Read the NOV ISSUE #119 of Athleisure Mag and see #TRIBEGOALS in mag.
Read the NOV ISSUE #119 of Athleisure Mag and see THE PICK ME UP in mag.
PHOTO CREDIT | Chloe Wine Collection
And just like that, we’re in the Holiday Season. We are days away from a New Year and yet the final month is filled with weeks of activities that can definitely make our calendar look like complete chaos! We know that we have a number of events, deadlines to meet, gifting to do, meals and more! With all that is going on, we want to look amazing wherever we’re going. Chloe Wine Collection and Drybar have launched their Holiday Bow Bar at participating salons that allows you to mix beauty, gifting, and your favorite Drybar studio across the country.
Today through Jan 4th, you can book the Holiday Bow Bar Experience Bow & Wine Upgrade to take your blowout to the next level with a glass of Chloe Pinot Grigio (21+ at participating locations to enjoy responsibly) and a designer Lele Sadoughi bow. In addition to booking your appointment, you can bring up to 2 gifts to be professionally wrapped complimentary (during 2 of busiest holiday weekends if you are in NYC - Tribeca, LA - Culver City, or Dallas - North Park on Dec 13th, 14th, 20th, and 21st for the Holiday Bow Bar Wrapping Experience) while getting your hair done and enjoying a glass of wine.
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
Read the NOV ISSUE #119 of Athleisure Mag and see YUZU BEAUTY in mag.
PHOTO CREDIT | Justin Pagano
In this month’s issue, our front and back cover story is with singer/songwriter and producer, JJ Julius Son of Grammy nominated Kaleo who is known for their song, Way Down We Go. We talk with him about his creative process, how the band came together, touring in iconic venues, his wine in partnership with Maison Wessman, collaborations with Kingmaker cigars and Clocks + Colour that includes hats and jewelry.
We caught up with Chef Kristen Kish to talk about her upcoming shows that we can't wait to see her hosting S23 of Bravo's Top Chef: Carolinas, which returns in Spring '26 and she is joining the cast of Peacock's Traitors for S4 which premieres in Jan. We also talk about the importance of kindness and her partnership with KIND bars, holiday gifting, and more!
We sat down with the cast and the Creator/Executive Producer and writer of STARZ's Spartacus: House of Ashur to talk about this alternate timeline show and what we can expect from a sure to be riveting series!
After attending a dinner at Manhatta where we got to hear from Medtronic about their latest device, Altaviva that allows those who have battled bladder contol problems to have a better quality of life, we took some time to find out more about the device and to learn about incontinence with Dr. Janet Harris-Hicks.
We enjoyed taking a class at Pvolve in partnership with Hers to find out about menopause and why mobility is so important as this stage of life is being navigated. We talk with members of each brand's executive team to find out about the program and what we need to know.
We sat down with Chef David Rose to find out about Holiday Eats as we prepare to make meals during this time of years as well as tips that will let us enjoy them and our guests!
We pop down to DCs Georgetown to enjoy Thai street food at Rimtang where the recipes are passed down from the chef/owner Saran Peter Kannasute's mother who also works at this restaurant in this month's The Art of the Snack.
This month's Athleisure List comes from Cash Mountain Ranch which is Johnny Cash's former home that you can enjoy staying in when you're looking for a bit of rest and relaxation in Casita Springs, CA. In addition, Taqueria Condesa in Hell's Kitchen makes sure that we get all of our taco and cocktail needs met!
Our 9DRIP feature comes from this month's cover - JJ Julius Son who shares what he purchased for himself when he felt that he made it, his go-to style, and how he gave back to friends, family, and mentors. Kay Sides, founder of Roam and owner of HATCh Showroom shares her 9LIST STORI3S for her must-haves in beauty, style, and fitness. This month's 9PLAYLIST comes from DJ/Celebrity Choreographer Matt Steffania as he shares what he is listening to on his playlist. Our 9LIST 9M3NU includes Chef Karen Akunowicz, Chef Matthre Cutolo, and Chef/Host Jeff Mauro who shares what they love about the Fall, ingredients that they cook at this time, and what we should enjoy when we come in to dine with them.
Read the NOV ISSUE #119.
We’re looking forward to the Rockstar Energy Open at the Breckenridge Ski Resort that takes place from Dec 19-21st in Breckenridge, Colorado. This 3 day festival is free and open to the public and showcases world-class snowboarding competitions, live music, art, installations and an interactive fan village with Breck’s 5 iconic peaks in the background. You’ll enjoy elite pros as well as rising stars!
The inaugural snowboarding edition of the Rockstar Energy Open will include both men’s and women’s divisions and spotlight a star-studded roster of Rockstar Energy athletes, including Olympic gold medalist Red Gerard, Colorado native Nik Baden, and fan-favorite Iris Pham.
The Rockstar Energy Open will also debut a new world-class rider-designed course created in partnership with Snow Park Technologies and the Breck Terrain Park Crew. The competition venue will feature a unique muli-terrain setup unlike traditional slopestyle, halfpipe or big air formats.
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
PHOTO CREDIT | NBC Universal
We know that this time of year has a number of activites that we enjoy over the next few weeks. Thanksgiving allows us to come together either on Turkey day itself or whichever days that you tend to share with others. For us, we enjoy that while we wait for an epic dinner, we have a slate of shows to get us ready for the holiday season. For those that are interested in getting a peek on what to expect for the big day, Countdown to the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on 11.26.25 from 8 - 9pm ET on NBC as well as Peacock to enjoy live. You get to enjoy what goes into preparing for this show. Following this show, continue on to watch A Saturday Night Live Thanksgiving from 9 - 11pm ET. Of course, on Thanksgiving, it’s all about the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade from 8:30am - 12pm ET (if you miss it, it plays again at 2pm and then you can catch it on Peacock). We always enjoy watching the National Dog Show Presented by Purina to our favorite breeds hit the show floor.
For a 3rd year, we’re covering the Food Network NYC Wine Food Festival presented by Invesco QQQ. This year’s culinary event took place at The Seaport featuring tastings, dinners, and education from Oct 15th - Oct 19th. As we have done in the past years of coverage, we cover the events, interview those who hosted events as well as culinary participants, and adjacent activities, restaurants and our partnering hotel that hosted us this year to add in the perfect Staycation to bring it all together. Each season, the coverage gets larger and we know that you’ll enjoy getting a bird’s eye view on what takes place as you begin to think about planning for next year’s event!
On the first day of the NYCWFF we made our way downtown to The Wall Street Hotel, which is where the culinary talent stays due to its proximity to The Seaport. We picked up our press passes and tickets so that we could attend all of the events we were scheduled for as our first was later on that night.
We then navigated to the CODA Williamsburg Hotel who hosted us for 5 nights. Make sure to read the in depth interview that we had with this hotel following our NYCWFF interviews and coverage.
A TASTE OF THE TIN BUILDING: A PARTY HOSTED BY JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN + GREGORY GOURDET
The Tin Building is a Food Hall that we have always enjoyed attending a number of editor events as well as to swing by when we are downtown. On this night, A Taste of the Tin Building: A Party Hosted by Jean-Georges Vongrenichten + Gregory Gourdet took place on both floors for an epic night of bites and sips.
Our first interview was with one of the night’s hosts, 3X James Beard Award Winning Chef Gregory Gourdet who is known for Kann in Portland, Oregon as well as being the Culinary Director of Printemps New York which has 5 dining options including: Maison Passrelle (fine dining), Cafe Jalu (all-day cafe), Salon Vert (raw bar), Red Room Bar (cocktail lounge), and Champagne Bar (a bar). We were first introduced to him on BRAVO’s Top Chef: Boston S12 where he was a runner up and Top Chef: All-Stars LA S17 where he was a finalist. You can also see him during various episodes with Top Chef: Dish with Kish.
ATHLEISURE MAG: We have enjoyed seeing you since you first appeared on Top Chef and have loved your storytelling around food and how you shared yourself with us, so it is an honor to meet to you!
CHEF GREGORY GOURDET: Thank you! It’s so nice to meet you too!
AM: When did you realize that you wanted to be a chef?
CHEF GG: I was cooking for myself for the first time to feed myself in college! I went to college in Montana. It was, like the first time I had to feed myself!
AM: Right.
CHEF GG: I just kind of like had a knack for it I think. My friends told me I was good at it. I would do a lot of potlucks and dinner parties, and it was just like, really, really fun, and I had really been struggling with finding what I really wanted to do in college anyway. I mean, back then, I didn’t even know where culinary school was. So, my first job was washing dishes and the chef suggested that I should go to culinary school and I literally went there! This was in 1990’s before any Food Network or what we knew like what a chef was.
AM: Exactly!
What led you to say that you wanted to do Top Chef? I mean, that is such a competition.
CHEF GG: Yeah, I mean, honestly, I’ve had friends who’ve been on Top Chef since S1. Actually, very funny, my friend, Lee Anne Wong (Top Chef: San Francisco S1, Top Chef: Colorado S15, Top Chef: All-Stars LA S17), was on S1. She worked at 66, which was a restaurant that was owned by Jean-Georges which is where I worked at! So this is a very full circle moment! I always grew up with Top Chef. I grew up as someone who was in my career and Top Chef was always an option, and I actually auditioned twice and finally by the third time, I got cast.
AM: I mean, your season was amazing. I love how you brought your point of view with the food. Why was it so important to present Haitian cuisine?
CHEF GG: Yeah, I mean, I think the thing about Top Chef, and what makes you really good at it, is when you know your food, you know? I think a lot of us, we worked in whatever space, fine dining, and it’s a different culture, and we’re just trying to learn. For so long, French fine dining was really the foundation of so much!
AM: Absolutely.
CHEF GG: You know, it’s like, when you’re on that show and you’re asked to push yourself – you’re trying to find out who you are.
AM: Right.
CHEF GG: As a chef, the best way to express yourself is through your food. So you start to find out what your food is, and you know you, you’re triggered on memory and taste, and things that you’re comfortable cooking.
AM: We’re here tonight, at the Food Network NYCWFF. Why did you want to be part part of this?
CHEF GG: Well, JG asked me.
AM: I mean, say no more!
CHEF GG: He’s my mentor and I’ll do anything for him.
AM: Exactly!
CHEF GG: I worked for him for a really long time for the formative years of my career! We’re still extremely close. He still influences a lot of my cooking, from seasonality to using lux ingredients, to him introducing me to so many spices! I consider myself a global chef today, and it’s a lot of the things that he taught me when I was a young cook.
AM: Thank you Chef for taking the time! We have been a fan for years and we always love seeing when you and Chef Kristen Kish (Top Chef: Seattle S10 winner, Top Chef: Wisconsin + Milwaukee S21 Host, Top Chef: Destination Canada S22 Host, and upcoming Top Chef: Charlotte, North + Greenville, South Carolina S23 Host, Athleisure Mag MAR ISSUE #99 2024 cover star) are together!
IG @nycwff
ASIAN NIGHT MARKET HOSTED BY PADMA LAKSHMI + JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN | CHEF JEAN-GEOGES VONGERICHTEN
For our 2nd night, we made our way to the Asian Night Market Hosted by Padma Lakshmi + Jean-Georges Vongerichten at The Seaport for Asian street food, as well as to interview Chef JG himself, who was also the host for this event. We have had the pleasure of eating at a number of JG restaurants over the years including Spice Market which was a place we enjoyed everytime we were in the Meat Packing District, abc Kitchen, abcV, and more. After all of the many meals we have had there, we were excited to talk with him about how he got into the industry, his restaurants and why he enjoys being part of the NYCWFF.
ATHLEISURE MAG: It’s such a pleasure to chat with you as there is so much going on! We have been fans of your restaurants for years.
When did you realize you wanted to be a chef?
CHEF JEAN GEORGES VONGERICHTEN: Oh, my God, before you were born! It was in 1973, I was 16 years old. I was terrible in school - almost a dropout – I felt bad! I was bad in school, but my parents took me to a 3-Michelin star restaurant for my 16th birthday. It was just my parents and I, we never went to restaurants. At that time it was too big for kids, it was a time where people still had their grandparents and uncles living under one roof! It was 3 generations living under one roof, that doesn’t really exist anymore!
AM: Right –
CHEF JGV: So, they took me to the restaurant. I couldn’t believe how people were out there eating at this restaurant! For me, you ate at home, the pot was on the table, and you serve yourself! Seeing everything that I saw at that restaurant changed me and I enjoyed everything! When we finished our meal, the chef came to our table and he asked how everything was and my parents let him know that if he needed anything, whether it was to wash dishes or to peel potatoes, I was his man because they saw that I had shown an interest in this.
AM: Wow!
CHEF JGV: The chef let us know that they were in fact looking for an apprentice. So that’s how I started and I never washed dishes! I started in pastries and you had to weigh everything so I started in pastries for 6 months and then I continued on with my apprenticeship, but that day, I tell you, my eyes lit up at that meal!
AM: You knew it was for you!
CHEF JGV: I knew that this was delicious and it was everything that I was looking for. Everything you touched just made you feel it and I knew I could do it! I found my calling!
AM: Did you ever think that you would have the portfolio of restaurants that you have now?
CHEF JGV: Oh no! For me at that time, it was about getting out of the house, having a job, and being able to start my life and that was it!
AM: We have enjoyed eating at a number of your restaurants as it is always an experience! What do you look for when it comes to opening another restaurant – do you have a series of criteria that you’re looking for?
CHEF JGV: I mean, here in the city, I want to cover every zip code!
AM: Ok, fair, there are a few you have yet to tackle!
CHEF JGV: When I opened my first restaurant in 1991, JoJo, it’s on 64th and Lexington and it still exists. I love cooking for the neighborhood and tourists that are passing by and it’s in a Brownstone and it’s so cute! This was before social media and cell phones. People heard about it via word of mouth and they came, this was in ’91. So having people come and talking about it was great!
Then I opened Vong, then there was Jean-Georges, and then The Mercer Kitchen which is downtown and so on and so forth. I love downtown, I live in the West Village.
Then internationally, I like to go to a city where I’m going to see something so that means – Tokyo, going to Shanghai, going to Singapore, Paris, London, Marrakech – you always see something new! I have 16 restaurants across the world.
AM: That is amazing and it’s definitely a flex!
CHEF JGV: Oh yeah, I could go to Marrakech and come back with 2 new ideas. Traveling for me is –
AM: Your inspiration board!
CHEF JGV: Oh yes and NY is my inspiration as well! We have so many people from everywhere here! We have the best Italian, the best Asian, the best Chinese, the best Jamaican –
AM: You literally can just keep going down the street and there is something!
CHEF JGV: Oh yeah, Indian, Greek, - there is everything. So living in NY, you’re definitely at home because you’re all around the world in one place and NY is a world of it’s own and it’s like a country of it’s own – no?
AM: Basically!
We had the pleasure of being here last night for the first night of NYCWFF’s A Taste of the Tin Building: A Party Hosted by you and Chef Gregory Gourdet which was just amazing. It was just insane!
CHEF JGV: It was crazy, no?
AM: Without a doubt! I kept seeing you like run by, and I was like, “there’s Chef.”
CHEF JGV: Oh yeah! I did my 25,000 steps.
AM: I would think so!
Why did you want to be a part of the food festival?
CHEF JGV: I mean, I have known Lee Schrager for a long time. We have been participating in the SOBEWFF in Miami for a long time – 15 years.
AM: Yup.
CHEF JGV: We’ll do a dinner usually every year for NY so it could be at Jean-Georges, but we always do 1 or 2 of our restaurants for it. This time, Lee was begging to use The Seaport, because everything started down here.
AM: Absolutely!
CHEF JGV: The Fulton Fish Market was here and this was the city’s first working port. (Editor’s Note: The Seaport was New York’s first working port and by the 19th century, it was the busiest in the nation. The Tin Building by Jean-Georges the culinary heart of the Seaport is the former site of the original Fulton Fish Market which opened in 1822, which operated as the city’s seafood center for nearly 2 centuries. In 2005 The Fulton Fish Market moved to its current location in Hunts Point, the Bronx. New York City was once the oyster capital of the world, with the Seaport’s Fulton Fish Market as the central hub for what New Yorkers considered a staple food in their diet.) So I convinced my partners that we should do this here and they said yes!
AM: That’s amazing!
CHEF JGV: I mean, it’s a little boost as well. When we opened here 5 years ago, it was during the pandemic and everyone was escaping the city. Now that are people are back now and we’re all exploring, it was the perfect match to do this!
Doing our event yesterday with Gregory Gourdet was so much fun!
AM: We interviewed him yesterday, we love him as we do you!
CHEF JGV: He is a protégé of mine. We have been friends for awhile and he is such a delight! I am always very proud of him!
AM: I appreciate you taking the time as your restaurants have always been such an experience visually as well as from a culinary standpoint. We enjoyed last night’s event and are so excited for tonight’s Asian Night Market that you are co-hosting with Padma Lakshmi (BRAVO’s Top Chef Host S2 – S20, Hulu’s Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi, CBS’ America’s Culinary Cup).
CHEF JGV: Oh yeah, the street foods are going to be so good tonight! It’s a little cold!
AM: It’s a little chilly!
CHEF JGV: I just told my assistant that I need to have my sweater! I can’t walk around like this! My son is also cooking tonight too, you should check him out as well (Editor’s Note: Chef JG’s son, Cédric Vongerichten is the Executive Chef and Owner of Wayan (NYC, Aspen, and Hamptons), Co-Owner of Ma•dé, Maritime at Jeddah Editon Hotel, and Executive Chef/Co-Owner along with his father at Perry St.). Say hi to my son when you see him!
IG @chefjgv
GRAND TASTING: DAYTIME EDITION HOSTED BY SOFIA AND MANOLO VERGARA
Saturday morning’s Grand Tasting: Daytime Edition Hosted by Sofia and Manolo Vergara allowed us to enjoy an array of dishes via a Walking Tasting. It was a great way to see culinary demonstrations, a number of chefs on our favorite TV shows, and tasting incredible bites and sips throughout the day. We even heard hear from Sofia Vergara and her son Manolo who shared their empanada company, TOMA.
IG @eattoma
BULLEIT + SEAN EVENS HOST OF PRIVATE TAKEOVER @ OLD MATES PUB
As soon as we left the NYCWFF Grand Tasting, we went around the corner to Old Mates Pub, which is an Aussie bar that is a cool vibe, to enjoy catching your favorite games. We were guests of Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, which was hosted by Sean Evans of Hot Ones. In partnership with the whiskey brand, he launched a new content series One More Round in collaboration with First We Feast. The series focuses on celebrating the moments when ideas move from napkin sketches to real action. He chats with WNBA legend Breanna Stewart, Black Thought of The Roots, and Lionel Boyce (Project Hail Mary, Shell, The Jellies) of The Bear.
Throughout the event, DJ BYNX made sure that the vibes were in full swing as we enjoyed Bulleit cocktails and an array of bites in a cool downstairs lounge aesthetic.
IG @bulleit
GRAND TASTING: AFTER DARK – THE STEAKHOUSE VIP SESSION PRESENTED BY OLD FORESTER
We made our way back across the street after the Bulleit event to go to the Grand Tasting: After Dark The Steakhouse VIP Session Presented by Old Forester that took place at Carne Mare, a phenomenal steakhouse. At this event, 4 steakhouses showcased bites as well as classic cocktails that used Old Forester. We enjoyed Carne Mare, Cote Korean Steakhouse, La Boite, and Hawksmoor. It was great to enjoy these bites at the restaurant and to take a break from the festivities taking place outside for the larger Grand Tasting: After Dark.
