Read the SEP ISSUE #117 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LOOKS | Shao New York in mag.
Read the SEP ISSUE #117 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S | Jessy Dover in mag.
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Golden Bachelor/John Fleenor
PHOTO CREDIT | Disney/Maarten de Boer
This week on The Golden Bachelor, we see the women working out which together and talking about the fact that there are only 9 of them left! The date card arrives and Peg has the 1-on-1! Nicolle doesn’t get why she got it as she doesn’t see the chemistry between them.
Peg’s date takes her to the OC Fair where she meets Mel. They get to plays games and hope on rides to get to know one another better. They take some time to talk about their partner’s divorcing them and moving on. They continue on to see KC and the Sunshine Band! They dance on the side of the stage and when they are introduced, Mell gives her the date night rose!
The next day, the rest of the house is preparing for their group date. Nicolle happens to mention that she is not dating Mel, she is dating the rest of America and she lets them know that they will have Housewives status. She also trashes the previous season’s house. She lets everyone know that she wants to be an influencer. Various women in the house are rubbed the wrong way by her sharing this (and going on about it).
The group date takes them to Malibu at the beach. They are doing a photoshoot which will be on People. The women are excited about this date and have fun wearing a number of the pieces. The photographer selects the one who had the best chemistry - Cindy. They get the last shot. Their shots are very steamy and Nicolle notes that she will push it the next time that she is with him.
Robin lets him know that some people are not here for the right reason and they are there to promote what they have going on. Ultimately, Carol receives the group rose.
The women are having a tailgate as opposed to a cocktail party. They decide that they should make lemon bars as he loves anything with lemon in it. They enjoy playing beer pong together although they’re sipping prune juice - that’s a twist. They have fun chatting with him individually as well as grilling. Although all the women made the lemon bars, Nicolle says that she made them and she creates a note - the women are seeing this and that’s definitely not something they’re pleased seeing.
In tonight’s ceremony, only 6 women will continue. Jesse Palmer lets them know how important this week is in the overall process. He wishes them luck. Gerri, Robin, and Roxanne do not receive a rose. Although he was told that not every person was there for the right reason, he was never told who - so Nicolle is still there to continue on.
THEY RECEIVED ROSES | Carol, Cheryl, Cindy, Debbie, Nicolle, and Peg.
THEY DIDN’T GET A ROSE | Gerri, Robin, and Roxanne.
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.
Read the SEP ISSUE #117 of Athleisure Mag and see THE 9LIST in mag.
Read the SEP ISSUE #117 of Athleisure Mag and see PUMPKIN BEAUTY in mag.
Read the SEP ISSUE #117 of Athleisure Mag and see THE PICK ME UP in mag.
Read the SEP ISSUE #117 of Athleisure Mag and see #TRIBEGOALS in mag.
PHOTO CREDIT | Unsplash/Christina Rumpf
Staying active demands more than just regular workouts. You also need the right nutrients to fuel your body, keep your energy up, and recover properly. While whole foods should always form the foundation of your diet, it’s not always easy to eat enough leafy greens, colorful vegetables, or nutrient-rich plants every single day. Greens powders offer a convenient way to bridge nutritional gaps because of their accessibility.
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Some brands even offer perfect meal powder products designed to serve as a meal replacement when you don’t have time to cook. Pairing organic super greens with grass-fed pasture-raised collagen peptides or Organic Protein™ ensures that your body gets not just plant nutrients, but also the protein needed for muscle recovery and joint health. You may also have seen or heard about a collagen-based beauty powder called unflavored glow, which produces the same effect.
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Not all green powders meet the same standards. Since these products become part of your daily diet, quality and safety matter. Look for blends that are third-party tested, which means they’ve been independently checked for purity and quality. This testing ensures you’re not unknowingly consuming heavy metals or contaminants.
Another important marker is USDA organic certification. This seal tells you the product meets strict farming and production standards, avoiding synthetic pesticides and artificial additives. It’s one way to know you’re getting a truly clean product made from organic vegetables and plants.
When comparing options, consider your lifestyle needs. Do you want a powder focused on gut support? Do you prefer blends with added protein for recovery? Or do you simply want a straightforward greens option to improve nutrient intake? Matching the formula to your goals makes the product far more effective.
Adding greens powders to your day is easier than you think. Pouring a scoop over a glass of water can be a quick morning ritual. You can also stir it into a smoothie for a tastier option or mix with protein powders to create a filling snack.
You can get creative by adding greens to recipes like overnight oats, energy balls, or homemade protein bars. This way, you’re not only boosting nutrition but also making it enjoyable. Flavors like Honeycrisp Apple brighten up simple drinks, while Chocolate Fudge pairs well with desserts.
Consistency is what matters most. Over time, you’ll notice improvements in digestion, steadier energy, and better workout recovery.
Supporting an active lifestyle takes determination and consistent nutrition. While whole foods should always be the foundation, greens powders can be a smart dietary supplement to keep your body supplied with essential nutrients.
These blends offer a wide range of benefits, from bloating support and improved digestion to stronger immunity and sustained energy. Choosing a high-quality product that’s third-party tested and backed by industry certifications ensures you’re nourishing your body safely.
