will be taking the signatures to the UN General Assembly and asking to pass an international convention that will ban animal testing everywhere and forever. By creating international action at this level we will also be demonstrating the fact that the public believes the time to end animal testing for cosmetics
is long gone and that the practice should stop.

AM: How will you continue to bring awareness to this issue?

MG: Forever Against Animal Testing will always be an issue The Body Shop will fight against. We are aiming to engage eight million people to sign the petition calling on the United Nations
to introduce an international convention to end the practice once and for all. The petition can be signed online or at any of The Body Shop's 3,000 stores across the world. The more voices raised in support of the campaign from every corner of the world, the more likely we are to succeed. That is why we are asking everyone, everywhere, to support our campaign and add their voice to the global call on the UN to ban animal testing for cosmetics. We’re also encouraging consumers to use the campaign hashtag, #ForeverAgainstAnimalTesting, on social media to raise awareness of the issue.

Read more from the June Issue and read Forever Against Animal Testing in mag.

5 CLEAN EATING SPOTS

Clean eating includes plant based options, organic/grass fed meat options, etc. We did a roundup of some of our favorites in LA and in NYC that are perfect for the summer.

Read more from the July Issue