IG @oldforester
GRAND TASTING: AFTER DARK HOSTED BY CHEF BOBBY FLAY + CHEF BROOKE WILLIAMSON
After the Steakhouse VIP Session, we went back to the Grand Tasting: After Dark presented by Montchevre Goat Cheese Hosted by Chef Bobby Flay + Chef Brooke Williamson for late night eats. We even swung by the stage on the promenade to hear how Lee Schrager got Chef Bobby Flay and Chef Brooke Williamson to host this particular event. An added surprise was to see the 2 dance the night away under the stars which you can see here.
IG @bobbyflay
GRAND TASTING: AFTER DARK HOSTED BY CHEF BOBBY FLAY + CHEF BROOKE WILLIAMSON | JEFF MAURO
We caught up with the Sandwich King, Jeff Mauro right before he did a demo that night with his fellow co-star of The Kitchen, Chef Geoffrey Zakarian. We wanted to hear about how his passion for food and why he loves being part of this festival!
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with food?
JEFF MAURO: Jumping right into it! Growing up in a giant Italian-American Family, food is everything to us. Seeing the power of food from a young age where, if you were that just, you know, sweeter to your grandma or your aunts, your mom - tug on their apron, oh so gently - they will give you a little morsel while they’re cooking, right? I was, like, oh my God, this is everything! When we had family parties, graduations, funerals, birthdays - all that stuff I was in it for the food. So, I saw how food is so transformative from a young age just because of the the matriarchs in my family!
AM: Wow!
What was the first bite that you felt that you fell in love with?
JM: My grandma used to make this, like, just homemade pizza, right? She caught it with scissors and it was like so undercooked and gooey that I couldn’t get enough of it, right? It was just like homemade dough, and a little bit of cheese and a little thin. She has this old white stove, and I remember these big steel scissors and just the noise of her snipping, the pizza was like a call to action for me, and you take that bite and that was it!
AM: What do you love about being at the food festival? I mean, it’s always such a fun time and so many people to see in the community.
JM: It’s all my friends you know? We’re a tight-knit group. There’s only you know a couple dozen of us if that, and this is when we all get to hang out. We’re not running around crazy on the TV set or competing, or, you know, this is like, we see each other in the lobby at the hotel. We get drinks, there’s Chef Arrón Sánchez sitting there and you know, you’re in the lobby with the Brothers Voltaggio (Michael and Bryan), as I call them. They’re sitting there having a drink at the hotel lobby and then you come here and I’m with Chef Geoffrey Zakarian and it’s a little yearly reunion every time we do these things!
AM: I love that.
IG @jeffmauro
FOODIECON
On the last day of the NYCWFF, we made our way to Foodiecon which is the educational portion of this event. Guests were able to hear from culinary personalities, chefs, and content creators to find out about their business and how they go about doing it. In addition, there were additional bites, sips, and settings that allowed for people to create content for their social platforms to make their own.
SUNDAY SUPPER PRESENTED BY PERONI HOSTED BY THE PASTA QUEEN NADIA CATERINA MUNNO + LIL MO MOZZARELLA
The final event of the NYCWFF was Sunday Supper presented by Peroni Hosted by The Pasta Queen Nadia Caterina Munno + Lil Mo Mozzarella which allowed us to enjoy a number of our favorite Italian dishes and beverages! It was a great vibe and closing to a successful food festival series.
SUNDAY SUPPER PRESENTED BY PERONI HOSTED BY THE PASTA QUEEN NADIA CATERINA MUNNO + LIL MO MOZZARELLA | CHEF KAREN AKUNOWICZ
Our final interview took place with James Beard Award winner for 2018 Best Chef (her restaurant Fox & the Knife debuted in 2020 and in that year, it was a finalist for Best New Restaurant in America) Chef Karen Akunowicz which was another Top Chef favorite of ours! We wanted to take a few moments with her even though her booth was hopping to find out what she loves about being a chef and why she participated in this year’s festival.
ATHLEISURE MAG: It’s so great to meet you! We have been fans of yours since we first saw you on Top Chef: California S13 where you were a finalist and again Top Chef All-Stars L.A S17.
CHEF KAREN AKUNOWICZ: I appreciate that, thank you so much!
AM: Of course!
So what was the first bite of food that you ate that made you fall in love food?
CHEF KA: Oh my gosh!
AM: I know, it’s a tough question!
CHEF KA: What made me fall in love with food? My mom’s chicken cutlets. That was my birthday dish every year. I still ask her to make them when she comes to my house. I make them for my daughter, the exact same way that she made them. I don’t chef them up.
AM: Wow.
CHEF KA: It’s like 4C Italian Bread Crumbs. I make them exactly the way that she did, and there’s something in that for me that resonates so much!
AM: When did you realize that you wanted to be a chef?
CHEF KA: I realized I wanted to be a chef - I worked in restaurants since I was 17 years old, and I would say that I have done every job there is to do. I worked in FOH for a very long time. I was a barista, I was a server, I was a waitress in a diner, I was a general manager before I ever started cooking. I was applying to get my Master’s degree in Social Work.
AM: Okay!
CHEF KA: While that was going on, I noticed that I never talked about what I was going to do with that, but I would always say, “someday if I own my own restaurant.”
AM: Right.
CHEF KA: That’s what prompted me to go to culinary school. I think for me, you know, that was like a turning point. I said, okay, if I’m gonna do this, I want to have the foundation, the understanding, and I didn’t know if I would continue to cook or not.
AM: Yup.
CHEF KA: But it stuck.
AM: As a fellow Virgo, we like to have all our details!
CHEF KA: Oh yeah, all of our ducks in a row! And also, you know, that, like, I always was aware that, like, I wouldn’t be given many opportunities to fail.
AM: Well, there’s also that part.
CHEF KA: So I had to succeed.
AM: Yup.
CHEF KA: Because I would never be given a second chance and I’m sure, you know, that as well even more than I do.
AM: 100%.
The business of being a chef has gained nuances and layer. It seems like being a chef is amazing, but then adding in TV – shows like Top Chef, social etc. How has that been beneficial to your career?
CHEF KA: It’s beneficial to the restaurants. TV has definitely given that breadth and reach that nobody else has. The thing about it for me is also that it keeps different parts of my brain going. So it energizes me and it inspires me in ways that keep me motivated in different ways in my career, in restaurants, and it also brings new life and ideas to that as well. I think that I’m somebody who I used to say, I really like to be busy. It’s not that I like to be busy, but I like to be inspired and motivated. I like all different sides of my brain to work. I write cookbooks because it works a different part of my brain, even though the entire time I’m writing I’m like, “writing a cookbook is so hard!” It makes your brain work in different ways and it makes everything work better. So I’m so lucky to have these creative outlets in my career.
AM: So you’re here at the Food Network NYCWFF today. Why are you a part of it as we love covering it!
CHEF KA: For me, New York has always been the epicenter of the world, truly. I’m from New Jersey originally, so my dad worked in the city forever, so this is really, you know, it’s the room where it happens, right?
AM: It’s happening.
CHEF KA: It’s always an honor for me to be back. I’m also deeply inspired by what the festival is able to contribute to different organizations there working with the James Beard Foundation specifically to continue programs like, WEL – Women’s Entrepreneurship Leadership. It’s so important. So anything I can do to continue and forward those things is really valuable to me. There’s the stuff that we have to do and then there’s the stuff we get to do.
AM: Exactly!
CHEF KA: The NYCWFF is something that I get to do!
SUNDAY SUPPER PRESENTED BY PERONI HOSTED BY THE PASTA QUEEN NADIA CATERINA MUNNO + LIL MO MOZZARELLA | CHEF MATTHEW CUTOLO
While we were at Sunday Supper, we talked with Chef Matthew Cutolo who is the chef at Gargiulo’s to talk about the storied Italian restaurant that has been around for over a 100 years and is a staple in Coney Island. We talked about the restaurant, his love of chefing and why they participated in this year’s festival.
ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the first dish that made you fall in love with food?
CHEF MATTHEW CUTOLO: Without a doubt, pizza. It’s the first thing I ever learned to make with my grandfather. We have two brick ovens that were imported from Naples in the 1970s, and we spent our summers making brick oven pizzas together. There are photos of me at just two years old, standing on a kitchen stool with my hands in the dough. It wasn’t just about the food, it was about the time spent with him. Those moments in the kitchen are some of my most cherished memories and really where my love for cooking began.
AM: When did you realize that you wanted to be a chef?
CHEF MC: My grandfather instilled my love for food at a young age, but I actually went to school for accounting and finance. About halfway through, after a conversation with my Uncle Louie, I realized I couldn’t picture myself sitting behind a desk for the rest of my life. My uncle pretty much said, “are you coming to work when you’re done?” For me it was an easy decision.
From there, I learned from each of my four uncles and aunt, the owners of Gargiulo’s, which gave me a great foundation in every part of the business. But I was always drawn to the kitchen. I learned so much from my cousin Mike the Bake and my Uncle Mike, the head chef. That’s where I truly found my place, and the rest is history.
AM: You’re the chef at the historic Gargiulo’s, which has been around since 1907 in Coney Island! Tell us about this restaurant.
CHEF MC: Gargiulo’s first opened in 1907, founded by the Gargiulo family, and my family purchased it in 1965. Today, my aunt and uncles own the restaurant, and I’m proud to represent the third generation continuing the tradition.Coney Island has changed a lot over the years, but Gargiulo’s has remained a constant. In 1977, we earned 3 stars from The New York Times, which was unheard of for a restaurant outside Manhattan. In the restaurant outside Manhattan. In the early 1980s. we added the catering hall where countless families have celebrated special occasions. We’re a white-tablecloth, tuxedo-clad, fine dining Italian restaurant serving classic Neapolitan cuisine with recipes passed down through generations. Our goal is to make every guest feel welcomed, like they’re sitting at their nonna’s table.
AM: We had the pleasure of trying your dish at Sunday Supper to close out this season’s NYCWFF. Why did you and your restaurant want to be part of this event?
CHEF MC: It’s the best food festival! The energy, the people, the chefs, it’s an incredible experience every year. I love connecting with so many talented chefs, personalities, guests, and brands, whether it’s catching up with old friends or making new ones and always having a laugh. This was my third year at the festival, and it’s something I look forward to every year.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Paul Farkas
During the Food Network NYCWFF our hosts for the 5 days of coverage of this culinary festival was at CODA Williamsburg Hotel. We loved the fact that we could enjoy this staycation, take in the neighborhood and still pop in and out of the city to head to The Seaport to enjoy sips and bites from phenomenal chefs.
We sat down with the hotel’s Interim General Manager, Alberto Hinojosa who talked with us about this poperty whether you’re staying for a vacation, staycation, business travel, or your simply in the neighborhood. He shares features of this hotel from common areas, amenities, their restaurant, and CODA Beach Club!
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did CODA open, and what can you tell us about the hotel in terms of occupancy and its proximity to areas nearby?
ALBERTO HINOJOS: Coda opened its doors in 2023 and is centrally located in Williamsburg, just steps from Greenpoint. The hotel sits in one of the best spots in Brooklyn — easy to reach both Manhattan and local favorites around the neighborhood.
AM: Tell us about the common areas that guests have access to.
AH: Guests have access to our co-working space, a 24-hour fitness center, and our rooftop bar and restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Each space was designed to feel relaxed and welcoming — you can work, unwind, or socialize all in one place.
AM: You also have a restaurant that is part of the hotel, Meili – what can you tell us about that?
AH: Meili is a Sichuan Chinese restaurant led by Michelin-rated Chef Peter He. Williamsburg has a few Sichuan options, but this is the best one.
AM: We were on your rooftop during Bar Convent Brooklyn – tell us about Meili Rooftop.
AH: The rooftop is open daily except Mondays, with a happy hour from 6–8 PM.
AM: Although we’re no longer in the summer season, you also have a pool. Tell us about this amenity, and for those who are not guests, do you have pool passes that people can buy to enjoy CODA Beach Club?
AH: The Beach Club will reopen in May 2026 and run through September. It’s open daily to hotel guests, and non-guests can purchase advance day passes directly from the hotel. The Beach Club is adult-only, though next season we’ll introduce limited extended family swim hours as well.
AM: For guests staying at the hotel, tell us about the kinds of rooms available as well as the amenities that are offered in them.
AH: We offer a full range of rooms — Standard Queen (240 sq ft), Standard King (250 sq ft), Deluxe King (295 sq ft), King Suites (490 sq ft), and our Penthouse at 1,500 sq ft. All rooms include DS & Durga bath products, Kassatex bedding and towels, custom furniture from House of CODA and minifridges/coffee makers upon request.
AM: Tell us about the House of CODA.
AH: House of CODA is a California-based furniture designer that’s been around for over 30 years. They specialize in made-to-order pieces, and every room and public area at the hotel features their work. It gives the property a really cohesive, custom feel.
AM: What can you tell us about the neighborhood, and what are 3 things that we should do, check out, or eat?
AH: Williamsburg should definitely be your second stop after Manhattan. It has everything the city offers but with more of a local, community vibe and a slower pace. My go-to spots: Café Collette on Berry for breakfast or lunch, Amber Steakhouse in Greenpoint for dinner, and Peter Pan Donuts for a great flagel. For nightlife, Superior Ingredients is just a block away and always has top DJs.
AM: What makes CODA Hotel Williamsburg a great option for guests?
AH: The human connection we offer. Our team genuinely enjoys making a difference and creating great experiences for our guests. The reviews speak for themselves — people can feel that authenticity.
AM: Is there anything we should know about as we look ahead to spring or summer?
AH: We’re planning several activations for the 2026 Beach Club season and will be launching the Coda Creatives Speaker Series in Q2. The series will bring together NYC locals and creatives to share their stories and inspire the community.
IG @coda.hotels
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 42 - 47 Coda Williamsburg
Of course, we had an epic time at the Food Network NYCWFF and ate so many bites from our favorite restaurants and chefs! With 5 days of coverage, we found ourselves with a day off and made our way to INDN to enjoy Indian cuisine and phenomenal cocktails. The vibe of this midtown restaurant, the attention to detail, and of course the sweet and savory options are definitely going to live in our tastebuds until we come back again. We had the pleasure of meeting Owner and Beverage Dir. Simran Bakshi to talk more about this restaurant!
ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into INDN, tell us about the Co-Founders of INDN in terms of their backgrounds and how they came to the culinary industry.
SIMRAN BAKSHI: I’ve been in hospitality for over a decade, building restaurants from the ground up. My focus has always been on creating concepts that balance originality with operational excellence — designing guest journeys, developing menus that tell a story, and ensuring every sensory detail aligns with the vision.
Kanika Vij Bakshi is the creative force behind our design and brand aesthetic. She translates emotion into space — from lighting and scent to flow and materials — shaping how the guest feels from the moment they walk in.
Vicky Vij, Kanika’s father, is one of the pioneers of Indian dining in NYC, best known for founding Bukhara Grill. His decades of experience anchor INDN in real hospitality wisdom.
Together, we represent three generations of Indian dining — tradition, creativity, and strategy — coming together to redefine how Indian cuisine is experienced in New York.
AM: What is the concept of INDN kitchen, and why did you want to open this restaurant?
SB: We wanted to create something New York hadn’t seen yet — a cocktail-driven Indian restaurant where food is designed to pair with drinks, not the other way around. INDN focuses on North Indian flavours presented through a small-plates format.
Most Indian restaurants in the city are built around full meals and family-style dining. We saw the opportunity to present Indian food in a more social, bar-forward setting — bold, fun, and unapologetically Indian, but elevated for a modern audience.
The goal was simple: drinks first, food second — but both world-class.
AM: Tell us about the interior design and what diners can expect from an aesthetic standpoint.
SB: The space is intentionally minimal but expressive — a reflection of Kanika’s design philosophy. We focused on warm lighting, tactile textures, and a layout that draws people toward the bar.
There are no stereotypical “Indian theme” elements. Instead, it’s a New York bar with an Indian soul — subtle details, natural materials, and curated playlists that evolve through the night.
We wanted INDN to feel like an adult playground — refined, energetic, and distinctly ours. The kind of place where you can grab a cocktail, share plates, and stay late.
AM: We truly enjoyed our meal and love how the cocktails, as well as the dishes, are a delicate balancing act! Tell us about the approach you took to the menu.
SB: The entire menu is structured around balance — between spice, acid, and richness; between boldness and restraint.
We start with cocktails, not the kitchen. Every drink informs the food — the spice profiles, the acidity, the texture of each dish.We keep our flavours authentic to India, but our presentation and pairings are contemporary. No fusion. No gimmicks. Just honest flavours built with modern precision.
Every dish is meant to be shared — not to fill you up, but to keep you engaged through your drinks and conversation.
AM: As a small-plates approach, only dinner and brunch on Sundays is offered here. Do you envision adding lunch to the offerings?
SB: Not for now. Our rhythm works best in the evenings — the space, lighting, and energy are built around that. Sunday brunch already offers a different mood with Chai Nashta, so we’re happy with that balance.
That said, we’ll always adapt to guest demand. If the right moment comes, we’ll explore lunch in the future.
AM: We love the bar — it has an opulent vibe while being approachable. For those who opt to be there, is there a special menu?
SB: The bar is the heartbeat of INDN. While there isn’t a separate “bar-only” menu, the experience is different when you sit there.
Guests at the bar get first access to new cocktails, quick-fire small plates, and one-on-one interaction with the bartenders. It’s designed for spontaneity — grab a drink, share a few plates, meet people.
That’s the spirit of INDN — it’s social, not scripted.
AM: Focusing on dinner, what does Chakhna mean, and what are 3 dishes you suggest ordering from this portion?
SB: Chakhna means small, snackable plates traditionally eaten with alcohol in India — the kind of food meant to keep the conversation and drinks flowing.
Three must-try Chakhna dishes are:
Amritsari Fish – 10-spice battered fish fried crisp.
Keema Pao – Slow-cooked minced lamb served with buttered pao.
Paneer Tikka – Tandoor-charred paneer with mint marinade.
They represent the full flavour range — seafood, lamb, vegetarian — all bold, shareable, and built to pair perfectly with cocktails.
AM: What does Daru Ke Baad … Ya Saath mean, and what 3 items complement those small plates?
SB: The phrase translates to “after the drinks… or with them.” It’s our section of larger, heartier plates — for when you’re ready to transition from bar bites to a full meal.
Three dishes to try:
Yakhni Pulao – Aromatic mutton broth rice.
Traditional Butter Chicken – Charred chicken in creamy tomato gravy.
Pudina Lachha Parantha – Flaky mint-layered bread.
They complement the small plates beautifully and close out the savoury journey with warmth and comfort.
AM: To end our meal, what are 3 desserts that we should have in mind?
SB: Shahi Tukda – A rich bread pudding soaked in saffron milk.
Jalebi with Rabri – Crispy spirals with sweetened condensed milk.
Dessert of the Day – Our chefs rotate creative sweets based on the season.
They’re indulgent, nostalgic, and distinctly Indian — a perfect finale to an evening that started with spice and smoke.
AM: Tell us about your beverage program — the cocktails are incredible.
SB: Our cocktail program defines INDN. It’s what sets us apart.
We build drinks like dishes — layering spice, acidity, fat, and aromatics. The base spirits come alive with Indian ingredients like turmeric, fenugreek, saag, tamarind, and ghee, but without being kitschy or overpowering.