There’s a greens option that can fit seamlessly into your lifestyle, no matter what you’re looking for in a perfect meal powder. By making it part of your daily routine, you’ll give your body the extra support it needs to thrive in both workouts and everyday life.
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Golden Bachelor/John Fleenor
PHOTO CREDIT | Disney/Maarten de Boer
Last week’s double episode did clear the field of women for tonight’s episode of The Golden Bachelor. We see the women getting to know one another more and we see the beginnings of the fall out with Nicholle being so overt. This week there will be a 1-on-1 date as well as a group date. Debbie gets a 1-on-1 date.
The group date is a roast and you know the women have a lot of material with Mel Owens providing a number of the information due to his podcasts prior to being on the show.
It’s always fun to see Jesse Palmer enjoy the various activities. Each of the women gave it their all for this particular date. Whoever makes the biggest impression is the winner and Nicolle will have a romantic dinner with him. She receives the date night rose.
Of course, now that the group date is over, we now have Debbie’s date. Prior to it the women talk about how long it takes to get ready and how they handle depuffing under their eyes. Michelin starred Chef Ludo Lefebvre is giving them a cooking lesson and will also make them an epic meal. Back at the house, Kathy and Susan from S1 of The Golden Bachelor swing by for a slumber party with the women! That’s definitely a great way to spend the night. They share tips, advice, and are even gifted vibrators. Back on the 1-on-1 date, Debbie gets a rose and we can see a connection between them.
The cocktail reception before the ceremony - the women have their game faces on. Each of them get time to speak with him and to share more information about who they are. Tonight, 4 women are going home! The Goldens are always tough because you only get an hour per episode and it seems like there are a larger cuts!
THEY RECEIVED ROSES | Carol, Cheryl, Cindy, Debbie, Gerri, Nicolle, Peg, Robin, and Roxanne.
THEY DIDN’T GET A ROSE | Amy, Monica B, Monica P, and Terri.
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.
There are certain songs on our playlist that transcend just being songs. They’re moments, portals to place and time in our lives, and in many cases the sound is timeless no matter how many decades have passed. When we heard Push the 2nd single on Matchbox 20’s debut album in 1997, we were hooked not only to the sound, lyrics and visuals of the video - but we knew that vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Rob Thomas had something to say that was relevant to where we were and where we’d be in the future!
This sentiment hasn’t changed with countless hits from his band as well as his solo career that has included Smooth with Carlos Santana, Lonely No More, and This is How A Heart Breaks which continues to connect with people at a visceral level.
As this month’s cover of Athleisure Mag, we talked with Rob while he is on tour for his 6th non-holiday solo album which drops on Sep 5th. We wanted to know more about the band, his creative process, All Night Days, his tour, and more!
ATHLEISURE MAG: You were in my hometown in Indy a few days ago and I know you’re traveling throughout the Midwest right now.
ROB THOMAS: We were just there. We were just through Indianapolis and then last night, we were outside of Detroit and today, we have a day off on the bus just chilling out in St. Louis!
AM: When did you realize that you wanted to be an entertainer.
RT: I think when I exhausted all of the other options and I wasn’t good at anything else, you know? I think that when you’re lucky enough to find something that you feel like you’re good at and also – you know, when I was a kid growing up, I was in the South and I didn’t understand cars or sports and so trying to figure out where I fit in – it wasn’t until I found other people maybe in high school when I met the drama kids and the musical theater kids and they kind of spoke to me. Maybe it was the outcasts and the kids on the fringe. As I got a little older, it was musicians that were that way. It was like this fraternal group of the people that I felt like it just made sense to me.
So it was like at some point, maybe when I was like 19 or 20, it was like, I think that I want to do this as I was really writing songs. I thought, “I think that I want to do this.”
AM: Wow!
You’re so talented as a songwriter, a vocalist, and you play multiple instruments. Were you formally trained or did you just come across it all – how did all of this come together?
RT: Yeah, no – when I was a Freshman in high school, my buddies in my band were Seniors and then they all graduated and they went to Berklee College of Music and they would come back and they would bring me their music books. So I started to learn how to sight-read (Editor’s Note: It is the ability to read and perform a piece of musical notation you’ve never seen or played before, without any prior preparation or practice) chords and trying to understand relationship between notes and they would give me some of their books and I would kind of learn from that. So it’s pretty self taught and if you put me next to someone who is a really good player, it’s pretty obvious that I am self-taught.
I was alone with a guitar, I was alone with a keyboard, and I needed to learn how to write songs. I had melodies in my head, and I had songs in my head so I had to learn how to play just enough so that I could be able to write.
AM: Wow that’s interesting how you were able to access all of that as Berklee College of Music is a great school known for its jazz and popular music. My great uncle was Joe Henderson and I know that they have courses about him there.
Before we delve into your latest solo album, I can’t talk to you without talking about your band Matchbox 20. I remember when the debut CD came out, I was a Freshman in college when it came out. So for me, it was like all the things that I needed to learn about adulting and how to navigate emotions and scenarios that I hadn’t had to do before, it came from listening to your music and realizing that these things are normal! How did you come together as a band and did you think at the time that you would have this impact that resonates with so many people over all these decades?