Every cocktail is built for depth and drinkability. Our team spent months clarifying, infusing, and balancing to make sure the end result feels familiar yet completely new.
This isn’t just “Indian-inspired mixology” — it’s culinary bartending rooted in Indian sensibility.
AM: What are 3 cocktails we should have in mind?
SB: Butterface – Mezcal, fenugreek, garam masala, and lemon.
Paneer Panic – Gin, cilantro, turmeric, and lime — inspired by saag paneer.
Pink City, Red Flags – Vodka, St-Germain, Bianco, and Indian tonic.
Each one is a playful nod to regional India — smoky, green, and floral — and designed to tell a story through flavour.
AM: As we look at brunch, what are 3 dishes perfect for the weekend?
SB: Pao Bhaji – Comfort food at its best; buttery, spicy, and soulful.
Samosa Chaat – Crunchy, tangy, and perfect with chai or a cocktail.
Stuffed Parantha Trio – Classic North Indian breakfast in refined form.
Our brunch is casual but still elevated — meant to feel nostalgic and social at the same time.
AM: What is Chai Nashta?
SB: Chai Nashta translates to tea and snacks — a cherished Indian ritual that bridges breakfast and lunch.
At INDN, it’s our take on the Sunday ritual: comfort food, shared over chai or cocktails, set to music that feels like a lazy weekend morning turned into a lively afternoon.
AM: What are 3 dishes within Chai Nashta we should consider?
SB: Poha – Flattened rice with curry leaves and peanuts.
Anda Curry with Parantha – Spiced egg curry with flaky layered bread.
Vada Pao – The Mumbai street-food staple: spicy potato fritter in a buttered bun.
It’s India’s brunch culture reimagined for New York.
AM: As someone who loves chai, tell us more about High Chai.
SB: High Chai is our elevated tea ritual — masala chai served with a spread of savoury and sweet nibbles like khari biscuits, cocktail samosas, and cookies.
It’s indulgent yet comforting — a pause in the day that celebrates India’s tea culture with the refinement of a New York bar.
AM: What are 3 brunch cocktails that we should have our eye on?
SB: Bloody Mary Marlo – Butter-washed vodka with curry leaf and mustard seed.
Espresso Martini – Mezcal, fennel, chili, and chocolate bitters.
Garibaldi – Campari, Japanese strawberry, vanilla, and orange.
They’re playful, layered, and refreshingly different — a reminder that brunch drinks don’t have to be predictable.
AM: From a seasonality perspective, will your menu reflect that?
SB: Always. We source fresh produce and adjust marinades, spices, and cooking styles to reflect the season.
In the fall and winter, expect deeper spice profiles and slow-cooked dishes; in spring and summer, fresher herbs, lighter curries, and brighter drinks.
It keeps the menu evolving and the team inspired.
AM: Are there any upcoming events for the Fall and holiday season?
SB: We’re introducing a holiday cocktail series — reimagining winter spices and Indian warmth through drinks.
There will also be special Chai Nashta takeovers during December weekends with festive sweets and DJ brunches.
We’ll close the year with a New Year’s Eve celebration that connects INDN upstairs with our lounge 16 Sola downstairs — two worlds, one night.
IG @indn.nyc
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | INDN
Read the OCT ISSUE #118 of Athleisure Mag and see FOOD NETWORK NYCWFF 2025 in mag.
We caught up with Thomas Winstanley, who is heading up the new Edibles.com platform powered by Edible Brands, of Edible Arrangements fame. They had tried the chocolate-dipped CBD strawberry route in 2019+, but was very early in the market. Now their edibles platform features various tried and true gummies, chews and more with the goal to destigmatize the edibles space further and safely curate some of the best brands for veteran and curious consumers who are looking to be Healthy Not High.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Great to chat with you Thomas, tell our readers more about your background, and what led you to working with Edibles.com and Edibles Brands.
THOMAS WINSTANLEY: Prior to coming to Edibles, I was the CMO for Theory Wellness and Hi5. I joined Theory when it was just two medical stores in Massachusetts, and I came on, you know, there were maybe 35 to 40 people in the company. And over the course of 6 years, I just have always been a fan of these products, of the industry. Even before, when I was in my teenage years. I was always the guy who loved cannabis and THC.
I started my professional career in pharmaceutical advertising, one into CPG, one into alcohol, worked on, you know, Remy Martin, worked on Tampax, worked on big blockbuster drugs, really understood the regulated markets. And then went home and smoked a joint after work almost every night when I lived in New York. Fast forward, it’s once I moved out of New York, we went out west, I saw the early inklings of the Colorado cannabis market, and as a marketer it really made me think about, basically the 16-year-old’s dream of what happens if this is legal? How do you build a better brand? How do you build a better mousetrap?
So at Theory, when I got linked in with them, it was kind of an amazing kind of synergy with their team of two founders, where as a passionate steward of these products it was amazing to be able to say, OK let’s go commercialize this. And at Theory, as their CMO, I got to design retail, I got to design brands and products within our portfolio of about 250 products. And I got to architect a lot of the brand, I’d basically write the briefs of what new products do we want to make. And then Hi5 came along, and we did the beverage thing, and that was always this major unlock to the category. By the time I left, we had operations in about 7 States, with around 18 retail stores, we’re the largest independently owned cannabis company on the East Coast.
And to have somebody who’s for the better part of my life, loved these products and this plant, to be able to bring it into a place where people have access to, and that’s really what we were all about, was how do we connect more people to safe, trusted access to these products? And not just products that met a baseline need, but I always go back to a Steve Jobs quote, ‘give the people what they want, and then introduce them to the things they didn’t know they needed.’
And that became very clear, I’ve always loved these products. I’m somebody who now that I’m almost 40, with 2 kids, my relationship has evolved with the category, but I’ve always been a big believer in the health efficacy of this category. People think I’m crazy, my most common use cases during the time that I’ve used cannabis have been around tennis, cross-country skiing, running - I’ve always found it to be a great complement to that. That’s more of my core usage outside of, kind of, evenings of relax and unwind.
And a lot of this all led to one day, Edible Brands reached out and said, hey, we have a crazy idea. We own edibles.com, looking to commercialize this at scale nationally, and we need somebody to help guide us in building a business around this category. I was skeptical, to put it lightly, because I didn’t want to be a part of a cash grab. [A]s I went deeper and deeper into conversations, my skepticism was alleviated, because philosophically and fundamentally, we were very aligned on how we wanted Edibles.com to become as a company. A lot of my business around this category. I was skeptical, to put it lightly, because I didn’t want to be a part of a cash grab. As I went deeper and deeper into conversations, my skepticism was alleviated, because philosophically and fundamentally, we were very aligned on how we wanted Edibles.com to become as a company. A lot of my non-negotiables were; I want to do this around health and wellness; have curation of products - don’t want the Cheesecake Factory menu; an outcome-based focus on our category; work with the best brands who have been doing this for a long time; and use our name of edible brands and edible arrangements as a sign of permission for consumers to step into the category who may not have ever stepped into the category. And it’s similar to what we did at Theory when you were introducing this novel concept of buying legal cannabis for the first time. We’re kind of doing the same thing with hemp today.
And what really pushed me over the edge is that in a lot of ways, the mission for me hasn’t really changed of connecting more people with THC. We can just do it at a much bigger scale, and in many ways, I think hemp has succeeded where cannabis has failed in terms of access to the economics and the commercial supply lines of this industry. Hemp is the equalizer of THC access, and so for all those reasons, you know, Edible Brands has an amazing supply chain, they have an amazing brick-and-mortar presence, they have a lot of brand affinity. What was a crazy idea actually became something very material, and Somia Farid Silber, who’s the second-generation CEO of the company within her family - she and I were very much in alignment on all of these points.
Fast forward a year and a half later, here we are with national shipping, last mile services, and what I would argue is probably the most eclectic group of products available today outside of a dispensary that can be sent to your doorstep. That’s something that you could never do in cannabis, and that’s what really fuels me around this project.
AM: So when I first heard about this, I thought am I’m going to see edible THC arrangement bouquets, something like edibles on stems was going to be the vibe? And then I learned about the CBD-dipped edibles from 2019, so it would be good to start there as that was definitely very innovative.
TW: It was! So, in so many ways, the Farid family, Tariq Farid, who’s the original founder, who has stepped back.. his daughter runs the show now, but in 2019, this was actually the first iteration of what Edibles.com became. So, back then, it was called Incredible Edibles, and they were going in that direction of basically blending CBD, and then doing chocolate-dipped CBD strawberries, and the idea was incredible for so many reasons, but the challenge was it was so early after the Farm Bill. You know, they were almost too far ahead of where the category was going to have the connectivity to what consumers were expecting back then. And it really wasn’t until about 2019, when hemp really started to get this gravity that we see today. They had the right idea, but they were just way too early, and from what I’ve understood, I think they had a retail play at one point, and they had tried to engineer this thing.. the consumers weren’t ready for it yet, because CBD was still kind of a ‘snake oil-esque type’ of category, where it showed up everywhere, and there wasn’t that level of differentiation at the time. They were trying to commercialize it at scale, but I think they also realized too, that the manufacturing and production side of making a finished good using these type of blended cannabinoids that were non-intoxicating was a very different ballgame and that the market was still not totally matured into. So they knew they were onto something, and I think they were actually up in Connecticut at the time, too.
That’s when Theory was also starting to really build, so they knew about Theory at the time.
But they were just too early into the market, and the idea was right, and they had vending machines, they had some products too, and they just didn’t quite land, I think, in the zeitgeist of where things were heading, but they were positioned in advance of the market, where the market was going. I think they tried it again in 2020 and 2021, but it was still just too early.
Hemp accelerated beyond what anybody really was anticipating, and as a Pakistani Muslim-run group, you know, the intoxicating side was an interesting angle that we’ve talked about, where health and wellness is the driver of the success of this category, and for them, that was something that they wanted to hold very tightly. I didn’t want to touch inhalables, because I don’t think inhalables.. anything other than air in your lungs is not healthy. And I think where I see this amazing ingestible category is much more akin to a nutraceutical type of product category, Ollie’s and all of these new classes of these nutraceuticals that folks take.
And so we were very philosophically aligned on that, that this is their first real foray as a corporate enterprise to touch something that has potentially intoxicating effects. But I think they were missing the other component of the THC side, which, truthfully, does unlock the efficacy of CBD in a much grander way.
AM: I agree.
TW: I know what these products are, I’ve tried them, I know that we have the opportunity to use our scale and sphere to connect something that consumers really want in terms of their health and wellness. And how can we be an arbiter to create that point of access? And that’s really where Edible Brands is really remarkable. They want to curate these experiences with edible arrangements - gifting those moments of wow for consumers to get something on a certain day.
We just acquired a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant out of bankruptcy called Roti, to bring more nourishment and healthy eating.. And safe access to health and wellness products all focus on a consumer [online]. So now you have these moments of wow for consumers with the gifting side; you have nourishment through the food piece; and now you have this wellness angle with these products.
AM: Tell me about the Edibles.com marketplace you’re building out, how you curate, the brands that you’re selecting, and how you’re going to promote them.
TW: When I first joined, I literally went to my chief legal officer here and I told him compliance is paramount. That became kind of the first lens of looking at products. And the first calls that I made were to Jake Bullock over at Cann. You know, I knew all of these brands from the cannabis world, because we were buying it wholesale, I was in the beverage space, and I built the first beverage dispensary in the country with Theory. And so I had this kind of short list, you know, Cann, Wana, Ayrloom was a great team, like, Mack [Hueber] and Eddie [Brennan] are just wonderful guys. And the first two calls were, yes, Jake Bullock, I had him NDA’d up, and Joe Hodas over at Wana.
And Jake was terrific. I mean, I always remember this call, because he and I had worked together on some projects when I was at Theory, he said to me this is a little bit of a bellwether moment for hemp, because we just had DoorDash. And they’re not really promoting this. We had Total Wine, which was just coming on board. And, you know, when I started to really think about what a portfolio would look like, it’s how do you bring together these cannabis-adjacent brands who are currently now emerging into hemp and leading into hemp. How do I bring together the largest kind of market share of leaders on beverage and gummy and chews? How do I bring them under a portfolio, the likes of which maybe hasn’t been seen outside of a dispensary?
The reason I chose some of these folks is that, you know, you look at Wana, they started in 2010, they’ve been doing this for 15 years. They know the regulatory risks, they know compliance, they have really great formulations, they take it seriously, they’re not a fly-by-night group. Same thing with Cann. Cann broke the mold. I always remember the first time I had a beverage was Cann Cranberry Sage, and I remember drinking and thinking, whoa this changes everything when I was at Theory. What we’ve done is really tried to, with the starting group, the kind of first cohort, was to work with the brands that I know are making great products that are going by the rules, that aren’t going be a risk or compliance issue for us.
As a former CMO, marketing is powerful, and you can have a good brand and a bad product, or a great product and a bad brand. I was building this a lot behind the scenes, and nobody knew, and I didn’t want anybody to know. I wanted to have that moment where you pull the cover off and people go Whoa, this is big, but also like, Thomas is working on this, he knows these products, he’s not a shill.
You know, my goal is really to have a portfolio that is well-curated around these buckets of sleep, relaxation, uplift, energy, you know, really focused on outcome-based purchase habits versus get a distillate gummy at a good cost per milligram ratio. Anybody can do that. And it also aligns, I think, with the sentiment of the consumer base of the hemp industry, of the consumers, where you have so many of these new consumers coming in who are curious about these products. They see them everywhere, they hear about them. How do we do the homework for them where they can come and shop based on an outcome that they’re looking for?
I want to sell the Health Not High, a drumbeat that some people - [does] everybody want to get high?
AM: Yeah, it might be a healthy high for me. That’s a Yeah.
TW: And for me, it’s like, I think a lot of, when I talk to consumers, you know, and I talk to people who… my wife, my in-laws are conservative doctors from the South. They now went from being very skeptical about this category into saying, you know, oh, well, I don’t take it to get high. I take it for sleep, or I take it for my back, or I take it for relaxation and all these things. And it is true for me. It’s like, I’m not really here to get people high. People will do it on their own. I don’t want to sell people getting overly intoxicated, that’s not really my bag, it’s more about creating functional, health-based outcomes. It’s more akin to nutraceutical or supplements that add the efficacy.
And it’s like nobody goes and markets alcohol to get drunk? Do we all know we can get drunk by drinking more beers than we need to? Sure. But you don’t need to market that. I don’t think we need to market getting high, because when I talk to lobbyists and regulators and senators about this, one gummy is no more intoxicating to me than one beer or glass of wine.
What does become intoxicating is if you have multiple servings and irresponsible use, and frankly, I have no shame on consumers who want to do that, like, that’s totally up to them, but my goal is to really help people understand the functional properties of this hemp category, and introduce them to these things that maybe don’t take an Ambien at night, maybe take a Wana stay asleep chew, or a fast asleep chew, and see how that works for you, and maybe give somebody else an alternative. And so, you know, all of this kind of health-not-high criteria is something I strongly believe in as a consumer. And I also like getting high, too. So, like, again, no shame there, like there’s always a time and a place for it.
And I think that a lot of our strategy is emanating out of this Health Not High, because a lot of the consumers we want to have on here, these 60 and older folks who are part of the Reagan era. We’re trying to demystify a little bit of that stigma, and it’s not that we have anything against getting high, like, again, totally fine. But our mission is very critical, and so when we look at portfolio, we want that to be the reflection of outcomes. And that’s always how I’ve loved these products, too, you know?
AM: And looking at your project, one of the things I loved seeing was the educational part. So, when it comes to hemp-derived you obviously are a wealth of knowledge. I would love to talk about that a little more detail, because I do think it’s super confusing out there. There’s been a lot of quick progress, and consumers just are trying, experimenting, but I don’t think they fully understand what they’re getting.
TW: No. I spend a lot of time lobbying. We’re, you know, executive board members of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, the largest trade association. Education is paramount in this category. You know, the most frequently asked questions we get when we run social ads or I talk to consumers are, how is this legal, is the first question. I always give a very simple answer. 2018, we had a Farm Bill, and in that bill, 0.3% dry weight equivalency of THC can be commercialized into products. That small percentage is actually enough to have the impact that we want for consumers, which are functional outcomes that can help with sleep, relaxation, all these things.
And it’s a low enough kind of threshold of a dose that, it’s not egregious, it’s not over the top, and we always recommend folks start low and go slow. The next question we always get is, but is it weed? It’s technically weed, because cannabis and hemp are the same plant. Like, they’re scientifically the same cannabis sativa plant. But our government assigned an arbitrary 0.3% number to say any plant that produces 0.3% THC and below is a hemp plant. Anything that is 0.31% is a cannabis plant. Two are regulated very, very differently. Cannabis is a lightning rod with over-regulation. Hemp is less regulated. But also, you know, essentially the same thing, but you don’t have any of the restrictions that cannabis has in terms of interstate commerce, shipping, you know, all this stuff, regulatory-wise.
And, you know, but really what it comes down to, we’re talking about regulating a molecule, not a plant. It’s the molecule. And that’s the third question, is the THC different in a Kiva gummy from edibles.com, from a Kiva gummy from a Colorado dispensary. The molecule does not change. That is the most important thing that we want people to take away, that these are not very different from dispensary products. The molecule doesn’t change, because it’s all the same. It’s just the amount of the molecule you can have.
I think that is one of the largest misunderstandings and perceptions about the category, is yes it’s legal, and I think that’s where we fill in a white space. If you send strawberry dipped strawberries to your grandmother on her birthday, and is also partaking in this category, well you actually know it’s probably not as bad as it seems by comparison to gas station products and, you know, all of these other areas that these products are being sold. We really want to be a leader in the safety, the security, the compliance, the regulations. We want to give that permission to those customers who say, yeah maybe I should try it. Well, if you come to edibles.com, you know you’re getting all of this, a half Billion dollar company wouldn’t step into this space if it wasn’t legal, and it wasn’t safe.
And that’s where I think, for me it becomes really exciting to be the first kind of handhold experience for folks who are coming into the category. And on the other side, you know the people who love Wana, Kiva, and Wyld. Well, now they can get it shipped to their door if they live in a market where these products aren’t sold. And it’s the first time you can get all 3 of them in a package delivered to your house in history. That, to me, is a powerful moment for consumers.
AM: That’s really cool. I want to ask you about best practices taking a gummy, because there are some…
TW: God bless.
AM: ..there are some gossip points about having fat content, or how long it would take to be acting, and I’m sure there’s different products, but any knowledge to pass along?
TW: Yeah, so I’ll say for a novice consumer, start low and go slow. You know, anywhere from a 2.5 to 5 milligram dose is a good starting point. I would argue 2.5mg is always the best place to start. That way, you can always take more, but you cannot take less. And that’s something that over the history of THC, everybody has that story where, they took a brownie, and then they didn’t feel anything, and then they took another one an hour later, and then all of a sudden they were on the moon, and it was, you know…
AM: Or just the batter making it.
TW: Yeah, exactly, right? It’s just kind of like one of these things, and you know. I want to hear that story for sure.
AM: You got it.