RT: No. I mean, I think it’s funny. When you’re starting out, you have to have some sort of naïve suspension of disbelief that you’re going to make it – right? If you really thought about the odds, it would be so daunting that you would collapse under the weight of it. So I think that there was always this idea that we were going to be successful. I don’t think that we understood what that meant.
AM: Right.
RT: And I certainly don’t think that we had the ability to look forward 30 years later and realize the gift of being someone’s nostalgia. Like having this song like you said, that you went to college and this was your CD and that some people for one reason or another, at an event – someone’s wedding or their graduation and there was a song that was tied to it.
So I think that like, the gift of longevity and the ability to be around for awhile is bigger than like a level of success! It’s more of like being woven into the fabric of these fans and these people and I think that that’s a pretty special part of it.
AM: Is there going to be anything coming up that highlights the 30 year anniversary – that’s literally around the corner!
RT: Yeah, I mean, listen – we’re out on the road right now with the solo work and we’re still back and forth with Matchbox trying to plan out next year! Luckily, the end of next year marks when we put out our first record 30 years ago so we’re probably going to do some festivals next year to start gearing up for something really big at the end of the year and then touring 2027 around the world!
AM: Oh wow!
When it comes to creating music, where do you start in terms of the creative process and how is that different with you as a solo artist, you with your band, or when you’re collaborating with other artists?
RT: I mean, most of it is the same right? I write all the time. When I’m sitting down to work with someone – when I worked with Willie Nelson, we just sat down for 2 days and played each other’s songs. And then when I was done, he had written down 3 songs and he said, “I want to do these 3 songs.” If I’m writing with somebody else, maybe they come in with an idea and we can build on that. As far as if I am writing for someone or with someone, I’m just kind of drawing from this bucket of songs that I have worked on. If I go to Matchbox, I’m like, “do you guys like this song or how about this song?” I think that we all work that way so it’s never really like, gearing up for – well, I’m writing this song for this person so I need to get into this mindset. At some point, if someone wants to write with me, they probably want my point of view. So they will put their spin on my point of view.
AM: How would you define the Rob Thomas sound?
RT: Geez. I don’t know! I’ve been really fortunate that fans have allowed me to step outside and just do – I mean, if you listen to 3AM say 30 years ago, and you listen to Hard to Be Happy now, or if you listen to Lonely No More – those sound like different bands. They could be different artists. But I think that my voice is my voice and it ties them all together. So I don’t know that I have a certain – I write songs and I think about people and how people interact with each other. It’s just a very normal thing, right?
AM: Mmm.
RT: Like if I write about something going on in my life, it’s my job to write about how that thing makes me feel because you understand that – that has happened to you. You don’t need to know about me and my wife having a fight, you just need to know, “oh I know how you feel!”
AM: You’ve said that as a kid of the 80s, there are elements of that throughout your work. How do you add that aesthetic into your music while combining the various genres that you have been on and still making it sound current even if some of it is older?
RT: You know, I think part of it is that I have always went into this genreless. I think that that’s because when I grew up in the 80s, 80s radio was genreless. You would have MC Hammer played right after Van Halen and played right after Whitney Houston and then right after Bobby Brown and then Ozzy Osbourne.
AM: 100%.
RT: All of these things would play because MTV, that was our national radio!
AM: Oh yeah!
RT: It was all over the place. I think that growing up in the 80s made me more fearless where I didn’t have to be this kind of a writer and I’m a rock guy. Like, if in my whole career I had stayed 90s alt-rock like our first Matchbox 20 record, it would have been very limiting in all of the stuff that I could do later on.
AM: When I first heard Smooth, like many, I was blown away by so many things in the song and in the video! How was it for you to navigate the concept that you would be able to do both as a solo artist and then popping back in with your band?
RT: I mean, it took awhile! Looking back, Smooth happened between our 1st and 2nd record. Then we made 2 more records until I went solo. So it was 10 years into the Matchbox career before I made my 1st solo record! So it took me awhile even after Smooth! The thing about Smooth was that it opened the doors as a writer. So even when I was with Matchbox 20, I was doing a lot of outside writing for other things with Carlos, Seal, Marc Anthony, Willie Nelson, and Mick Jagger. I was getting a chance to be an anonymous writer for these other voices which was very very cool and then with Matchbox – we went from record to record to record and then on tour for like 10 years straight, so whenever we took that break, then it made sense and we all went out and made solo records.
AM: We were bummed that we were unable to catch your show at the Seaport earlier this month All Night Days is dropping Sep 5th and you’re currently on tour promoting the album. Why did you want to create this album and what can you tell us about it? We listened to Thrill Me which we really love and I enjoyed Hard to Be Happy and it has a fun video.
RT: Thank you! Thrill Me is my favorite. I think that there is almost an OCD to writing in that – like I said, I am writing all of the time. So if I don’t get some of these songs out, it’s a clutter in my head and I feel like there is no room for more material and other things. We were coming up on my 20th anniversary of my first solo record and I couldn’t think of a better way to commemorate it then to just let people know that I was still writing!
AM: I love that!
Since you’re on tour, you have the US portion and then you’re in Australia and New Zealand with a number of dates that takes place this Fall so you have quite an interesting schedule. How do you prepare for such a schedule, the performances, all the different cities, are there workouts that you like to do or must do’s before you hit the stage or after?
RT: Yeah, I mean, I think that I was much more careless about my body and my health when I was much younger. As you get older, you don’t want to look like you’re trying too hard right?
AM: Facts!
RT: You’re limited with your options out here. So I started with – there’s a Beach Body on Demand (Editor’s Note: aka BODi) that has a series of workouts like Insanity, P90X, Shift Shop and all of these things. Those are kind of great because a lot of those are bodyweight, calisthenics, so I don’t have an excuse. If I’m on the bus that day, I can do them on the bus. I can do a full hour long crushing workout! Sometimes they’re harder then just going to the gym with weights.
You know, I get a bonus workout every night. It’s 2 hours of just screaming and running back and forth you know? We love, the whole band – jokes about how we like a good hot night in the Summer! You feel like it’s part of the weight loss plan. It’s great to go out there and sweat off what we had for dinner.
I don’t do after show food. It used to be a big thing you know. After the show everybody orders some food because you’re really hungry and you’ve burned off a lot of that energy, but when I’m on the road, I find that I am probably on an 18 hour fast because I eat around 5:30pm and I don’t eat again until after I wake up and work out the next day. Keeping that, green juices, keeping vitamins – I think it’s your basic upkeep! I don’t think that you have to become obsessive about things, but I think that if you’re mindful, then you wind up – I have a different relationship with food. I have a different relationship with alcohol than I used to – well maybe only slightly!
AM: That’s fair!
RT: Well, every little bit helps!
AM: Your son is also on tour with you as your lead guitarist! What has that been like to have Maison with you?
RT: Well it’s great! He graduated from Berklee as well.
AM: Nice!
RT: Yeah. He went to Berklee and he has a band called The Lucky and they met there and as soon as they graduated, they all moved out to LA.
My guitar player from my solo band, he had just retired from live music. He’s been producing and writing for other people and killing it. It was his idea and he has been watching Maison on IG and sharing his shred videos and so I reached out and asked him if he wanted to do it. It has been the time of our lives! He fits right in although he brings the median age to the band down significantly! Having that energy has been really great. He’s known this band from when it was formed when he was 7. So when he was a little kid, he was on stage goofing with Al and Abe, my rhythm section. Now to see him as an active and integral section of the band, I have to stop sometimes because I almost forget that I’m performing because I will just stop and watch him.
AM: What do you want your legacy to be known as. You’ve had over 40M+ albums sold with the band, you have your 18M+ album sales with your solo career – what do you want people to feel about Rob Thomas?
RT: I mean, I don’t care! I think that I want the songs that I have written that have meant something to people – for them to carry on. If they ever forgot who wrote them, I don’t think that I would care. I like that those little pieces of music exist out there in the world and that they are out there for somebody if they want to use them for good times or for bad. It’s so selfish what I get to do – you know what I mean?
AM: Of course!
RT: I get to make a living doing the thing that I love. Most people, you spend most of your time working. Most people don’t get the ability to spend that time doing something that they really really enjoy. So it is a gift that is never lost on me. I get to do it and it is a sense of catharsis and therapy to write and be able to share it with people – like minded people. People seeing that you feel that way too and that they are not freaks! So, I think that just in general, I want the songs to kind of remain.
AM: Are there any upcoming projects that you would like to share that we can tell our community about?
RT: I’m in it right now! This is it right now! For me, every night we have to pretend that it is our first show!
AM: Right!
RT: For some people, it is the only one that they are going to come to. We don’t think too much farther then, we’re going to crush it tomorrow. That’s our mantra, “let’s just crush is tomorrow.”
IG @robthomas
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 16 - 23 + 32 - 37 Ashley Haer | PG 25 - 27 Andrew Angel | PG 28 - 31 Randall Slavin |
Read the AUG ISSUE #116 of Athleisure Mag and see SONGS TO LIVE BY | Rob Thomas in mag.
US OPEN LAVAZZA SUITES - MIXED DOUBLES
This time of year is one of our favorites as the US Open brings tennis’ best and brightes to play at Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadium for 3 weeks. In addition to the action that is on the court, there are a number of adjacent events that take place throughout the city! Although the month of Sept. will continue these festivities, we’re recapping what we participated this month.
We kicked off our US Open experience with the team at Lavazza who invited us to go to their suite to watch a series of mixed double matches with our favorites!
We kicked off the morning hitting the grounds to see where fans can get their coffee fix as they arrive and in between matches. In addition to having a large free standing booth that serves hot and cold coffees, you can also get cocktails there as well such as an Espresso martini. Throughout the complex, there are smaller areas to get a coffee as well as to engage with the brands whether it’s playing interactive games to win prizes, photo opportunities with a “stadium” as well as their mascot Luigi!
After taking the tour, we made our way to the suite where we were able to watch phenomenal matches as well as to meet members from the executive team of hear about where Lavazza is focusing its efforts in terms of where it sits in the marketplace, partnerships that are very interesting that will be announced soon, and their partnership with Jannik Sinner (20X ATP Tour Singles Titles, 2X Australian Champion, 2025 Wimbledon Champion, 2025 US Open Champion).