TW: The other thing that I think is really important that’s not talked about as much is there is a difference between regular kind of products that are just standard action products of how THC is delivered, and fast-acting products. And this is where the industry’s matured in the last 3 to 5 years, is we finally figured out that THC does not necessarily have to bind with lipids and proteins because of fast-acting technology, which is basically the reason beverages exist is because somebody figured out that you don’t need fats to carry the THC, because you could never make a beverage without having oil or something in there. Well, now this new technology, this fast-acting technology, allows a quicker onset of these products. So, standard products, which I would call 45 minutes to an hour to see how it affects. Fast-acting products that we see today, you can feel effects as quickly as 10 to 15 minutes. This is important, because if it’s standard, you’re metabolizing it and that can take longer, because your body has to break it down. If you eat a huge pancake breakfast and then take a standard acting gummy, your body’s going to take a lot longer to metabolize it, versus if you took a standard acting on an empty stomach, that’ll happen faster. Fast acting, that goes directly into your bloodstream. You absorb the THC faster.
And what’s great is once you start to get a comfort level on how your endocannabinoid system starts to respond, that’s where the fun begins. Because for me, mostly, I’m a non-school night user at this point in life with my two little kids. It’s mostly on the weekends. But I’ve been a big advocate, too, for folks who do play competitive tennis like I do, and are competitive runners to try this stuff when they do those types of activities. Like, that’s where the fun really begins, when you can start to introduce the molecule and these products into areas of your life that become really compatible and symbiotic with these types of products.
AM: And what would you say for those that might say they had a high tolerance, or found that they need to change… it worked for them, but they need to change up their routine somehow? (Editor’s Note: Asking for a friend)
TW: Yes. So, I think for people with high tolerances. I actually have somebody in my office that I don’t want to name-shame, because they have a really high trough tolerance, but what I always recommend is, Tolerance breaks are great if you medically can. Responsible consumption is always important. If you’re somebody who just kind of pushes the envelope on wanting to go further and further, well, at some point, you’re kind of removing the efficacy that you wanted in the first place.
The other thing that I always like to recommend for folks is if you have a high tolerance, it’s always good to take those kind of breaks to see if that drops down, and then there are some people who are just like, yeah, I need 100mg a dose, or I don’t feel anything. I might not be the right place for you. You’re probably a dispensary customer.
The other thing I’ll just add into all of this is I think CBD is one of these things that we’ve written off in some ways because of the CBD, you know, for the reason that Incredible Edibles was a CBD company originally. CBD is actually this molecule that you need THC to unlock the values of. And what I actually have recommended for folks who are looking for different types of efficacy is I’m a big believer in high doses of CBD with lower doses of THC, or nominal doses of THC, because I think you can find a different type of efficacy that, until, you know, I’ve been in the industry for almost 10 years. I always kind of wrote off CBD because I thought it was snake oil, but I’m seeing it come back more where there are some incredible brands who are just, like, a one-to-one, where it’s, like, 5mg of THC, 5mg of CBD. There are some brands that are doing amazing work where it’s, like, 25mg of CBD with 5 of THC. Those products are super interesting to me. And there are a couple of brands that I’m going to be bringing onto the platform, who are taking kind of the innovation side of these form factors and really peeling them a part in a way that traditional landscape of THC products hasn’t really done in a long time.
Cann was one of the first where they did a 2 to 1 with, you know, 2mg THC, 4mg of CBD. But there are some really great products that I’m so excited about, that are leaning in on more niche formulations than more of what we see, you know, on our website today. You’ll see kind of just, like, straight THC or one-to-ones. The ratio products actually are probably, over time, going to be more interesting to me, I think, as I look at the landscape. That doesn’t necessarily help the high-dose people, but it might be a different way of looking at consumption of these products, where maybe it’s combining a couple of different products to get the same outcome. Maybe it’s a little bit more CBD-focused with less THC that might get them to the same place. You know, and that to me is, again, where this landscape is fascinating with how people are starting to gravitate and find the right balance of what works for them.
AM: Sure, I would say there’s nothing like a week tolerance break. It’s on the other side, like your brain and your body just are born again naturally.
TW: You get used to the feeling of being high, which almost underrides the impact of the kind of the category at large. Like, if you take these products every night, you’re kind of building your own tolerance in some ways, and the same thing with alcohol. Like, if you drink alcohol every night, kind of the value of alcohol that you feel is tampered. And so, you know, that’s one of the reasons, you know, to be quite honest, that I like to reserve my consumption of these products to non-school nights, Friday nights, Saturdays, and Sundays, because for a long time in my life, I used them every day, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but I started to feel like the effects for me were dulled heavily, and I started to lose a little bit of the nuance of what I was actually seeking to achieve.
And there’s nothing like, you know - I’m a big fan of the… it’s not quite a wake-and-bake anymore, but, you know, Saturday mornings, having an infused beverage, you know, functional infused beverage. It always kind of fires me up, and then, man, when I play trains or Legos or whatever it is with my kids, it’s dialed up to 11, and so, you know, it’s one of these things where tolerance is really important.
But again, there’s so many reasons why people come to this category. It’s about finding the right balance for yourself, and really exploring, why do you want these products? Why do you need them? What are you looking to achieve? And then figuring out, in the same way we do with, like, supplements. When do you need to use them, how much do you need to use? And, like, what products work the best?
And I will say there are some products now that I have tried that I’m like, wow, this is a product that I’ve wanted forever, and now it exists. And I’ll shout out OFFIELD is, one of probably my favorite breakthrough category products, and they make athletic products. Athletic consumables, and they have gummies for pre-workouts and post-workouts, and they have an electrolyte, L-theanine, THC, basically a Gatorade equivalent. And I bring one on the tennis court during matches.
AM: Yeah, interesting!
TW: You know, and I just love now where we’re getting to a point where the category can really get more niche in terms of its focus and growth.
AM: Yeah, I’ve had some interviews where it was interesting to see use for training, practicing, and playing in the sport, rather than just recovery or recreational.. And it was very interesting to hear, like, are you more focused? Are you enjoying the sport more? Is it adding focus or detracting from it, or parts? And when? For these people, and me, you know, of course it’s not about overdoing it.. It’s about being productive and healthy.
TW: Yeah, so I’ll give an example, right? So, I run, you know, probably 3 or 4 mornings a week, and it’s usually low Zone 1 thresholds, just kind of getting my legs going. But then on the weekends, when I want to go for a longer duration run when I take a dose of THC, I actually find I can get into my rhythm and flow state of a long run faster with a little THC, because it almost kind of takes away a little bit of the overthinking. When I first started running, I’m like why am I doing this to myself? Like, this is not fun, but I know I have to do it. But, you know, the THC actually kind of helps me kind of dissolve that a little bit, and I can actually feel.. be a little bit more in tune with my stride, my pacing, my steps per minute, so on and so forth.
And it’s the same thing on the tennis court. You know, instead of thinking about do I need to tune up my forehand a little bit? You know, am I over-extending or am I too close on my forehand?
It actually helps bleed away a lot of that where I can get into a flow state a little bit quicker, and it kind of dulls a little bit of the noise. It can be a little bit physical, but it can be very mental. It can give you a little bit less of that stream of consciousness when you’re doing something that’s very technical. And so, I’m surprised that athletes haven’t come more into that. Maybe they are, and maybe they’re not in a place where they can talk about that, but you know, for me this is the next phase of where we’re going, is I think there’s a lot of application today for THC in these types of products in those types of activities. And that is what really energizes me about the future growth of the category and the innovation that can come. And people think I’m crazy when I tell them that I like to take edibles and go running. They’re like how do you know how to do it? It’s like, no, it’s not what you think. You’re not kind of looking off in the distance, you’re getting into a very focused mind state, and you’re quieting your subconscious a little bit.
But it’s again - right products, right time, right outcomes.
AM: Yeah, also as a celebrity photographer, I’ve vaped before and during most shoots.
TW: I love that call.
AM: Yeah. I think for me, it’s about loosing up, mood, creativity, picking up on lighting, poses, opportunities and context. Improv is very much about being open and adaptive, so many nuanced aspects light up for positive productivity.. so when you’re saying healthy, not high, I’m hearing for wellness, fitness/sport, recreation, also for art and creatives and, and.. Being productive is healthy and also, you have to be true to yourself that you have, in my opinion, you need to tell yourself you could easily do it without it as well. So it shouldn’t take over though.
TW: Right? That is one of the most important things, like, you have to be able to do it without it. And that’s where I look at my comparison of running during the week and on the weekends. On the weekends, I’m stoned and I’m running. During the weekdays, I’m sober. Because I want to be able to say, yeah it’s still fun either way, I could use it or lose it, and it wouldn’t really impact my interest in this activity. Right.
AM: It’s often a big net plus.
TW: Yeah, and I spend a lot of Sunday afternoons when I have a really interesting strategic problem to solve for. I will, on my own time, on the weekends, have a couple of infused beverages, and lay out a design, or look at a problem I dealt with during the week with a different lens. And, you know, that to me is that duality of these products have this really wonderful massive benefits when used responsibly.. can be used creatively, you know, physically, mentally, all of these things - this category can unlock a different type of value set, that most consumers, unfortunately, haven’t had the privilege of engaging in. And I think over time, we know that more and more consumers are going to start to engage it this way. And we want to be the person who can recommend to you to try this, and this may help. It may not, but, you can try it and see if it works for you, and if it doesn’t, that’s also okay. And if it does, great! And if you like it, then there’s more that you can try, too. And that’s usually where what we see is we have a very high retention rate right now of return customers, because they try something, and then they come back and try 3 more things, and then they come back.
AM: Yep.
TW: Building on that, because there is an educational curve, like everything, but once you find that right balance.
AM: Now, let me ask you, are we going to see a lot more products on the edibles.com marketplace coming up?
TW: Yeah, and we once crossed our national shipping kind of expansion that put us into the 65-plus percent of households in the country.. But this is where it becomes really exciting for me, because we have all these big, major brands, right? There are a lot of smaller brands that deserve to be discovered. OFFIELD is one of them. Todd Hunter, who’s the CEO, he’s a great guy, and I think he created this product, this brand of products that I’m really interested in, and I want to continue to grow the portfolio, because I think the future of this category is going to be very specific to needs, states, and outcomes.
And I love when, you know, I take it with a healthy dose of skepticism if somebody’s like, I have a creativity chew. And I’m like, yeah, like, I’ll try it and see if it does what it’s supposed to. I think over time, you know, now that we have so much capital coming into the space, we have so much innovation, we have people really pushing the boundaries in ways that maybe cannabis didn’t as much, because it was a very binary sales channel. Now we’re starting to see a much more nuanced approach to innovation of these new types of categories of products. You will see probably in the next couple of months, a lot of new brands coming on board. I have a list of folks that I have tried over the last year and a half and beyond that I want to be a part of this, and I want to have on, and nobody has said no to coming on the platform. We’ve had to say no to a lot of folks, unfortunately, but it’s really about making sure that we have this portfolio that continues to grow. And the other thing that we’re also looking at, too, is not just THC products, but we’re going to bring on a bunch of CBD products. I think it is another really important part of this portfolio that can be complementary to other products, and also stand alone. And furthermore, we’re also going to bring on likely some nutraceuticals as well. You know, so a lot of different types of non-infused, non-cannabinoid products that edibles over time will probably continue to expand into. Yeah, you may be able to get a magnesium sleep powder to mix in with tea, but you can also get your infused gummies that also help with sleep. We really want to build this as a wellness-focused platform, and that doesn’t just need cannabinoids, but it’s where we’re starting to open the door to great brands that we want to help bring to consumers in this marketplace type of approach. And it’s very novel in its kind of concept, because we’re In a white space today that we want to start to increase people’s appetite for alternative health products.
AM: Well, I think Edible Brands is super fortunate to have you, the space is fortunate to have you, and nothing bothers me more when I go into recreational or medicinal dispensaries, and they’re constantly just saying, this is the highest potency, and what is best for cheapest.
TW: Oh, yeah.
AM: Maybe many consumers are programmed to think bang for buck and all these things, but they’re not looking at the art and science of it, they’re not bettering themselves, maybe they’re not looking at wellness in other parts of their life also, but often the dispensaries are not curating or explaining things well, and I think it’s terrific that in leading in the edibles space, you’ll be able to educate people, safely destigmatize, and curate and help guide towards desired outcomes.
IG @ediblescom
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Edibles.com
Read the OCT ISSUE #118 of Athleisure Mag and see EDIBLES.COM | Edible Brands Thomas Winstanley in mag.
This month we caught up with Overtime Sportsbroadcaster, Influencer, and Content Creator Megan Eugenio! For the past few years, Overtime Megan has brought her passion for sports as a fan of NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB to the digital platform. We wanted to know more about how she got into the industry and how she turned her love for an array of games as a fan to talking with our favorite athletes and giving her insights on the games. We also talked about stories that she is focused on this season, upcoming projects, and being a fan of Tate Mcrae.
In addition to talking with her about this and more, we also did an inbook editorial photoshoot with her at Magaritaville Resort Times Square showcasing 5 looks that you can incorporate into your Fall style wherever your travels take you!
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with sports?
MEGAN EUGENIO: I first fell in love with sports when I was 12 years old. This is a funny story. I had a crush on a boy and he loves Dwyane Wade and at the time, he was on the winning Miami Heat team - the big 3 with LeBron James and Chris Bosh. I decided at the ripe age, I think I was in like 5th or 6th grade, I was like, “I’m going to also become a Dwyane Wade fan. I’m gonna watch the NBA.” Then from there just by doing that and making that decision, because my family was not a big sports family, and I grew up in Boston as well, which is a big sports city. I both had the boss is pretty big, big sports.
AM: Boston is a pretty big sports town – you know they don’t play about their sports!
ME: From there, I just realized that this is pretty cool. I love the culture. I love the atmosphere. I love, just like the glitz and glamor of the NBA specifically as well. I didn’t know that I wanted to work in it. Around the age of 18, when I moved to NYC, I realized the sport scene here was so immersive and so welcoming, because at the time, the NYC teams were not doing too good. You know, the Knicks were definitely at their downfall. But it made me realize that I wanted to be a part of something. So I fell in love with the idea of being part of something.
When it comes to me, I was and am terrible at sports! I was not good!
AM: You’re like, “I am a fan – period!”
ME: Period!
I did not make the 5th grade basketball team. I was at the bottom of the batting list on my softball team. But I did cheer, and I did pageants. I love being girly, but I love being girly in this space, so I first fell in love with realizing like this is something I could be a part of. I can join it in this way. Here’s a family. Here’s a group of people, and we all have the same interest. I think that’s also true when you’re younger, you’re kind of finding things like that. It’s like finding a club or a hobby –
AM: Right!
ME: So, for me, joining and being part of these Sports fandoms was something of that nature.
AM: And what’s your first memory of being at a professional game?
ME: It’s funny, so growing up in Boston, it’s a big sports city, I was never a Boston fan because I never went to games! So when I moved to NYC, that’s when I got my first taste of it, and this is before I was even working at Overtime because I only had a month and a half of not working at Overtime into my freshman year. In that month and a half, I had very little money, but I used that money to take myself to a pre-season game at Madison Square Garden - Knicks versus Nets. I remember sitting by myself and posting an Instagram photo - my feet were up on the seat because it was preseason, it was empty and I wrote, “I could get used to this!”
AM: Oh wow!
ME: I thought it was just so casual. I was like, you know what I’m by myself, I’m gonna enjoy this.
AM: Yeah!
ME: My first NBA game ever, I went by myself pre-season, and that was my first memory of like seeing all the guys on the court and I knew I needed to do something with this. I didn’t know what I was going to do because I didn’t have it in my mind like that. I didn’t see influencing as a thing in 2018, I would say it was more YouTubers, and I had a more normal Instagram, so I didn’t know that I was going to work in it, but all I knew was that I felt some sort of connection. Maybe it was the Invisible String Theory (Editor’s Note: This theory is a metaphorical concept suggesting that people destined to meet are connected by an unseen bond, a belief rooted in fate, spirituality, and folklore. It is not a scientific theory and proposes that the universe will eventually bring these connected individuals together, regardless of distance or time)?
AM: Interesting.
ME: Even though I was not an athletic girl myself, I’m like, there’s something here as I’m eating my pretzel with mustard and I can feel it!
AM: So, how did you get that start? Admittedly not being an athlete yourself and being a fan and knowing that there was an interest and something that – how did it synergize?
ME: It started to synergize when I met someone that worked for Overtime. He was also one of their interns I believe that was around my age, and we started striking up a conversation just through social media. I was going through Instagram and I was trying to find a bunch of friends in the city. My idea of making friends within school and in the city was just like cast the widest net you can and whoever reels in.
AM: Sure.
ME: So we struck up a conversation about sports, and I asked him, “would you be able to get me a job? I’ll do anything. I’ll make copies. I’ll take out the trash. I will literally do whatever you want. I will literally just like print papers all day long.” He was young and was like, “let me ask my manager.” I had no experience whatsoever. He sent me his manager’s phone number. I gave her a call. She called me back about a week later, and she’s like, “you should come on in for an interview. Overtime at the time, had I think 880,000 followers if I remember correctly. I only had 2,000 followers. I grew up and I knew about Overtime, in high school because they became a thing around 2016/17 so I knew of Overtime, but I didn’t know what this was going to entail.
I went in for an interview, and these 2 guys who were also, you know, early 20s, it’s a very Gen Z company, 45 employees at the time running the whole operation. They let me know that they could use a little extra hand around here. And little did I know that extra hand would turn into a year later of what now influencing is for me – what content creation is for me. It really started to synergize for me by just asking! Closed mouths, don’t get fed.
AM: Facts!
ME: That’s been a huge motto of my career because you never know who’s going to say yes. This was pretty early in 2018, I had my 19th birthday in the office. It was pretty awesome, but realizing what Overtime had given me once they said yes It was pretty awesome, but realizing what Overtime had given me once they said yes - that was when my love for the sport and this opportunity actually arose where it synergized. So thank you Overtime! They were my foundation, they were my first step, and they still are!
AM: It’s amazing that you’ve been able to merge sports and your digital presence together which is phenomenal and to do it in such an organic way, that’s just what it is!
ME: Yes, and I had to learn as I went too because I didn’t know I wanted to be an influencer. I didn’t even know that was a word at the time. I didn’t know what a content creator was at the time. I fell into it, and this was a year into my job as I started in October 2018. I got introduced to TikTok through Overtime, which is a funny story in August of 2019.
AM: But still, the early days! I’m sure at the time you were like, “but is this even worth it, is this gonna be the next wave?”. And then, it’s like, yeah.
ME: Well, that was the whole thing. My CEO Dan Porter and then our Head of Social Thomas Weingarten, Tommy sat me down. They told me that there was a new app and that it was taking over. Now obviously growing up, like there had been millions – well maybe not millions.
AM: True but there were so many apps that everyone was on and then they weren’t like Vine.
ME: Oh yeah multiple apps – Kick, Keek, so many and a lot of them had not lasted the test of time.
AM: Exactly.
ME: I’m like, “what do you mean?” Like, there’s our big 4 - there’s Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram. Those are the big 4, that’s all you get, and those are the big apps that we’re going to get. They’re like, no, this is a thing - it’s going to be huge. You better get on it, and I was like, that’s for children. And they’re like, just do it. So I go on. They send me 2 TikToks. I think one of them was, like, the Obsessed Dance by Mariah Carey.
AM: Right.
ME: I was, like, dancing not my thing.
AM: You’re like, no.
ME: Yeah, but I’m like, I’m not gonna do that. I’m just gonna put text bubbles on the screen and point to them of my favorite NBA players to see if there’s a community there that’s gonna like that. I think, because I got on in 2019, the pre-COVID boom, I got lucky kind of solidifying my foot as a content creator, as a girl who likes sports in the space in August 2019. Within my first month, I think I got 150,000, which was crazy to say!