It was great to sit outside of the suite to catch our first match Gaël Monfils (13 ATP Tour Singles Titles)/Naomi Osaka (2X Australian Open Champion, 2X US Open Champion) - L vs Lorenzo Musetti (2 ATP Tour Singles Titles, Team Italy Tennis 2024 Paris Olympics Bronze Medalist)/Caty McNally (8X WTA Tour Doubles Titles Champion) - W and Iga Świątek (WTA No 2 in Women’s Singles, 24 WTA Tour Singles Titles, 4X French Open Champion, 2025 Wimbledon Champion, 2022 US Open Champion)/Casper Ruud (13 ATP Tour Singles Titles) - W vs Madison Keys (2025 Australian Open Champion)/Frances Tiafoe - L played during Round of 16 which led to the Quarter Final between Iga Świątek/Casper Ruud - W vs Caty McNally/Lorenzo Musetti - L. Ultimately, Iga Swiatek/Casper Ruud won this round and advanced in their mixed doubles.
In the other matches for Round of 16, we saw Jack Draper (3X ATP Tour Title Champion)/Jessica Pegula - W vs Emma Raducanu (2021 US Open Champion)/Carlos Alcaraz (22 ATP Tour Singles Titles, 2X French Open Champion, 2X Wimbeldon Champion, 2022 US Open Champion) - L and then the other match in that round was Novak Djokovic (100X Singles Title Winner, 10X Australian Open Champion, 3X French Open Champion, 7X Wimbledon Champion, 4X US Open Champion, Team Serbia Olympic Tennis 2024 Gold Medalist)/Olga Danilović (2X WTA Singles Titles + 2X WTA Doubles Titles) - L vs Mirra Andreeva (3X WTA Tour Singles TItles)/Daniil Medvedev (20X ATP Tour Singles Titles + 2021 US Open Champion) - W. The winners from this portion of Round of 16 played one another for the Wyarter Final Jack Draper/Jessica Pegula - W vs Daniil Medvedev/Mirra Andreeva - L.
It was a great day of matches and feeling all the magic that comes with seeing the US Open and being part of the action.
IG @lavazzausa
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 43 - 44 Kimmie Smith
WTA CLUBHOUSE X GILLETTE VENUS
Later that week, we made our way to the WTA Clubhouse where we got to enjoy a number of activities while celebrating women in tennis. Whether you took in a workout with Tunde Oyeneyin (Peleton instructor, Nike athlete, and NY Times Best Selling Author), enjoyed an array of treats at their cafe, shopped the marketplace or listened to the panel that included Taylor Townsend (WTA world No. 1 in doubles, 8X WTA Tour Titles, 2024 Wimbledon Doubles Champion, 2025 Australian Open Doubles Champion), Tunde, and Nana Agyemang (CEO of Every Stylish Girl) as they talked about the importance of confidence and navigating their careers that was moderated by The Cut’s Tefi Pessoa.
The WTA is the principal organizing body and global leader for women’s professionall tennis which was founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King (39 Grand Slam Titles - 12X Singles, 16X Women’s Doubles, 11X Mixed Doubles - 4X Australian Open Champion in Singles/Doubles/Miced Doubles, 3X French Open Champion Singles/Doubles/Mixed Doubles, 20X Wimbledon Champion Singles/Doubles/Mixed Doubles, 13X US Open Champion Singles/Doubles/Mixed Doubles) to govern the WTA Tour and rank female players.
It was great to hear from these women and to also continue to celebrate their achievements as well as continuing to get excited about US Open.
IG @wta
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 46 - 49 Gillette Venus
TASTE OF TENNIS NEW YORK
As we mentioned in last month’s issue, Taste of Tennis is a yearly event that is known for bringing the world of tennis and culinary together. Guests who attend this event enjoy being able to eat a number of dishes throughout the night and this year’s hosting partner for this event was Aqua New York. In addition, they get to meet tennis greats past and present who continue to bring the good vibes. This year Sloane Stephens (8X WTA Tour level singles titles, 2017 US Open Champion), Chris Eubanks, and Genie Bouchard to name a few were in attendance.
EVIAN BIG FOE X DANIEL DINNER
We were excited to make our way to evian’s dinner which was held at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. This sit down dinner brought Frances Tiafoe (along with his family and friends) and Chef Daniel Boulud together with the official water sponsor of the US Open, evian.
While taking in the stunning views, we enjoyed an array of appetizers, cocktails, chatting with Chef Daniel’s and taking a moment from all of the matches that we had watched during the week.
This sit down dinner was inspired by Frances’ favorite dishes that he grew up with. We were able to be among the first people to experience the evian Club’s limited edition menu. Each place setting had a glass evian bottle that had our names etched on it.
You can enjoy this meal exclusively at Chef Daniel’s flagship Michelin-starred Restaurant DANIEL from Sep 3-7th and can be booked now. For those that can’t make it here to NY, you can enjoy Chef Daniel’s Big Foe Treat Box at Goldbelly to enjoy from your home while watching the matches.
IG @evianwater
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 50 - 57 evian PG 58 + 59
Read the AUG ISSUE #116 of Athleisure Mag and see WELCOME TO US OPEN 2025 in mag.