Then I realized that people were watching me
AM: You didn’t have to dance.
ME: You know, I can’t dance. But I can tell you that I really like the Milwaukee Bucks and the New York Knicks for some odd reason, and I was very much a casual sports fan, but I think also like, at the time, my audience was either my age or a little younger. It was just something you know, it’s like, who’s this, girl, and she’s so young, and she’s working for the sports company that we watch online – how did she get this job, and so I think that’s how it started it as well.
AM: As a sports broadcaster at Overtime, tell me about the network and the sports that you cover. You seem to cover a number of them.
ME: Yeah, so we we’re primarily a Gen Z Sports digital platform. We primarily cover basketball, and that was, I would say the first five years of the company was primarily basketball. Soon, we expanded to football, and now we have a Boxing League. Now we have our own Football League. We have our own Basketball League itself, so it really started with the NBA, and then I would say post COVID really transitioned into a lot of NFL. I do hockey on the side myself because we don’t really have a hockey section at Overtime.
The network is now just so fast it can go to, you know, tennis, the US Open is quite large. It can go to golf - The Masters. It can go to quite literally anything you can think of. Or, I would say, you know, the non-athletic sector like sports trading cards.
The network is so vast, a lot of it is a healthy mix of what Overtime does which is their leagues and their coverage and then what I do on the side, which is like hockey, trading cards and all that grand stuff. It’s been very diverse, which is fun, but I, I do have to say basketball was my first love and it still is obviously one of the biggest sports, and we still have so many amazing players in the league, but you know, it is fun combining different audiences.
AM: Oh yeah.
ME: The NFL and also doing the NHL, like me personally, different sports myself that aren’t really conventional, like skiing and snowboarding and opening up to those audiences, which has been a lot of fun, kind of unlocking, especially even like Olympic sports. I’ve been loving that!
AM: What’s an average week like for you? Whether it’s you being a commentator or doing a live event, hosting or content creating - what’s going on in Megan’s week?
ME: It’s so funny, because I think I used to do so much travel to the point where I couldn’t even buy groceries that I was never home, and that was when I was younger. I was hitting up every single event and it was really fun. I would say 21/22, we were all over the place, and now lately it’s been a lot of NY based things I’m right in the city where there’s a lot of great opportunities here. A week in the life looks pretty much like finding all the events that are going on in the city that are sports related.
So, we have home openers, which around this time, we have NFL games, we had MLB playoffs for the Yankees and in the Summer we had Mets games. So it’s a healthy mix of attending events and activations, which can be put on by companies or by athletes. There are lots of collaborations, which those are great for content because they are very laid back sorts of settings for getting content and interviews. It’s also very accessible! You can take the subway downtown and hit 3 events - very simple. If we’re traveling, we’re going to a game, we’re going to Super Bowls, we’re going to the Olympics, we’re going to home openers, We’re going to practices of other teams – that is something that is more the atypical weeks.
AM: Right.
ME: A lot of time when we’re here, we go in the studio, and we film at Overtime. I hit up a lot of games, and I make content there. I go to some practices sometimes. So, it’s just a lot of reaching out and seeing what we have in the city, which is quite a lot of events that we have going on. Even in my daily life doing what I do, even going to like a Tate McRae concert - there’s a New York Rangers legend goalie there, and even just taking a photo of him and posting it all these things all kind of circle into the orbit of sports content.
Whether it’s personal or not personal, whether it’s paid or unpaid. So it’s just a lot of fun events, a lot of sports games, and a lot of showing my daily life as well is part of my content.
AM: Absolutely!
ME: I’m very blessed that everything I do and everything I enjoy. It doesn’t even feel like work I should say.
AM: Why is it important to you to have your hands in all these areas as the commentator, the event host, and the content creator? It’s always great to have such a diverse portfolio. But what does it mean to you?
ME: So everything that I do has a special place in my heart. So, as a content creator, I’ve always been someone that doesn’t believe in, like fitting in the one hat. So you have to have multiple hats, multiple positions. You have to have your hands dipped in many places because having all those under your belt - it just shows that you’re a multifaceted person. I think a lot of times when I was viewing people online as well, I always felt like there’s one thing, and that’s their thing.
AM: True.
ME: I don’t love that idea! I love discovering new things about different people, like it’s so cool to see. Like, oh my God, she snowboards – never knew that. For me, it’s so amazing, to showcase those different parts of yourself and show that you’re human. We are human and behind the screen, there’s so much more to discover.
I’m someone that likes to throw it all out there. I don’t believe in putting yourself in a box and only having 3 things for people to remember about you. I’m like, no, here’s all of it. Put it on the platter, and I’m not going to knock one of these things off the plate. They’re all on the plate. This is for you guys to digest because there’s an audience for everything, and there’s so many untapped presences and content opportunities in different areas that if you actually think of it - like skiing and snowboarding in winter sports. I’ve been doing that my whole life and I didn’t think about posting it for my content until last season. I was like, I can’t believe I never shared this part of myself. It’s a very popular sport, and also I feel like there’s this notion that everyone hates the cold and hates Winter, and I’m like, well, that’s because you gotta try. You gotta find your place! This Summer I started sailing, and that’s a whole untapped area! There’s the Grand Prix and there’s a whole sports area of that. Even DJ Khaled was hosting that. So there are different areas that people aren’t used to seeing outside of the big 4 main sports in America that I like to showcase because I’m equally as interested in them.
Someone, also seeing another Creator doing that. They’ll be like, wait, I like this. They like this. This is cool, it’s becoming mainstream - same with golf - same with pickleball. There’s always people that want representation of those sports.
AM: A 100%!
You touched on this before as we have been talking about the big 4 throughout this interview. This time of year is just crazy because we do have the World Series, so MLB is ending. But then, we’re in the midpoint of the NFL and literally today as we have been talking, preseason of the NBA started! Of course, you have, the NHL which also just started. So, are there any stories and teams that you have your eye on that we should be thinking about as we start navigating this awesome schedule?
ME: Yes,, for sure!
Obviously, I’m a big Knicks girly! We just hired a new Head Coach, Mike Brown so I’m really excited to see what he’s been doing. I haven’t been to any pre-season games yet, but their Home Opener Is tomorrow, Oct 22nd against the Cleveland Cavaliers and then the next night, is against the Boston Celtics. So those are two, I would say really high stakes games. They both have really great players on opposing teams. So, it’s going to be really good to see how the Knicks hold themselves up against those teams with a new coach. The Knicks have gotten better since I’ve started being a fan, so I really do think that the Knicks have an even better opportunity than last year to be in the playoffs. But, new coach. We’ll see how it goes, but I think he’s got the charisma and the stamina to really last throughout the season with this team, with all of the pressure.
Hockey. My tried and true! I love hockey so much! I love Winter. I’m a Winter girl. I love the ice! I love the snow! There’s a huge Canadian aspect of it. I just love hockey, so I’m excited to hit a few games. I think I’m going to a game in November with one of my friends. I have that planned, but it’s so funny, because a lot of the times that I go to Madison Square Garden for Knicks or Rangers or whatever, maybe concerts. I always kind of find out last minute. So, I really don’t plan out what games I’m gonna go to.
Speaking of Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays are in the World Series for the first time in a long time! I’m super excited! I love Canada. Toronto is one of my favorite cities to visit, and so that’s going to be amazing as well.
My Jets are not doing their best. They have some improvements to be made, and I still love them, and I’ll still be rooting them on because the day that they win the Super Bowl. I can say I was there from the beginning. I’m still excited to see what they do and then see if they can turn it around a little bit!
AM: I love it.
You know, we’re always excited about hearing about people’s fitness routines, because we’re always like, what should we be putting into ours? So when you’re not doing all the things that you’re doing, how do you stay in shape?
ME: Oh my goodness! Every single day - the gym - every single day. I live two blocks from my gym, so I don’t give myself an excuse!
AM: Nice.
ME: In the morning, I wake up and I have to fit in at least an hour of workout in a day, and I really believe in the cardio aspect. I love the cardiovascular health, part of it. I’m a little bit into my weights and I try to get some strength in there. But I just believe getting your heart rate up every single day, it’s so good for your blood flow. It’s so good for anti-aging, it’s good for your endorphins. There’s so many things to it that are beneficial, and I think a lot of people in America live a very sedentary lifestyle and can’t find the time. So I’m like, even if I can only find 30 minutes – I have to do it. I think it’s very important just for you to destress. And I mean, if you really want to, you can even get work done on your treadmill.
But it’s so important! I don’t care what hour of the day I workout - I’m not super strict on that. I typically try to go in the morning. I get a smoothie after or I make one at home. Maybe I’ll go at night. I wish my gym was 24 hours, because then I’d probably go at 1am.
AM: Yes! Nobody’s here!
ME: You’ve gotta fit it in somewhere! I have a vice and I like to indulge in fast food sometimes. So it’s about discipline. If I am going to eat whatever I want on cheat days, you better be working out! I allow myself, I would say 1 or 2 cheat days. And those are typically on the weekends for obvious reasons.
It’s nice to have a rest and you know, walking around NYC itself is, you know, it’s a very active city.
AM: Oh yeah.
ME: Up the subway stairs, down the subway stairs. You’re walking to all your errands because you’re not driving to any of it. So on average, it’s very easy to get 20,000 steps a day here or more. I think I’ve hit like 45,000 one day, which is absurd.
AM: Totally, on some of those days where there are a lot of previews, stacked events, meetings etc, you will hit those large numbers. A normal day could be 18,000 easily but when it goes to 35,000 or more – that’s when I know I was really doing a lot!
ME: I know right? It’s crazy! So many people are like 10K and I’m like, live in NYC and you’ll see! Especially if you have the time to walk!
Oh my goodness, it’s crazy. I used to live at the bottom of the island in Battery Park. I’m on the UES now, and my sister also lives near me. If I had the whole day on a Sunday, I’d walk to her and that was part of my workout. Getting your steps in - you really can’t do any wrong there, but it is definitely important to fit in. You also need to focus on you cardiovascular health, a sauna here and there, a cold plunge.
AM: Oh yeah.
ME: All those things –
AM: I’m obsessed with Red Light Therapy.
ME: Yes! Infrared Sauna! Love it! Very important. I love a good sauna. I’m not too much of a stream room fan, but I’m a sauna girly for life, but it’s, it’s just, you know, there’s so many things you can do your body that are bad for it. That’s why you have to use discipline, and you have to, you have to put in the time for those good things in order to enjoy life fully.
AM: What does it mean for you to be a woman in sports? You have an Emmy, you use your platform to share your passion for sports but to also share other aspects as well. You talk about fashion, fitness, beauty and lifestyle. What does all of that mean to you?
ME: What it means to me is showcasing myself through a platform where people can feel is relatable and accessible. I never wanted to feel that I was someone that you couldn’t reach that you couldn’t feel like you’re approaching. When I started all this, like I said, I feel like I just got lucky. And once I realized that I took it by the reigns? This is what you’re going to do, and this is the first thing you are now, but I never lost the sense of just being grateful to be here for all these different opportunities, and I think just by, you know, showing all these parts of myself that are true to me that were here before social media. It definitely encompasses all of it. I’m a casual sports fan. I’m just a girl in New York City. Yep, there’s so many aspects to it that make it enjoyable because you are just presenting yourself in your truest form. It takes a lot of learning for sure. When you get started out with all of that, but what it means to me is, you know, you’re filming moments of yourself that you want to share with people. Whether it be good, bad, real, raw, authentic, or branded.
AM: Right.
ME: As long as you’re doing that and you’re having a good time, I think that’s all that matters. You’re connecting with people from all over the world that you never would have connected with and it means sharing experiences.
It means meeting people on the street that I never thought I would meet. It means all of these doors opening that I never thought I would have had, and I do it internally for like the little Megan inside of me, but outwardly for everyone else. I don’t know if I can put it into words, but it means having this big family out there in the world and having 600,000 followers, but, that’s 600,000 friends that can approach you and that you could have a connection with. I think as someone who grew up who was a little more dorky, who wasn’t into sports, who wasn’t the popular girl - I think that’s really cool. I think it’s even cooler that people feel like they know me through the different areas that I touch and post about.
AM: What advice do you have for women that are looking to enter the field? Yes, sports, but also stepping into the social/digital platform like anything that they should know before embarking on it?
ME: Something that people should know, especially women is that we all know that the easy answer is, you’re going to get critiqued.
AM: Right.
ME: I think, critique when, when delivered healthily, when you know, not in a bullying manner, I think, is a really nice thing for people to actually give their opinion and see how people are receiving what you’re putting out there. I believe in staying true to yourself, but there’s gonna be people who are a little more on the hater side, a little more on the trolling side, and you have to remember anybody that is coming at you for what you’re doing - you’re doing something right. If they’re coming at you in a negative tone, they’re behind their keyboard. They want to be in your position.
AM: Oh yeah.
ME: You know, there are a lot of people out there that don’t want to see women winning, especially in the sports field. They don’t want to see women here. They don’t want to see a woman next to their favorite athlete or even interviewing them. There’s a sense of like, “I must tear this down”. There’s a big problem with that, and it’s something that I have personally experienced on the daily, but all I’m going to say is, you be strong. You go out there, you don’t dim your light.
AM: That’s right.
ME: You don’t try to outshine others. You just try to outshine the person you were yesterday.
AM: Yes.
ME: I think there’s so much strength in appreciating the men around you, appreciating the other women around you. You don’t have to always be this person that comes in and tears everything.
AM: Exactly.
ME: All you have to do is bring yourself, bring it strong, say what you gotta say! I’m a big advocate for women being outspoken in all senses because I definitely am and I’m like, just say what you gotta say, You’re not going to dim your light. Do not put on a hat. Don’t try to be a façade – come in and be unapologetically you. They will love you for it, and you don’t have to fit into these molds, especially in sports. People think you have to fit in and that being a reporter, everyone thinks you have to be buttoned up - no. I know Gen Z slang in my interviews sometimes. You have to do whatever you think is natural to you and not what the world wants of you.
AM: Well, Halloween is around the corner. I know you are a super Tate McRae fan and that you have been her for Halloween. Are you going to be her for Halloween again this year?
ME: I am! I love Tate McRae! I have been her the last 2 years. My costume is actually out on my kitchen table. There’s glue everywhere. It’s all stuck on the table and I have to figure out how to get it off, but I’m doing her white outfit. It’s like a white jersey, a corset and some shorts and some black boots, and it’s all bedazzled. Hers, says T. And an 8 for Tate and mine says OT so I’m excited for that. It’s proving to be quite difficult, and I have a whole new found appreciation for costume designers.
AM: Oh yeah.
ME: In the music industry world, because my goodness, those rhinestones hand placed, every single last one of them!
AM: Yes, it takes hours!
ME: It’s taken me - I think I should have set a timer. I think if I had to guess I spent so far around six hours, and I’ve I’m not even close.
AM: Yeah, you probably have like another eight to go.
ME: Yes! And she noticed me the first year that I was here which was pretty funny!
AM: You have so many things going on. Are there any projects coming up that we should keep an eye out for? Should we just be watching your Instagram to see when you’re popping up next?
ME: We do have something coming out that I am very excited for! I’m having my commercial debut for the NFL which I believe is coming out Week 10. It will be in the NFL shop and I am repping my NY Jets in it. We also filmed a Europe commercial, which I believe is already out. We can’t see because we’re in the United States, but the next one is coming out Week 10, and that’s really cool. I’ve always wanted to be on TV and getting to see myself like in the middle of a game is going to be really cool.
AM: That’s amazing.
ME: Yeah, I’m really excited for that. I’m getting into the sports trading card space and there’s some conversations around possibly doing some things like that within the within the creation of it. You know, it’s called Live Breaks when you open the card packs and so there’s a huge audience there that I’ve been tapping into. So, maybe we’re going to start something there with that, and then, of course, the Winter Olympics, which are in February. We are going to those in Cortina, Italy, which I’m really excited to create content there.
AM: That’s awesome!
ME: So I’m hoping to win our 2nd Emmy.
AM: What did you feel like when you won an Emmy as that’s major!
ME: I didn’t even know at first! Last year, we went to the Olympics. It was a collaboration of the first of its kind. NBC and Peacock were integrating digital content creators and digital platforms and the content that we created for them had such a different outreach, because I feel like a lot of Gen Z people aren’t really watching the Olympics as much as in years past. To be an Olympian, you know, that’s a future accomplishment. So, for them to realize, we’re going to start using the digital Market and start tapping into it there, it was amazing, and it was the best opportunity. We got to go to Paris, and we did a lot of man on the street interviews with fans, and just kind of showed what the energy is in a city hosting the Olympics, and I found out when I was on the StairMaster when I was in LA. I was in LA and I found out I got the email and it was like you’re an Emmy winner and I was like – what and I ordered my trophy right away! I literally brought that trophy with me everywhere that Summer!
AM: I mean, as you do.
ME: I love her. It’s the coolest thing I put it out. It’s in my living room. It’s on my table when you first walk on.
AM: I would do the same thing! I’d have my tea by it and might high five it every now and again when I leave!
ME: Absolutely, absolutely. I think I wax that thing down with Windex 24/7 in the case. I love checking on her!
We enjoyed our shoot which showcased Fall looks that you can incorporate into your style whether you’re in NYC or traveling to other destinations. Megan wore looks in Fitness, WFH, Lounge, Out + About, Swim, as well as for a Night Out.
FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME | TEAM CREDITS
PHOTOGRAPHER Paul Farkas | FASHION STYLIST Kimmie Smith | MUA Felicia Graham | HAIR STYLIST Lea DeLoy |
IG @pvfarkas
FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME | STYLE CREDITS
FITNESS LOOK | TRACKSMITH Run Cannon Ball Run Sport Bra + Run Surf Run Shorts | KIMMIE VINCENT Moira Necklace, Sienna Necklace, Ashlynn Bracelet + Drea Bracelet | LAGOS Silver Link Bracelet | WHOOP One | NIKE Vomero 18 |
WFH/OUT + ABOUT LOOK | THE NORTH FACE Valley Flannel Shirt | KIRA GRACE Sleeveless Turtleneck | MAVI Audrey | WHOOP One | PARKER THATCH Charlie Suede | ECHO Scarf |
LOUNGE LOOK | HANRO Tank | NIKE SPORTWEAR COLLECTION Mid-Rise Pleated Track Pants | SEQUIN Super Gem Evil Eye Convertible Talisman Necklace | SPLITS59 Loren Seamless Bra | WHOOP One |
SWIM LOOK | CIA MARITIMA Bikini | CAMILLA Oversized Hooded Kaftan | WHOOP One |
NIGHT OUT LOOK | DORIN NEGRAU Beaded Corset | MAVI Audrey | NAGICIA Necklace, Bangle Bracelet, Dragon Bracelet + Ring |
FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME | PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS
SONY 7R IV, FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM Full Frame Standard Zoom G Master Lens, FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS Full Frame Telephoto Zoom G Master Lens with Optical Steadyshot + FE 50mm F1.2 GM Full Frame Standard Prime G Master Lens
Our inbook editorial with Megan took place at Margaritaville Resort Times Square which is known for their beachy vibes, an array of restaurants and bars, as well as a heated rooftop pool that is year around! We wanted to know more about this property, neighborhood, NYE, and more. Director of Marketing Blaine McCurry shares this and more with us.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into this particular property, can you give our readers a bit of backstory on the Margaritaville brand as many may know it from the song, drinks, blender etc. They may not be as familiar of it from the hospitality end.