This month, we had the pleasure of watching Major League Pickleball Finals here in NY at CityPickle at Wollman Rink in Central Park. After catching this action last month for their last NY tournament at Randall’s Island, we knew we would be in for a day of great matches! This 3 day event kicked off on the Fri. the 22nd where we watched the Premier teams battle it out. This included Columbus Sliders, Los Angeles Mad Drops, New Jersey 5s, and St Louis Shock. There were great moments as we watched Mixed Doubles, Women’s Doubles, and Men’s Doubles. For those who came on the 2nd day, they were able to see the Premier teams play their final matched and the first day of the Challengers Las Vegas Night Owls and Nashville Chefs.
On Sun. the 24th, attendees were able to watch the finalists from the Premier team - Columbus Sliders vs New Jersey 5s and the last matchs of the Challengers with Las Vegas Night Owls vs Nashville Chefs. Ultimately, the Premier finalists were the Columbus Sliders and the Challengers finalists were the Las Vegas Night Owls!
It was an incredible weekend of matches, love of pickleball and we enjoyed that our team was able to catch it all thanks to Dulce Vida Tequila who provided us with VIP tickets so that we could see it all in the VIP/Owners tents as they are the official and exclusive tequila partner of MLP.
The next 3 day event to watch for the MLP season of 2025 will be the Edward Jones MLP Cup Oct 31 - Nov 2nd at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, TX. As this is the final match of the MLP season, we’re already excited for what’s to come next year!
PHOTOGRAPHY | Major League Pickleball | PG 72 Sye Williams |
Read the AUG ISSUE #116 of Athleisure Mag and see MAJOR LEAGUE PICKLEBALL FINALS 2025, CITYPICKLE CENTRAL PARK, NYC in mag.
There is nothing like ending your meal with the perfect treat or even giving your self something special while you’re out and about! Milk Bar is the perfect treat that in addition to being innovative in the way that flavors come together, it’s also the nostalgia of it all! Whether you’re popping into one of their bakeries (5 locations in NYC, Chicago, LA, Las Vegas, and DC), or shopping online – there is something about enjoying their cookies, cakes, milks etc that is utterly satisfying. Chef Christina Tosi (Netflix’s Bake Squad and With Love, Meghan and FX’s The Bear) is the creator of Milk Bar which is spin-off from David Chang’s Momofuku restaurant group.
We had the pleasure of sitting down talking with this founder, entrepreneur, baker, and TV personality/host to talk about how she came into the industry, her iconic Milk Bar, and her recent collaboration with Premier Protein which is available through the end of August where you can enjoy treats made within this collaboration - Blueberry Pancake Super Cookie! It’s made with Premier Protein Vanilla 100% Whey Powder and you are obtaining 10g of Protein in this chewy cookie along with tangy blueberries and decadent maple notes which is satisfying.
ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the first baked good that you fell in love with?
CHEF CHRISTINA TOSI: Well technically it wasn’t a baked good- it was my grandma’s oatmeal cookie DOUGH! She didn’t realize I was sneaking punches of it as a kid every time she looked away. I love the act of mixing and baking and giving away cookies, but I REALLY loved that dough.
AM: When did you realize that you wanted to be a chef and to work in pastry?
CHEF CT: When it was time to enter the workforce, the thought of taking a desk job terrified me. When I asked myself what I wanted to do for a living every day for the rest of my life- I only had one answer: “make cookies.”
AM: How did you come to the Momofuku world initially?
CHEF CT: I met Dave through a chef friend when Dave needed help writing a HACCP plan for the health department. We got along royally and it was clear he needed some help building his restaurant empire, so I started working with him in a non-party chef capacity to start. But bakers gonna bake and eventually I found myself working ops by day and moonlighting as Momo’s first and only pastry chef.
AM: What led to the creation of Milk Bar?
CHEF CT: I wanted to bridge my fine dining, formally trained pastry chef background with my home baker upbringing.
AM: You have done a number of collaborations and your latest one is taking place this month with Premier Protein! Can you tell us more about why you partnered with them and tell us more about this partnership?
CHEF CT: I love the fact that Milk Bar and Premier Protein both see the world in the same way - we both love to show up and make people’s lives more positive, more fulfilling, more full of brightness and life. And we believe that flavor is at the heart of that (no sacrificing when it comes to living life to its fullest or most nutritious!). I also LOVED the challenge of creating baked goods that not only satisfied the sweet tooth in us but also kept us feeling satisfied and powerful through the day. I’ve become a protein hound myself off the clock and was really inspired to work with my incredible team to create baked goods that look as good as they taste and deliver on every promise - taste at the tippy top!
AM: What is your creative process when it comes to adding items to this menu?
CHEF CT: We like to define a flavor story first - is it a time, a food memory, a dish, a season that we’re trying to deconstruct and reconstruct into a cookie, cake, pie, ice cream, latte, etc., then we got at it with all our might trading notes, building spreadsheets of formulas and revisions as we tinker and taste, tinker and taste. When we think something is ready for prime time, we hold a larger tasting with the team to get as much feedback as possible across different pallets. It’s really fun work, but sometimes really harrowing. It took us 2 whole years to get our Birthday Cake just right before we put it on the menu. If we’re not obsessed with it, we can’t expect you to be and so we keep working.