BLAINE MCCURRY: Margaritaville, a state of mind since 1977, is a global lifestyle brand inspired by Jimmy Buffett, whose songs evoke a passion for tropical escape and relaxation. Margaritaville’s portfolio includes over 40 lodging locations and over 20 additional projects in the pipeline positioned across a variety of full-service and boutique hotel and resort brands, branded real estate, and gaming properties, all complemented by an extensive suite of food and beverage concepts, including Margaritaville Restaurant, award-winning JWB Prime Steak and Seafood, 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill, and LandShark Bar & Grill.
AM: What would you say is the ethos of the Margaritaville hotels that guests can expect regardless of the location that they are at?
BM: Margaritaville Resort Times Square brings a vibrant energy and relaxed sophistication to the iconic Times Square. Inspired by the carefree spirit of Margaritaville, the resort reimagines the tropical lifestyle to match Manhattan. Guests are welcomed by thoughtfully designed spaces that blend laid-back luxury with bold city style, from lively dining venues and a year-round outdoor heated pool to elegant guest rooms with skyline views. The escapist charm of Margaritaville and electric rhythm of Times Square allow the resort to offer an oasis where island time meets urban adventure.
AM: Looking at Margaritaville Resort Times Square, when did it open and what sets this particular property apart from the other ones that guests may have gone too?
BM: Opened in 2021, Margaritaville Resort Times Square brought a special element to Midtown Manhattan with its island-inspired design and relaxed luxury. The 32-story resort features 234 guest rooms, an outdoor heated pool, and signature dining like the 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar and LandShark Bar & Grill. An alternative from classic Times Square hotels, Margaritaville Resort Times Square offers a playful escape, embracing the iconic laid-back legacy.
AM: Tell us about the design aesthetic of the property as you literally feel like you have walked into a beach especially since there is a massive flip flop as soon as you walk in!
BM: Margaritaville Resort Times Square blends tropical ease with urban sophistication through a playful yet polished design. Created by Stonehill Taylor and The McBride Company, the interiors channel a breezy, coastal aesthetic, with nods to Margaritaville’s iconic lifestyle.
From the tiki bar and vibrant murals to the rooftop oasis with skyline views, every space transports guests to an island state of mind, all while embracing the energy and edge of Times Square.
AM: Whether you are a guest or you are in the neighborhood, tell us about each of the restaurants/bars that are on property that we can enjoy as there are 5! Can you also share 3 dishes you would suggest at each one?
BM: The property features two on-site restaurants and four bars.
Margaritaville Restaurant & Tiki Bar is the vibrant centerpiece of the resort. This two-story restaurant captures the lively spirit of Margaritaville with island-inspired cuisine and one of New York’s largest tiki bars. The playful décor, including a 30-foot-tall Statue of Liberty replica holding a margarita glass, and energetic atmosphere make it a necessary stop for both guests and locals.
Recommended Dishes: Cheeseburger in Paradise, Volcano Nachos, Cuban Flatbread (new lunch favorite)
LandShark Bar & Grill is located poolside. It offers casual dining with a tropical twist. Guests can enjoy refreshing drinks and fresh, flavorful bites while soaking up the sun or unwinding by the year-round heated outdoor pool.
Recommended Dishes: Buffalo Chicken Dip, Homemade Banana Pudding, Seafood Steam Pot
5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar is perched atop the 31st and 32nd floors of the hotel. This rooftop bar delivers stunning views of the Manhattan skyline paired with delicious cocktails, elevated light bites including the Chef’s specially selected charcuterie board, and a laid-back island vibe.
Recommended Dishes: Wagyu Sliders, Charcuterie Board, Teriyaki Chicken Tacos
License to Chill Bar can be found in the lobby area. Guests can relax by cozy fire pits while sipping signature margaritas and craft beverages. The warm, inviting space balances casual comfort with stylish design.
Margaritaville Coffee Shop is a convenient spot located on the seventh floor that serves coffee, quick bites, and grab-and-go essentials. This spot is ideal for busy travelers looking for a pick-me-up before exploring the city or heading to meetings.
AM: If you’re at Margaritaville, you have to have a margarita! What are 3 that we should have out eye on?
BM: At the Margaritaville restaurant, we recommend the Perfect Margarita, the Last Mango in Paris or the Seaside Hacienda.
AM: Tell us about the room options for those that are staying at the hotel, as well as the design approach, and the in-room amenities that are offered.
BM: The Margaritaville Resort Times Square provides island-style luxury accommodations in the heart of Manhattan with room options including Standard, Deluxe, and Premium rooms, each available with one King, one Queen, or two Double beds, as well as luxury suites, all featuring accessible options. The design approach creates a tropical escape through contemporary furnishings and a paradise-inspired color palette, complemented by premium bedding and spa-like bathrooms. The suites also feature luxury with walk-in rain showers and plush bathrobes, and Premium rooms include soundproof windows.
AM: For guests staying at the hotel, tell us about the common areas and what they have access to.
BM: The common areas include the Margaritaville Pool, restaurants, the Fins Up Fitness Center, the Margaritaville Retail Store and more. Dining and drinks are central to the resort experience, with options including the Margaritaville Restaurant & Tiki Bar, LandShark Bar & Grill, the 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar, the License to Chill Bar, and the ground-level Margaritaville Coffee Shop. For guests focused on wellness, the lower-level Fins Up Fitness Center is fully equipped. Additionally, guests can enjoy daily room service offering island-inspired bites and cocktails.
AM: The rooftop pool is such a fun amenity, and it is heated year around! Tell us more about this.
BM: Located on the 6th floor of the resort, the rooftop pool and sun deck boast an outdoor heated pool, open year-round. The spacious wooden sundeck includes loungers, umbrellas, complimentary towels, and more. The deck also features LandShark Bar & Grill, where guests can get snacks, drinks, and more. Open from 8AM to 8PM, the space is family-friendly, delivering a tropical retreat to those who need a break from the city.
AM: Although the pool is available for guests, you also have day passes for those that would like to use this. Can you tell us more about this and do you offer that package year around?
BM: Yes, year-round, there is a limited number of day passes available for non-guests on select dates. Cabana reservations and availability inquiries can be made directly with the front desk.
AM: When it comes to being a guest at a hotel, you could be traveling for vacation, a staycation, business, or live in the neighborhood and just want to come in to enjoy - why is this hotel such a great option for these kinds of guests?
BM: Guests are welcomed by thoughtfully designed spaces that blend laid-back luxury with bold city style, from lively dining venues and a year-round outdoor heated pool to elegant guest rooms with skyline views. The escapist charm of Margaritaville and electric rhythm of Times Square allow the resort to offer an oasis where island time meets urban adventure. The Nautical Wheeler Boardroom at Margaritaville Resort Times Square offers a refreshing departure from the ordinary, infused with the brand’s signature laid-back style while delivering the functionality needed for modern gatherings.
AM: The location of the hotel is in Times Square which makes it so central and accessible. Can you tell us about partnerships that you have with surrounding businesses that allows guests to get even more at their stay whether it was with the Edge in Hudson Yards, Shopping, Museums, etc?
BM: Margaritaville Resort Times Square features a mix of wellness and food and beverage experiences for guests to enjoy during their stay. The property partners with Sputnik Yoga to host rooftop yoga classes every Thursday and Saturday, allowing guests to start their day strong while enjoying the skyline views. The property also hosts SURFSET classes on Sundays, where guests can try a surfing simulation, allowing for a full-body workout with a twist. Classes are offered seasonally during the warmer months of the year.
The property also has a unique partnership with Edge NYC, where guests can book the Golden Hour Getaway, with 15% off their stay, a $50 dining credit at 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar, and two tickets to Edge NYC.
AM: As we’re in the Fall, are there any promotions or packages that you would like for our community to know about?
BM: Margaritaville Resort Times Square will be offering a Cyber Week promotion starting on November 18 and running through December 5. Stays can take place between November 20, 2025 and December 31, 2026. Guests will be able to get 40% off their stay. They can find more information in the Margaritaville Times Square newsletters.
AM: In terms of the Holiday season, especially with NYE, tell us what you have going on during this time of year!
BM: Ring in 2026 from Margaritaville’s rooftop, with gorgeous views of Times Square as the crowd’s countdown. Attendees can head to the property’s spacious terrace to celebrate in style while enjoying a front row view of the ball dropping. Margaritaville Times Square will also be hosting the Gala in Paradise, the ultimate New Year’s Eve celebration, where tropical vibes meet Times Square energy. For a more intimate and VIP experience, Margaritaville has 7 Ball Drop View Suites that offer a rare chance to watch the ball drop from the comfort of a private room. Sip champagne, enjoy tasty bites with warm slippers, and the best view in town.
AM: Are there any upcoming events taking place that you would like for us to know about that you are involved!
BM: Pickle Cocktail Class – Saturday, November 22, 2025 | 2–4 PM
Guests will toast with Ole Smoky Moonshine Pickles before learning to make a Classic Pickletini and a Spicy Pickle Margarita. Participants remake their favorite cocktail, take home a recipe card, and earn a “Mixology Degree.” Tickets: $20.
Holiday Mixology Class – Saturday, December 20, 2025 | 6–8 PM
This festive edition brings holiday cheer Margaritaville-style, complete with a Christmas Island Pop-Up cocktail, a collectible holiday cup, and a surprise holiday gift. Tickets: $50.
Read the OCT ISSUE #118 of Athleisure Mag and see FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME | Megan Eugenio in mag.
We took some time to sit down with Kay Sides, Founder of HATCh and R0AM in LA. We wanted to catch up with her to find out how she got into the fashion industry, her showroom, the iconic brands that she has been involved in, and her lifestyle brand that she launched a few years ago that are essentials as well as being coveted by some of your favorite celebs.
ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve enjoyed R0AM as you sent the flip flops during the Summer and have worn them so many times (such a lifesaver during NYFW) and then I we recently were sent the Shearling Clogs which were so cozy after running around the Food Network NYC Wine Food Festival as we had a staycation in BK and I loved wearing them around the hotel and out to the bodega when we weren’t covering the event. Of course, I have been a fan of yours as we had the pleasure of working together years ago! For those who may not be familiar, tell me a bit about your background and how you came into the fashion industry?
KAY SIDES: Thank you so much :)
I’ve been incredibly fortunate throughout my professional journey. I started at Chanel while still in college and quickly became an integral part of the accessories team - managing wholesale accounts across accessories and RTW, conducting store trainings, maintaining merchandising standards, and helping open new doors. From there, I became Creative Director and Buyer at Maxfield, then went on to found HATCh, one of the largest multi-brand agencies in the U.S. We’ve had the honor of helping build some of the most iconic contemporary and young designer brands for both the U.S. and global markets. R0AM came about very organically about seven years ago.
AM: Tell us about HATCh, why you created it, what does this showroom do, and who are you repping now?
KS: Yes, we were so lucky to be brought into that project! Our role was to help launch women’s Lacoste and make it feel fresh and relevant for the U.S. market. It was a pivotal time that introduced the brand to top luxury and specialty contemporary retailers nationwide. HATCh has always been known for its dynamic designer-meets-contemporary mix - at the time we represented Lacoste, Katayone Adeli, Rick Owens, James Perse, Henry Duarte, and Lena Wald, among others.
Over the years, we’ve launched and represented brands like Alexander McQueen McQ, Yohji Yamamoto (coming soon), Aviator Nation, Taschen Books, Banjanan, Zadig & Voltaire, Stance, and Lana Bilzerian, to name a few. We work incredibly strategically - creating integrated sales, marketing, and distribution strategies for every brand partner, and managing all aspects of wholesale and brand positioning.
AM: How did you go from having this successful showroom to deciding that you were going to launch what started as a shoe brand in 2018?
KS: Thank you so much! R0AM truly grew out of an organic need. I couldn’t find shoes that were both cool and comfortable - stylish, versatile options for women who lead dimensional lives (which is to say, all women!). Something that could carry you from school drop-off to meetings, to Pilates, to walking your dog or cooking dinner - without ever needing to change shoes.
I loved so many of the luxury collaborations out there, but to be honest, they weren’t comfortable for me, and they were always $600–$700. I wanted to create something attainable and designed for real life - shoes that feel good, look good, and fit seamlessly into every part of your day.
AM: What is the meaning behind the brand’s name?
KS: I’ve been an adventure and outdoor sports enthusiast my entire life, so the name R0AM resonated deeply - it embodies movement, freedom, and exploration. It implies action and comfort, while visually feeling modern and stylish. Growing up in Hawai‘i and spending so much of my life in nature, I knew the brand also had to be built with consciousness and care at its core. That’s something I’m deeply proud of.
AM: What are the different roles that you have in R0AM and what do you love the most?
KS: Honestly, I’m involved in everything. I oversee design, fit, comfort, sustainability, and creative direction - from photo shoots and campaigns to every ad and communication touchpoint. I’m lucky to have an incredible team that manages the technical side of production, fit, wholesale, and retail operations, and I work closely with each of them, every day.
Even our warehouse manager and I talk daily! I love every aspect of it. When I started, I didn’t know anything about designing footwear, and I still learn something new all the time. I thrive on that challenge. It’s such a gift to collaborate with such bright, creative, and committed individuals.
AM: From a sustainability perspective, what can you tell us about your approach to the design of the shoe?
KS: It’s a non-negotiable for us. From day one, we’ve been entirely vegan - no harm to animals. We use in-market luxury materials, certifiable bio-EVA outsoles made from sugarcane, recycled tread, and compostable, recycled packaging. We recently launched The Slip, made from certified BLOOM technology (algae). For a small, independent brand, we’re proud to be doing our part to minimize harm and protect this beautiful planet.
AM: When did you launch apparel and what kind of pieces can customers expect in this assortment?
KS: We launched apparel a couple of years ago, and it’s grown steadily ever since. The collection mirrors the qualities people love about our footwear - insane comfort and elevated design. Even our most casual styles are luxurious, made from sumptuous jersey, often lined with the softest inner jersey, featuring padded hoods and subtly structured bodies.
The silhouettes are incredibly flattering thanks to thoughtful seaming, and our Tux Jogger - technically a sweatpant - feels elevated, polished, and flattering on every body type.
AM: Since you juggle HATCh and R0AM, how do you take time for yourself to give yourself the proper self-care that you need?
KS: Self-care is everything. I make time to work out, meditate, do contrast therapy, and practice silence - all of which help me stay centered so I can show up fully for my team. It keeps me grounded, grateful, and ready to give 100 percent every day.
AM: We always like asking about our faves fitness routines - are there 3 favorite workouts you enjoy doing or studio fitness that you do?
KS: Each week, I strength train, run, and do Pilates. I mix in hiking, surfing, and boxing whenever I can. Movement is truly my therapy.
AM: From the shoe portion of the brand, what are 3 must-haves that we should have as essential items to wear from R0AM?
KS: The three must-haves from R0AM’s footwear collection would have to be a cozy clog, a statement platform, and our signature moto boot.
Definitely start with a cozy clog - we have so many options, from cush-lined to unlined, platform to non-platform. Our new brushed terry styles are a dream, and whether you go for the glam hardware versions or the classic fuzzy OG R0AM look, these are styles we truly dominate in. They’re unbelievably comfortable and perfect year-round.
Next, you can’t go wrong with a platform. No one does stacks like we do - our custom-molded platform is designed to be insanely lightweight and ultra-flattering. I’m currently obsessed with the Knotty Stack in Oyster and the Fuzzy Stripe Stack in Taupe and Beige.
And finally, the Moto Boot - it’s so sexy and versatile. The perfect low-cut silhouette that instantly elevates a simple leggings-and-jacket combo. It transitions effortlessly from festival style (paired with shorts or jorts) to a boho moment with a flowy dress. It’s one of those pieces that transforms any look with ease.
IG @roamwears
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Kay Sides
Read the OCT ISSUE #118 of Athleisure Mag and see THE RIGHT STEP | Kay Sides in mag.
We spoke with legendary sports agent, author and philanthropist, Leigh Steinberg. It was intriguing to hear how he became a sports agent before it was a core field and what research and strategy he puts into win-win dealmaking. Agents, managers/owners and entrepreneurs alike surely benefit from listening to and following his tried and true methods. He is all about making relationship bonds and helping athletes on and off the field. We discuss some of his major sports deals; working with top sports players and teams; as well as landing endorsements that align with player values. His new book, The Comeback: Resilience, Empathy and What Matters, comes out this Super Bowl, and includes his story of alcohol addiction and rebounding to be over a decade of continuous sobriety, as well as continuing to help athletes on the field; their health; as well as being a role model and supporting their respective communities, nurturing young sports talent, and during local tragedies.
ATHLEISURE MAG: So what led you to become a sports agent?
LEIGH STEINBERG: Well there really wasn’t a field of organized sports agentry when I began.I was a dorm counselor in an undergrad dorm working my way through law school and they moved the freshman football team into the dorm, and one of the students was the quarterback, Steve Bartowski, and in 1975 he became the very first player picked overall in the draft, the first player in the first round, and he asked me to represent him. I was out of law school a year choosing between different offers, and all of a sudden here I had the first pick in the NFL Draft and we ended up with the largest rookie contract in NFL history.
So that got it started, but my dad had two core values. One was treasure relationships, especially family and the other was make a meaningful difference in the world. In that very first experience, I saw that athletes were venerated in idol worships and that if I used their experience to try to trigger positives in the world that we could send them back to the high school community, and they could set up scholarship funds, or work with Boys and Girls Club, or a Church at the Collegiate level, they could endow scholarship or retrofit equipment and bond with the alums, and at the pro level that we could set up a charitable foundation that would attack some problem that bothered them in the world and use the leading business figures political figures and community leaders to assist in executing the program.
So that’s work done and running back who just put the 220th single mother and her family into the first home they’ll ever own, or Patrick Mahomes II his 15 and the Mahomies it helps at-risk kids, kids in hospitals, kids without enough to eat, and so that’s how I began, and that’s been the spirit of our firm.
AM: So how is it that you built the relationships with the team owners, the managers, and the GMs to get to some of those biggest deals ever?
LS: I think the whole key in life is listening skills. It’s being able to draw out another human being cut below the surface; understand their deepest anxieties and fears and greatest hopes and dreams; and see the world the way the other person sees it.
Now put your heart and mind into the heart and mind of a general manager, of an owner, of a potential client, and really people don’t tend to share their deepest emotional feelings very easily - so you have to create an atmosphere of trust around another human being so they’ll peel back the layers of the onion and show you who they are, and then you can craft win-win scenarios.
AM: That’s great. So what is it about win-win negotiating that has such big results? We’d love to hear more about your formula.
LS: So it’s first of all, doing an internal inventory so you understand how important is short-term economic gain and how important is long-term economic security. What about family or geographical location, or profile or autonomy and for an athlete? How important is being on a winning team, the quality of coaching, the system that they run the facilities.. and it’s to have an understanding if you’re representing a client of really what is critical to them in this transaction. It’s understanding what’s critical to a management type in the same situation. So it’s doing research ahead of time, it’s understanding the business, the profitability, the revenue streams and in contemporary sports salary caps, and understanding how they work and how to work around them. So it’s really a commitment to a win-win scenario where both parties walk away happy, and it takes creativity so there are times where you need to think outside the square and be more creative in how to problem solve.