AM: Why do you think Milk Bar resonates with so many people?
CHEF CT: We exist to democratize dessert - to make people happy with dessert and we spend a lot of time thinking, seating, creating and tinkering to find the bullseye of food that makes people feel seen and known and loved, but also new and full of potential and excited about what’s to come in life. I know, that’s a lot for answering soft serve or a fudgy centered cookie or layer cake to hold, but I think we do a pretty good job of it and the proof is in the proverbial pudding.
AM: We loved seeing Bake Club during the pandemic in our IG feeds and you recently released a cookbook of the same name last Fall. Why did you want to write this cookbook and what are you excited for readers and bakers to know about it?
CHEF CT: I love demystifying baking - love letting folks in behind the curtain, give them the best recipes, great tips that unlock their creativity and potential, and above all else create a community of fun. So from homemade sprinkles to soft pretzels, chocolate mirror cake and creme brûlée to the best ever chocolate chip cookies ice cream cones and pb s’mores bars, I got you. All you have to do is show up to a world full of must-have kitchen moves. I’ll be your guide!
AM: We always enjoy seeing your projects whether they are your collabs, limited edition launches, seeing you host/judging or appearing on S3 of The Bear – are there any upcoming projects that you want to share with us that we can keep an eye out for?
CHEF CT: We have some really fun Bake Clubs we’ll drop in the coming weeks, and there’s some fun places we’ll show up in your lives when you least expect it this fall and winter - but mum’s the word beyond that :)
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Milk Bar
Read the AUG ISSUE #116 of Athleisure Mag and see BAKE CLUB RULES (NO RULES!) | Christina Tosi in mag.
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Golden Bachelor/John Fleenor
PHOTO CREDIT | Disney/Maarten de Boer
We’re settling in for another season of The Golden Bachelor as we watch Mel Owens find his way through his journey to find someone to love. This former NFL Rams’ player and Partner and Attorney at Law for Namanny, Byrne & Owens is on his quest for love and we can’t wait to see his season and how it unfolds. We have a bit of an expectation of how it will go as this is S2 but Bachelor Nation knows that each season tends to be its own snowflake of sorts!
It’s interesting that the episode started addressing when Mel talked about the fact that he wouldn’t want to date women of a certain age (over 60) - he even acknowledged it and we heard some of the contestants also weighing in. We’ll see who will go forward after the first elimination. The fact that he is fom Detroit and talked about his connection with Motown and being part of the community and how he came to football is an interesting nuance in terms of getting to know more about him. Hearing about his father passing as well as his wife asking for a divorce really lets us see where he’s at in life after raising his sons.
After getting his backstory, he’s finally about to meet the women and he takes a moment to chat with Jesse Palmer. The limos pull up and it’s great to see the women that we have heard about over the past few weeks.
We’re already excited about Carol (loved her look) and Diane definitely let it be knonwn that she heard the interview - he did say that he would like to chat with her more and to get the chance to know her. A number of women reference it and let him know that people over 60 are vital and worth knowing. Sandra from S1 of The Golden Bachelor, introduced Mel to her twin sister Andra who will be on this season! After seeing the women outside and spending time with him, the First Impression rose went to Gerri! The sun has literally come up as they are heading into the Rose Ceremony! 17 women will be going forward to the next phase - meaning that 6 are being cut.
THEY RECEIVED ROSES | Alexandra, Amy, Carla, Carol, Cheryl, Cindy, Debbie, Diane, Gerri, Monica B, Monica P, Mylene, Nicolle, Peg, Robin, Roxanne, and Terri.
THEY DIDN’T GET A ROSE | Andra, Lily, Lisa, Maia, Susie, and Tracy.
After a long night, the women are able to finally check out their rooms and settle in. Jessie lets them know that there will be 1 1-on-1 date as well as a group date. Cheryl gets to have solo time with him. Interestingly enough, we picked Cheryl as someone who would go to Hometowns before even seeing this episode and we think that we’re still on point with this prediction.
Cheryl is told that she needs to go to the other room where she is able to select a dress and diamond jewelry from Neil Lane Jewelry to complete her look for her date. Mel arrives in a tux and they make their way to the Rolls Royce he came to the house in.
They talk about her life, the fact that her ex-husband took her child for a period of time and how she forgave him. She received the Date Rose.
On the group date, they met at the original home of the LA Rams where Mel was in a Rams jersey and Paula Abdul appeared as the women will be cheerleaders. They are divided into 2 teams and one team will win and the other will go back to the house and not be able to have extra time with Mel.
The Blue Team ends up winning and they get more time with him. There amazing connections that you can see are being made and Cindy receives the Group Date Rose.
The next day, the women get to enjoy a pool party at the house which is important as there is a rose ceremony that will take place later that night. Nicolle continues to not only give him kisses in public, but in such a way that the other women are really starting to notice (versus when he and Cindy did so in a private moment).
THEY RECEIVED ROSES | Amy, Carol, Cheryl, Cindy, Debbie, Gerri, Monica B, Monica P, Nicolle, Peg, Robin, and Terri.
THEY DIDN’T GET A ROSE | Alexandra, Carla, Diane, and Mylene.