AM: There’s so many lessons that you could give us just in an entrepreneurship in general, so what were some of the tools you used or even a war story about when you saw an owner a manager and or GM on the other side, but they weren’t really meshing where they agreed on what to do?
LS: So that’s where it can be important to go to the ultimate decision maker, and hopefully if I can negotiate with an owner.. can I create a concept of whose reality will govern in the situation. So one of the things I do is to create exhibits that show exactly how valuable a player is in a series of statistical categories or honors and that just how that relates to the market, so if we’ve done that correctly it should be a blueprint for a logical conclusion. So instead of saying I want the money or the most money, or whatever you’re trying - motivate the other side through logic, statistics and give them a framework to view compensation through.
AM: What has been part of your recipe for building strong relationships and bonds on and off the field?
LS: Part of it is not embarrass people publicly. That it’s understanding that there are, especially in sports having public exposure, putting the team in an awkward position creating a conflict publicly doesn’t near to the benefit of a client. In other words, you should try to do these things seamlessly behind the scenes quietly so that the first time anyone even knows negotiations are happening is when you have a happy player sitting signing his contract. So it’s being careful to safeguard relationships. if you’re in a situation where someone from the other side has his neck exposed and you’re tempted to step on it, the only thing I can tell you for sure is your neck will be exposed at some point in the future, and I think it’s critical to honor those relationships.
We live in primarily an oral world, so your word is your bond. So I think it’s really important to be trustworthy and to not try to build your own stature through diminishing others.
AM: Very true. So I know you’ve been asked a lot about Jerry Maguire in the past. It really hit me hard when I got to see it, so I wanted your impression by being an advisor, by being the inspiration and also the memo and the infamous tagline - I’d love to hear your thoughts about it.
LS: Well for the memo as you know, our concept is role modeling making a difference in the world. So it’s a boxer Lennox Lewis cutting a public service announcement that says real men don’t hit women and that could trigger behavioral attitude in rebellious adolescents more than a thousand authority figures ever could. So Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Vanilla Sky, Fast Times at Ridgemont High) called me up, the writer/director in ‘93 and asked if he could follow me around for a film that would be based on a sports agent. So he went to the NFL draft with me in New York. He went to league meetings in Palm Desert. He went to Super Bowl. He came to a series of games with me and went to pro scouting day at USC. He was like a fly on the wall and I told him stories.. lots and lots of stories and what part of those stories went into it, I’ll leave to Cameron, but then I was technical advisor so I had to vet the script to make sure [there was] the willing suspension of disbelief that holds you in the picture, and that the dialogue seems real, that the look is authentic and didn’t get tampered with, and then I worked with the actors.
I took Cuba Gooding, Jr. (Men of Honor, Boyz N The Hood, Selma), who played the wide receiver down to Phoenix for the Super Bowl and made him pretend he was a wide receiver client of mine all week and he hung out with Desmond Howard and Amani Toomer. I actually had to show the quarterback in the film played by Jerry O’Connell (Stand By Me, Las Vegas, Scream 2) how to throw a spiral because he had gone to NYU and they didn’t have a football program. So anyway it’s been 27 years and still every time I go to an airport or go out to dinner someone runs up to the table and either asks me to say those four words or says them to me that start with ‘Show Me The..’
AM: And is it taken well by you for the most part?
LS: Sure I think that I believe the film humanized sports agents and showed some of the true caring that goes into the relationships and you know it was the highest grossing sports film of all time until The Blind Side came along.
AM: Hmm, well we love that movie and thank you for being part of it and being an inspiration. It’s also inspiration for business people on passion, ethics, discipline and holding on; it’s an inspiration for people in romance - I mean the movie does go beyond sports too.
LS: So it’s really cool one of the reasons it was popular was the relationship, yeah romantic relationship. I have a new book coming out at the Super Bowl and it’s about resilience. It’s called The Comeback and it comes from the realization that life will frustrate us all at some level, hopefully minor and not catastrophic, but in many cases because of divorce and relationship problems and financial problems and substance abuse, people hit a situation where they lost their way and and they seem to be destructive. So the question is not whether that’ll happen in some form, it happens to us all. It’s how do you come back from that? How do you find resilience seeing the light at the end of the tunnel? So, it’s stories of resilience, including my own story.
AM: That’s really cool, looking forward to reading it. A lot of people need comebacks and you know as you’re speaking I think there is also a big epidemic right now of people functioning in their jobs or tasks or relationships but silently maybe not liking it or fitting where where they’re they might be just accomplishing the status quo but they need that pivot or growth that we kind of all need a comeback.
LS: Right, so sometimes not the most devastating moments, but it could be assessing yourself every now and again and making sure that you’re on the right path that’s where that internal assessment tool where you know short-term economics, long-term economic, profile making a difference in the world autonomy - you know vacation, whatever it is it’s having the most pristine clarity as what really will bring fulfillment to a person.
You know it’s fair to say, I battled with alcohol and crashed back in 2010, and so you know people are out there still suffering. The first key is breaking denial. OK, alcohol and addiction is a disease that tells you that you don’t have a disease, so it’s having some clarity about the fact that you’ve hit bottom. You don’t want to live this way for the rest of your life and you’ll take action. My action was a 12-step program, with a unique fellowship and the point is there is light at the end of the tunnel. I mean I just turned 15 and a half years continuously sober, so the point is for people out there despairing, who are confused and despondent - reach out! There’s help available and you can turn your life back into the fulfilling journey that you hope for that’s great.
AM: Let’s discuss the groundbreaking Mahomes deal, so how is it going through all that when you land that deal in 2020 with the Chiefs? What were you feeling when you closed the deal? What did it take to get there? How did Patrick feel and I guess you guys were on top of the world then!!
LS: Again, I think it’s understanding every client and to Patrick what was important was winning and wanted to go to the super bowl. In other words, it wasn’t enough to be the highest paid player on a team that was losing or under, so it’s part of what’s different about representing athletes, is that you’re not representing a corporation or a pig iron manufacturer or some commercial, and they’re a human being, so that you start to grow and care for the person you become bonded with. So being able to guarantee lifetime security felt really good.
AM: You have been a such a pioneer involved with endorsement deals. You know it’s great, that in the endorsement deals that you advocate and close for like-minded values between the players and hopefully the brand at the time and continuing. How is it finding those relationships between athlete and brand and showing athletes that they don’t just have to do things for money, that they could do things with money and values attached.
LS: Well one of the things I’ve tried to be careful of is advising clients not to do all that many endorsements [until] they’ve established a sports career. So to sort of take it easy so Mahomes didn’t do endorsements his first year, he wasn’t a starter and the second he was at the end of that year it was fine, but you want to prove to the fans of the city, to the ownership, to the other players that you’re serious about football or baseball or basketball, and you’re committed. Also hopefully set up a charitable foundation that shows you’re serious about being involved in that community, so a lot is about values, it’s about understanding that high profile is a role model and that your associations with products and and companies in the world ought to do what you suggested, which is to share the same values about what’s important. If you believe in helping people, then there’s a component there and each of the deals can actually have a structure where they go back to help the charity.
AM: Then sometimes you’re involved with helping athletes give back just to a disaster and being involved with the situation. How do you help facilitate those positive impact scenarios?
LS: I remember Ben Roethlisberger donated when they had the big tidal waves in Thailand. He donated a game check to relief, so it’s having an awareness of the time and place. One of the things we’ve been able to do at our Super Bowl party which I hold every year, is to address problems. So for example, back in Miami around 2008 or 2009, we shipped the water machine to Haiti. They had just had an earthquake and cholera problems with impure drinking water, we were able to ship a water machine that purified the water for 140,000 people. So it’s when we had troops in the field, we did a live hookup with troops between the Super Bowl party and Afghanistan and Iraq, so it’s having an awareness of what’s going on societally.
Years ago I created something called the Sporting Green Alliance and it took sustainable technology and wind, solar, recycling, resurfacing and water to state the arena and practice fields to drop carbon emissions and energy costs and it transformed them into teaching platforms. So the millions of fans that go could see a waterless urinal or solar panel and think about how to integrate those concepts into their homes and businesses.
AM: Then there’s also the Leigh Steinberg Foundation, so that’s where you’re helping educate about head trauma and CTE.
LS: I had a crisis conference back in the 1980s because I’m representing half the starting quarterbacks and they keep getting hit in the head and we would go to doctors and ask how many is too many? What’s the number that should contemplate retirement and they had no answers. So we started holding brain health summits back in 1994, and the first one here in Newport Beach had Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Warren Moon, and Drew Bledsoe, all came and listened to neurologists. By the time we got to about 2006, doctors like Bennett Amalu told us that three or more seemed to be the magic number, and after that you had an exponentially higher chance of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, premature senility, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and depression. So I call this a ticking time bomb. We’ve continued to have those brain health summits. We did two hours in New Orleans at our Super Bowl party, and I thought why not establish a foundation to raise money for research into brain health. There are two new modalities, one’s called RTMS and the other is neurofeedback. They can actually through neuroplasticity rehire a concuss rewire a concussed brain, so we’re making some progress and I have a series of neurologists on the board of the foundation and some iconic athletes.
AM: You’ve done so much, including golf tournaments and youth support for talented youth to get sponsorships. What is it that drives you to do so much good in the world beyond being an agent?
LS: So my my dad used to say if you see a problem in the world as tiny as picking up a piece of trash or as big as racism or climate change, and your tendency is to wait for they or them to solve the problems, older people, political figures, you know someone else, he would say, you could wait forever son, ‘the they is you,’ ‘you are the they.’ So it’s just a sense of responsibility, that’s part of why I’m in this world, is to heal pain to help people who can’t help themselves, to try, and be as active as I can in bringing hope and healing into the world.
AM: What is one lesser known story in either closing a deal, or in working with a top client - our community would certainly love it.
LS: So Ben Roethlisberger, Super Bowl winning quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, was very superstitious, and so he had a routine he did before every game. So it came time to see the AFC championship, which was Pittsburgh versus Denver in Denver, and usually players will reserve tickets for you as an agent and everything. So I called Ben before that game about tickets and there was silence on the other end of the line, and I said is there a problem? He said, ‘yeah well, last year you came in Pittsburgh to the AFC championship game, and we lost.’ I said, well Ben there were 70,000 other people there too. He says, ‘I don’t know,’ but I said you mean I can’t come to the game? He said, well you could go to willcall, but you’ll be waiting for hours. So at any rate, they played, they won. So go back to the Super Bowl, which was played in Detroit, and I’m on the bus on the way back with him, and I said, ‘Ben guess what? You just won the Super Bowl, and I’m here, so I guess I get to go to more Super Bowls?” And he says, “Yes, but never an AFC championship game.”
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Leigh Steinberg
Read the OCT ISSUE #118 of Athleisure Mag and see THE SUPER AGENT | Leigh Steinberg in mag.
The end of the Summer means that there are functions that take place that wraps the city up in the festivities - the US Open is one of them as everyone shares their love of their favorite athletes who play tennis. In addition to a number of activities that we attended during this time, we were guests of Lavazza at their US Open Suite at Arthur Ashe Stadium where we were not only able to catch Mixed Doubles with tennis’ biggest stars, but we got to know more about the brand, previewed a launch of their latest machine, and even got to see amazing partnerships that they are involved in! We got to hear about this and more from Daniele Foti, VP of Marketing at Lavazza North America. We sat down with Daniele to talk about many of the things we saw that we’re now able to share with our community.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into all things Lavazza, can you tell us a bit about your background and how you came to the brand?
DANIELE FOTI: My career began in finance after earning a degree from Bocconi University in Milan and a Master’s in Accounting from Sweden. Those early experiences at General Electric Capital and Coca-Cola HBC gave me a strong grounding in business fundamentals. Over time, I found myself increasingly drawn to roles where I could have a direct impact on the business and help drive growth — understanding consumers, shaping brands, and supporting organizations in their evolution. That led me to roles at Reckitt Benckiser and L’Oréal Italy, where I honed my expertise in sales, trade marketing, and overall brand strategy.
AM: For those that are not familiar with Lavazza, what can you tell us about it?
DF: Lavazza is, at its heart, a family story built on more than 130 years of dedication to coffee and to quality. From the very beginning, the brand has represented Italian craftsmanship and innovation, from the first espresso blends to today’s sustainable coffee solutions. We are not just about coffee as a product; we are about coffee as a moment of joy, connection, and pause. Whether at home, in the office, or out in the world, Lavazza exists to elevate the everyday ritual of coffee into something memorable and meaningful.
AM: You’re the VP of Marketing at Lavazza. What does this role entail?
DF: My mission is to shape how consumers experience Lavazza across North America. That includes building campaigns that bring our heritage and innovation to life, creating partnerships that amplify our presence, and ensuring every interaction, from packaging to experience, reflects our premium Italian DNA. At its core, my role is about storytelling and helping people see coffee not only as part of their day but as part of their lifestyle.
AM: We had the pleasure of attending your US Open Suite to watch Mixed Doubles matches as well as to learn more about the brand. You presented Flavia at the suite. What should we know about it?
DF: Flavia reflects Lavazza’s commitment to bringing premium beverage experiences anywhere, especially in workplaces and home offices. It delivers café-quality coffee, lattes, hot chocolate, and a full variety of drinks at the touch of a button. At the US Open, guests experienced the new Flavia Aroma Brewer firsthand, discovering how it transforms an everyday break into a moment of indulgence — not just for coffee, but for any beverage the platform can provide. Flavia embodies the concept of “Expect More” — it’s about elevating every pause; offering multi beverage versatility, and creating a premium, indulgent experience every time.
AM: You have partnered with Jannik Sinner (Winner: Australian Open - 2, Wimbledon - 1, US Open - 1) for a while now. What can you tell us about how the brand and this athlete connected and why is this partnership important to you?
DF: Our partnership with Jannik is a natural and long-standing one, spanning over 10 years. Coffee and tennis both require dedication, rhythm, and energy, and Jannik embodies those qualities beautifully. Over the years, we’ve celebrated this connection through activations like the US Open, where Lavazza brings fans closer to the sport and the rituals that fuel performance. His authenticity, drive, and joy in what he does perfectly mirror Lavazza’s values. Together, we highlight excellence, consistency, and the everyday rituals—on and off the court—that make great achievements possible, and we serve as ambassadors of Italian excellence in the world.
AM: While we were at the suite, we got to see about some upcoming partnerships that are taking place with Apple TV’s The Morning Show. What can you tell us about this?
DF: Lavazza is proud to be part of the upcoming fourth season of The Morning Show, now streaming on Apple TV+. This partnership highlights our commitment to bringing moments of calm, warmth, and connection to people’s mornings. Amid the chaos of daily life, Lavazza offers a ritual to reflect, reset, and reconnect—reminding viewers that mornings are an opportunity to “Make Your Morning a Show.”
AM: With the holiday season coming up, what can we expect to see from the brand that our community can be excited about?
DF: The holidays are about conection, and coffee often plays a role in those moments. This season, we want to inspire people to slow down, savor, and share joy over a great cup of coffee. Whether it is gifting, entertaining, or simply taking a quiet moment for yourself, Lavazza will be there to make it special.We’re also excited to bring a unique experience to Art Basel this year, where fans can engage with our brand in an immersive, creative way—celebrating both art and the pleasure of coffee.
AM: Are there any upcoming projects that we should know about that are taking place this year or even early next year?
DF: Yes, there is a lot of momentum. We have recently partnered with American Airlines to bring Lavazza coffee into their premium cabins, giving us the opportunity to share our blends with travellers around the world. We are also expanding our footprint in the U.S. hospitality and entertainment sectors and continuing to bring Luigi, our beloved Lavazza coffee-robot, to new cities for more immersive brand experiences. Consumers should also look forward to our annual calendar and a special experience at Art Basel this year — we’ll have more to share soon! Looking ahead, Lavazza will continue to invest in exciting new initiatives in the market throughout 2026, making next year another thrilling chapter for the brand.
IG @lavazzausa
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Lavazza
Read the OCT ISSUE #118 of Athleisure Mag and see ESPRESSO TIME | Lavazza - Daniel Foti in mag.
The month of Oct has a number of events that are iconic and one of them is the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show that blends the brand, models, personalities and entertainers together here in NYC. Walking the runway, rocking the wings and harnassing all of that energy means preparation. Some of that preparation involves working out so that each person has the confidence in how they feel and look. Kirk Myers, founder of DOGPOUND Gym has been working with models since 2016. We wanted to know more about how he approaches this show with his clients, how we can incorporate their workouts into our own sessions, and the power of recovery and hydration! If you missed the show, we have soem of our favorite moments.
ATHLEISURE MAG: How long have you been doing this runway-model prep work? What’s your ideal timeline when a client has a target date?
KIRK MYERS: I’ve been a trainer for over 20 years, and The Victoria’s Secret Angel work began around 2016 when I was introduced to Jasmine Tookes by her hairstylist Marty Harper. The ideal timeline would be around 12 -16 weeks, but can be adjusted according to their goals. If I know ahead of time that someone has a runway show, we can adjust quickly.
AM: What are your go-to tips you give in prep for the show?
KM: My go-to tips are:
○ Core control & breathing over “abs for show.” Engaging the core properly (with breathing) supports everything—not just aesthetics.
○ Train for function and movement, not just isolation. For models, strength, mobility, stability, sometimes boxing, and other low-impact work, like resistance bands, help keep the body balanced.
○ Volume + consistency wins. We usually go through repeated higher-rep cycles (bands, sliders, and bodyweight) to fatigue.
○ Recovery & rest built in. Models don’t want to be constantly sore. So I suggest rest days, lower-impact exercises, stretching, and hydration to aid recovery. Replenishing electrolytes with something like Vita Coco helps restore balance and supports muscle repair after training.
○ Tailor every plan - I like to tailor each plan to the client. Taking into account what they’ve done before, while adapting our training to include what they enjoy most.”
AM: For a beach-body runway feel (or just prepping for a vacation), what are 3 workouts to include?
KM: Here are three I would include with some variation:
○ Circuit of Resistance Bands + Bodyweight Supersets - Combine exercises like banded glute bridges, lateral band walks, pushups, inverted rows, core planks, etc., in supersets. Very model-prep friendly.
○ Core & Anti-Rotation Movements - Moves like planks, side planks, and medicine ball slams. These help define the waistline and improve posture.
○ Low-to-Moderate Load, Metabolic Strength Rounds - Use lighter weights with higher reps in a circuit style (e.g. walking lunges, dumbbell swings, overhead presses) to build lean muscle while metabolically challenging the body (i.e., burning fat). You can layer those with mobility work, active rest, and light cardio (walking, incline treadmill, etc.) for extra burn without overtaxing the body.
AM: How important is functional strength training and what does that look like?
KM: It’s pretty important to help create a balanced look. Functional strength means strength you can use: stability, balance, core control, coordination, and mobility integrated for daily life.
What that entails:
○ Multi-joint movements (squats, deadlifts, lunges, and presses)
○ Single-leg, unilateral work (e.g. single-leg deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats)
○ Core + anti-rotational work (to resist twist and torque)
○ Mobility + stability paired (e.g. loaded carries with anti-lateral fl exion as well as crawling patterns)
○ Dynamic & reactive work (e.g. plyometrics, mini bounds, and stability challenges) where appropriate
AM: Recovery is essential. What recovery rituals do you suggest?
KM: I would suggest the following:
○ Active recovery and mobility days (light movement, yoga, stretching, as well as foam rolling)
○ Massage, soft tissue work, and percussion devices
○ Quality sleep
○ Hydration + electrolytes through beverages such as Vita Coco
○ Compression and stretching post-workout
AM: Let’s talk hydration! How important is it before, during, and after a workout?
KM: It is important before and after! I recommend hydrating well in the hours leading up, especially with something electrolyte-heavy like Vita Coco. Coconut water is one of the most effective natural ways to hydrate since it is packed with potassium, magnesium, and sodium to help your muscles perform at their best. Bring a water bottle filled with Vita Coco to sip on throughout your workout; it’ll keep you refreshed without the artificial dyes found in many sports drinks.
Post-workout, hydration is just as key. Vita Coco helps replenish electrolytes lost through sweat, supporting faster recovery and preventing that sluggish, dehydrated feeling that can follow a tough session. Think of it as the natural way to power your performance and bounce back stronger.
AM: How can we juggle fitness goals and holiday season indulgences?
KM: I don’t want clients to go into guilt mode. We can plan to be smart, be fl exible, and stay consistent with habits even during the holiday season. Clients do virtual training to maintain balance and also focus on nutrition so they can continue to make healthier choices, even while traveling. Going for a walk is always a good idea!
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 156/Kirk Myers | PG 159 - 161 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show |
IN PHOTO | CANDICE SWANEPOEL
IN THE PHOTOS | L: Angel Reese + R: Emily Ratajkowski
Read the OCT ISSUE #118 of Athleisure Mag and see FITNESS ANGELS WITH Kirk Myers in mag.
We have been enjoying a number of the original series on Paramount+ and Tulsa King is one of them! S3 takes us back to Tulsa, Oklahoma where we follow Dwight “The General” Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone) as he continues to make a life out West successfully after being released from prison. He continues to build his empire, work with a number of mobsters that are new to him as well as that he has known, while also creating a gratifying personal life.
Each season we watch him navigate these worlds with a crew of unlikely people who have come together under his leadership.
If you have yet to catch all episodes, this is one you should definitely enjoy during your downtime as there are a number of great cameos! If you’re in this season, you know it’s been a ride and we can’t wait to see Samuel L Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Shaft, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menance) this season!
Last year, Starting 5 S1 started with the tip off of the 2024-25 NBA season and with Jimmy Butler (Heat), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), LeBron James (Lakers), Domantas Sabonis (Kings), and Jayson Tatum (Celtics). S2 is the completion of this season when the Indiana Pacers had a historic playoff run that secured the Eastern Conference title and eventually came to an end in the Finals against Oklahoma City Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers) are 2 of the 5 athletes in this season as well as Jaylen Brown (Celtics), Kevin Durant (Suns), and James Harden (Clippers). We’ll see them on the court and in their personal lives. Starting 5 is produced by UNINTERRUPTED, in association with Omaha Productions and Higher Ground Productions.
MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT
PEACOCK ORIGINAL
We’ve been watching Married at First Sight since the beginning and although it has been a staple on Lifetime, S19 now calls Peacock home! We’re back to meeting people for the first time as well as the experts who match them. As this show settles into its new home, we can already see some changes that have been added into this format - 2 couples have an interesting connection and 2 couples are older!
We love that the drama and complications that happens when you are immediately married to a stranger is still there! How will this unroll, well we’ll have to keep streaming!
Read the OCT ISSUE #118 of Athleisure Mag and see BINGELY TV/STREAMING in mag.
We’ve been long time fans of Chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author, Tom Colicchio. This month his 1st cookbook Think Like A Chef celebrates its 25th anniversary which has stunning imagery as well as a new author’s note!
When it first came out in 2000, it was a groundbreaking volume as it has simple steps that Tom used as a means to deconstruct a chef’s creative process. In many ways, it allows you to make restaurant-style meals in an accessible way for any home cook.
You’ll be able to build the cooking fundamentals that are essential from: roasting, braising, sauteing, making stocks, and making sauces.
Tom also shows how you can roast tomatoes and braise artichokes in various ways to make vinaigrettes to a carmelized tomato tart.
In a section called Trilogies, Tom combines 3 basic ingredients that can make several dishes that you’ll enjoy. This cookbook has a number of stunning photographs and is essentially a master class that is available on your bookshelf!
ANNIE LENNOX: RETROSPECTIVE
RIZZOLI
We always love seeing something interesting when it comes to our coffeetable books. Annie Lennox: Retrospective is a visual memoir by Annie Lennox which is the first and only official book from this award winning artist perfect for those who love music, fashion, and photography.
With a career that is almost half a century old, she is icon in pop music and pop culture whether it was being one part of Eurythmics with Dave Stewart or as a solo artist, she is known for some of the best-selling records or all times as well as creating memorable imagery that centers around her music.
As she has been filmed by some of the greatest photographers such as Richard Avedon, Paolo Roversi, and Ellen von Unwerth to name a few - this book includes Polaroids, iconic portraits, music video stills, record covers, and more.
ORGANIZED LIVING: SOLUTIONS AND INSPIRATIONS FOR YOUR HOME
TEN SPEED PRESS
If you’ve ever wondered what the homes of professional organizers look no further in Shira Gill’s Organized Living: Solutions and Inspiration for Your Home [A Home Organization Book]!
Shira showcases the homes of 25 international home organizers, offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into this meticulously kept world. You’ll see their spaces, the organizers, the passion that fuels their work, and more. You’ll get tips from the experts, resources, visual inspiration, and organizational hacks that you can use in your home or space of interest.
Read the OCT ISSUE #118 of Athleisure Mag and see BINGELY BOOKS in mag.
Earlier this month, we made our way to NY Comic Con to hit the showfloor, sit in on press conferences, and to watch panels where we got to see clips from these shows!
Apple+’s Slow Horses press conference gave us insight to what we can expect from S5 of the show. Director Saul Metzstein (Doctor Who, The Musketeers series, Brassic) as well as castmembers Christopher Chung (Waterloo Road, Doctor Who, Blitz), James Callis (Castlevania: Nocturne, Star Trek: Picard, Bridget Jones: Mad About a Boy), Ruth Bradley (Ted Lasso, Doctor Who: Dark Eyes, Humans), and Nick Mohammed (Deep Cover, Ted Lasso, Christopher Robin) talked about the series as well as the story arcs that are taking place in this spy thriller series.
We enjoyed catching up with the cast of Prime Video’s Cross from James Patterson’s series! We started the day with a press conference from Executive Producer, Show Runner and Creator Ben Watkins (Burn Notice, Truth Be Told, Wu Tang: An American Saga) as well as Aldis Hodge (Black Adam, City on A Hill, Leverage: Redemption), Matthew Lillard (Scream franchise, Barkskins, Bosch), Isaiah Mustafa (It: Chapter Two, Murder at Yellowstone City, I Know What You Did Last Summer), Alona Tal (Veronica Mars, Seal Team, Truth Be Told), Samantha Walkes (The Kings of Napa, The Changeling, Murdoch Mysteries), and Wes Chatham (The Help, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay 1 & 2, Tenet). Following the press conference, we also attended the panel on the Main Stage.
This year we also made our way to the press conferences for 2 of Anne Rice’s shows that are on AMC that are within the Interview with the Vampire universe. The Vampire’s Lestat brought us to Executive Producer Mark Johnson (Talamasca The Secret Order, Better Call Saul, The Holdovers), Showrunner/Executive Producer Rolin Jones (Weeds, Boardwalk Empire, Perry Mason), Sam Reid (The Astronaut Wives Club, The Legend of Molly Johnson, The Newsreader), Jacob Anderson (Broadchurch, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones), Eric Bogosian (Uncut Gems, Succession, Billions), Delainey Hayles (Carrie, Too Close, Holby City), and Assad Zaman (Hotel Portofino, Apple Tree Yard, Vera).
We also attended the press conference for Anne Rice’s Talamasca: The Secret Order of Mark Johnson, Executive Producer/Director/Writer John Lee Hancock (Snow White and the Huntsman, The Blind Side, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil), and Nicholas Denton (Eden, Foe, Dangerous Liasons series), and William Fichtner (Heat, Armageddon, Prison Break).
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 166 Prime Video/Cross | PG 168 AMC/Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe |
Read the OCT ISSUE #118 of Athleisure Mag and see NEW YORK COMIC CON ‘25 in mag.
We had the pleasure of having a great meal at Leonetta last month in The Art of the Snack and we made our way to another Chef Ed Cotton restaurant, Jack & Charlie’s 118 in the West Village. With a menu focused on American cuisine, fabulous martinis, and an aesthetic of Old New York, it was another amazing meal that was perfect o embrace all that is the Fall season.
We took a moment to catch up with Chef Ed Cotton again for this month’s The Art of the Snack to find out more about the restaurant, what we should have our eye on, and hearing about why this should be a restaurant that we visit often whether in the dining room or at the bar!
ATHLEISURE MAG: We had the pleasure of having a satisfying dinner as well as taking in the good vibes at Jack & Charlie’s 118 the other night! Before we delve into the restaurant, what led or inspired you to open this restaurant?
CHEF ED COTTON: When you walk into a space it sometimes just tells you what it wants to be. It is such an iconic space, and was formerly home to Cafe Bruxelles, so we wanted to open up a restaurant for the neighborhood that felt like it had been there for a number of years. The name comes from the two cousins that founded the original 21 Club, Jack Kreindler and Charlie Burns. It was first opened by Washington Square Park and then bounced around the West Village before it landed on 52nd Street. We wanted to bring that vibe and feeling for their original idea for 21 Club to the West Village.
AM: Tell us about the team at Jack & Charlie’s 118.
CHEF EC: Chris Coco, Frank Falesto, and Craig Hutson approached me about the space and opportunity and we quickly agreed on the concept and formed the team.
AM: Tell us about the ambiance and vibe of this location as we saw it in the final season of HBO’s And Just Like That and knew we had to see it for ourselves as it gives you all the feels of classic New York.
CHEF EC: It definitely has the old world 21 Club atmosphere. We really wanted to open something that was evocative of that time period and that looks and feels like it’s been there for a number of years - not shiny and bright but storied and lived in. We left the floors as we found them to keep that lived in feeling.
AM: How do you define the cuisine that is available at this restaurant?
CHEF EC: It’s an updated throw back to classic American fare, with a focus on bringing certain old school staples back to the forefront.
AM: During the Summer, we saw people with picnic baskets from the restaurant - can you tell us about this?
CHEF EC: We thought about the outdoor experiences available in the West Village and Little Island and wanted people to get off the subway, grab a picnic basket and head over to the park or Little Island and enjoy the outdoors and everything this neighborhood has to offer.
AM: A number of your dishes are made with a wood fire oven - can you tell us why this is so important?
CHEF EC: We took over the space which had a wood burning stove already installed, so we wanted to create a menu based around this oven. Even the Bloody Mary mix is based around wood charred tomatillos. The end result when you cook this way is just great flavors - so we try to use as much as possible for the majority of our menu.
AM: Seasonality is important to you and as we are going into the Fall what are the kinds of dishes that we can expect?
CHEF EC: We are already in the fall season - so we are featuring a Butternut Squash Soup with homemade cinnamon marshmallows. We also offer a delicious Wild Mushroom Tartare that is 100% vegan.
AM: As you know, we enjoy breaking down the menus for our readers and community. What are 3 dishes that you suggest that we should enjoy from the Sunset Menu?
CHEF EC: Happy Hour Popover “French Dip” - shaved roast beef, horseradish, steak sauce, au jus
Jack’s Junior - all beef patty, american cheese, caramelized onions, pickles, secret sauce, sesame bun & french fries
Happy Hour Rosemary Parmesan French Fries - black truffle aioli, dijonnaise dip, au poivre sauce $3/$8
AM: We enjoyed our dinner, what are 3 appetizers that we should have in mind?
CHEF EC: Wood-Fired Littleneck Clams Casino
Hand-Cut Steak Tartare - prime beef, quail egg, whole grain mustard, caper berry, country toast
Shepherd’s Pie Croquettes - potato, beef ragù, curry mayo
AM: For our mains when we are enjoying a meal with friends, family, and colleagues - what are 3 that we should have in mind?
CHEF EC: “Bone -In” Duck Meatloaf - whipped potato, charred Chinese broccoli, fig jus
Wood Fired Branzino - miso & sake braised leeks, wild mushrooms, warm yuzu broth
Lamb Carbonara - Bucatini, house-made lamb pancetta, smoked egg yolk
AM: To share with the table, what are 3 sides that we should think about?
CHEF EC: Creamy Green Spinach - fresh nutmeg
Warm Cheddar Cheese Popovers - Vermont salted butter & au jus
Maitake Mushrooms - roasted garlic & herbs
AM: What are 3 that we should have on our radar?
CHEF EC: Warm Apple Pie - toasted oat streusel, creme fraiche ice cream
Sticky Toffee Carrot Cake Cream - cheese frosting, walnuts, butterscotch sauce
Dessert For Two | Flourless Chocolate Cake “Sundae” Whipped - cream, hot fudge, sundae toppings, vanilla bean ice cream
AM: We enjoyed Slightly Promiscuous and the Oaxacan Painkiller. What are 3 cocktails we should think about?
CHEF EC: Express 2 Martini, Stoli O, Stumptown espresso, vanilla
Hot Charlie, London dry gin, chili vermouth
Lydia Fields Elixir, Crop cucumber vodka, elderflower, lemon, honey, celery bitters
AM: What can you tell us about the beverage program as we really enjoyed the well crafted martinis?
CHEF EC: A dedicated martini list that nods to mid-century supper club glamour; and known for our Bloody Mary Cart and tableside service touches that add a little show to the pour.
AM: What are 3 items that we should have the next time we come in for Brunch?
CHEF EC: Chocolate Babka French Toast - whipped cheesecake, berry compote, Berkshire maple syrup
Prime Rib Panini “French Dip” - four cheeses, caramelized onions, au jus & fries
Turkey Club - house turkey, country ham, swiss, bacon, spicy club sauce, pickles & herb mayo
AM: What can you tell us about holiday meals coming up that we should know about?
CHEF EC: The holidays are really special at Jack and Charlie’s, and we plan our menus accordingly. For Christmas we do a ‘Celebration of the Christmas Goose’ special on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Our holiday menus are always really well received, which we are proud of.
AM: Are there any upcoming projects that we should know about?
CHEF EC: We are excited to announce the opening of The Derby Club in Sutton Place in November. It will offer American Tavern fare in a cozy upscale atmosphere with old world dining fanfare.
AM: For those that are interested in having a private event, what can you tell us?
CHEF EC: We can accommodate 25 people in our Oyster Room for semi private events. We have done complete buy outs for the entire restaurant. Jack and Charlie’s is really a special place for the holidays with the fireplace and decorations which makes for very warm and festive events.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Dillon Burke
Read the OCT ISSUE #118 of Athleisure Mag and see THE ART OF THE SNACK | Jack and Charlie’s 118 in mag.
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Golden Bachelor/John Fleenor
PHOTO CREDIT | Disney/Maarten de Boer
This week on The Golden Bachelor, we’ve made it to the finale and it is down to Cindy and Peg! We can tell that both women feel that he is hard to read and they don’t know where they stand. Mel has always said that he doesn’t want to say things to multiple women. We start tonight getting a recap of both of Mel’s dates, We also check in with Jesse Palmer in studio to see what we need to know about what has taken place in Mel’s journey.
Jesse introduces an array of Bachelor Nation couples that are in the audience as well as those that are single from The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette cast as well. He also lets us know that he has a chat with the upcoming season of The Bachelorette, Taylor Frankie Paul (The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives - S3 is streaming now) to see what she has been up to.
Back on Cindy’s date, she tries to get answers and realizes that she is not his person. She wants her person to be sure and not to say that maybe in 2 years he could marry her. She asks him to walk her out and now we know that he only has Peg. You can see her emotions as she knows she is a great match for him, but his lack of commenting was really the last straw for her.
As Mel is still sitting at their dinner table and the fireworks go off overhead, he is shocked that she left - although he calls it quitting. As he contemplates what has transpired, Jesse arrives to talk with him. Jesse reminds him that the women come with the hopes of being engaged - Mel doesn’t agree and likes to make decisions in his own timeline as opposed to the parameters that the show is based on. Jesse reminds him that Cindy is trying to protect her heart. It seems like Cindy hasn’t officially left but he definitely has thoughts and more confusion - Jesse says that she is still here and available to talk with.
Ultimately, when we come back from the commercial break, we see Cindy walk on the stage to talk to Jesse. She says that she just watched the clip that we saw and she was able to see how it all went down and what she thought happened - did happen. Jesse asks her if Mel went to go find here. He didn’t and she also adds that she didn’t want him to come find her. She believes that everyone should have the kind of love and partner that works for them - she realized that what he was giving her wasn’t enough. The lack of specifics of how she could fit into his life wasn’t there and she just heard compliments but now the why and explanations behind it. She was in it until he wasn’t willing to dig deeper. His lack of commitment was their undoing and she had no regrets leaving.
Mel is on the stage with Cindy to talk about their relationship. She lets him know that she didn’t feel that he was ready for a commitment and wanted to know when he realized that. He feels that because she left early from their date and didn’t do the Fantasy Suites, then he feels that she left the game early. She tells him that he said more to Jesse then he did with her. He feels that they needed to talk without the cameras being there so that they could really talk. She hears him out and says that she gets where he is coming from and that they are not aligned. She tells him that she felt that she learned enough and didn’t need to talk further and that she realized he wasn’t going to take a leap of faith. Jesse interjects as he sees that they will continue to go in circles.
Coming back from the commercial break, only Peg is left and we see her getting ready to meet Mel’s sons. She doesn’t know that Cindy has left and they didn’t even make it to Fantasy Suites! Mel comes to her room and she knows something has happened. He shares his feelings with her about how he likes her and he explains that he had his date with Cindy and he wants to be transparent about what took place. He lets her know that she left before the overnight. You can see Peg’s mind racing as she realizes that Cindy was asking questions that he wouldn’t answer and she sees that she is in the same boat with him. He lets her know that he wants to get to the end with her and in his confessional, he says that he feels that she is one of a kind. He’s worried that because of the situation, that she may feel like a leftover.
We see Mel with his 2 sons and friend Diane from college. He lets them know that Cindy left and that Peg is the only one that is left. His friend shares that as much as she thinks that what happened is unfortunate, she can appreciate that she didn’t feel it was right for her and that she removed herself. This is the first time that his sons have met someone since his divorce. It seems like everyone is getting along and that she fits in.
Peg enjoyed meeting his college friend and his sons. She got to see more about him and feels that their connection is real. She hopes that this will help him commit. He knows he needs to make a decision and that he needs to get out of his head and to use his heart and gut.
It’s the day after Peg meeting Mel’s friend and sons. She still has questions but a decision needs to be made after they have navigated this journey. She knows that she can fall in love again, she feels their bond, and she knows that they could be great together. She has let her walls down and has been vulnerable. She hopes that he is the one that she has been waiting for.
Of course, we know that Mel is getting a bit nervous as the time to decide is now. He lets us know that he has let his walls down to listen to his heart - because of Peg. He gives Peg a commitment ring as well as a Golden Rose.
As the After the Rose portion of the episode takes place, we finally see Peg and Mel together. They talk about the fact that they can now be public, they talk about how they get to decide how to navigate their relationship, and they get feedback and well wishes from previous Goldens!
We also get to hear from the upcoming The Bachelorette which is an interesting sneak peek,
Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelor and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week, we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