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.
PHOTO CREDIT | The Daily Pour/Drinks with Benefits
We caught up with The Daily Pour (formerly Bottle Raiders) Founder/Publisher, Dan Abrams, and VP Marketing, Amanda Paul-Garnier, to chat about the exciting Drinks With Benefits, the first Zero Proof Festival, coming to New York (Altman Building, September 27, 2025).
At Drinks With Benefits Festival guests will discover 50+ Non-Alc brands to sip and savor. Taste innovative and sophisticated non-alcoholic beverages, botanical spirits and functional elixirs in the Tasting Gallery, and meet and connect with industry innovators. Stroll through the Non-Alcoholic Beer Garden and Hemp Beverages with music. Experiment in the interactive Mixology Lab, with non-alcoholic cocktail mixing demos. Take in the immersive experience in the Drink Rhythms Lounge DJ Sets, Podcasting Lounge, and mindful experiences in the Meditation Tent. Pair your drinking journey with 3 Omakase-style courses by top chefs for VIP Ticket-holders. In the Cipriani Cafe, their Chef will serve up complimentary pasta tastings. Reknowned for pioneering the Bellini, Cipriani will pair these dishes with their Bellini Zero Cipriani! The Drinks With Benefits Festival will also feature the Zero Proof Choice Awards, crowning the best winners in Non-Alc and Functional beverages.
ATHLEISURE MAG: So what led you to start the first Zero Proof Festival in NYC?
DAN ABRAMS: We had started a spirits media company that was initially focused on whiskey. And we were planning on expanding, and we did, to gin and rum and tequila. And as we were building out the business, we realized that functional beverages are becoming just an enormous part of spirits. And we can't really create a forward-thinking spirits business without making functional beverages a serious part of what we're doing.
And so as we came to that realization, we started talking about and thinking about events, in addition to doing content. Because we had acquired a company that was doing at the time 12 events around the country for whiskey and tequila. We've now expanded that to 15, so events were in the DNA of the business.
But now we were thinking, let's go big! We were stunned considering how significant a business non-alcohol and functional beverages have become, that there hasn't been a major awards in New York. There hasn't been a major event in conjunction with wellness in New York, almost anywhere. And so we thought, what a great opportunity to be on the forefront of this. And those were the seeds behind Drinks With Benefits.
AM: So what types of non-alcoholic or functional beverages would be showcased at this specific event?
AMANDA PAUL-GARNIER: So we have over 60 brands covering non-alcoholic wines, non-alcoholic beers, functional hemp and functional non-hemp products. Brands, probably, you know, like Ghia, Kin Euphorics, Athletic Brewing Company, Bero, But also brands you probably don't know that are very high quality, like Opius Elixirs, which is probably one of the best brands out there.
AM: Yeah, I would say on a personal note, I was diagnosed with gout in the middle of college. Beer is my kryptonite. So I've had to drink clear alcohol spirits or non-alcoholic beverages personally. So when I tried Ghia, for example, I couldn't believe the complexities that they put into a beverage like that.
So the space is growing. But in addition to growing, the formulations are getting better and better. Isn't that true?
APG: Yeah, I would definitely agree with that. We actually just talked with Melanie Masarin, from Ghia. And she was talking about her inspiration for starting the product. But just her integrity in terms of the quality of the ingredients she uses, she's very inspired from the Mediterranean, but she's also French and Italian. So nothing in Ghia is fake or superficial. But she also teases the whole concept that, you know, of like fake ingredients or say, people concerned about the sugar content with non-alcoholic beverages. But she was like, there's a difference between synthetic sugar and actual real sugar. And, you know, what she's trying to create and she believes the next forefront of the frontier for non-alcoholic beverage will be with people seeing those quality ingredients, real ingredients over anything processed. And I think that's one of the driving forces behind this, is that we're seeing in the non-alcoholic spirits industry that people are clamoring for an evaluation of quality. And they're basically the industry folks are saying we care about quality.
DA: This isn't just non-alcoholic wine. We want people to be thinking about what are our ingredients? How are we doing this? How are we distilling this? The same way people do with spirits. And I think that's why both our awards and Drinks With Benefits are really resonating.
AM: And, you know, in preparing for discussing the event, so I came up with the notion of things need to be tasty, but also things need to be useful or new and exciting also. So what kind of categories or different types of vendors or drinks are there available at this Drinks With Benefits Festival as this is new to a lot of communities.
APG: The festival is tiered as far as different categories with the space laid out exactly to respond to that, as for a lot of consumers, this is new and we wanted to kind of guide them through the experience.
So upon arrival, they'll get a consumer discovery map where all the non-alcoholic wines are in one area, all the non-alcoholic spirits and bitters are in one area. And then as you go downstairs, you will find the alcohol-free beer garden and then the hemp and functional space. So we've set this up so that they can discover it by category.
AM: That's great. And then there's also immersive wellness experiences as well, right?
APG: Yes. So we partnered with Sage and Sound, whose Upper East Side wellness studio has a meditation experience. And that will be led by Dara Hart, who's a Reiki master and spiritual guide. So we wanted to have, you know, something wellness adjacent within the experience to really bring to life that, you know, drinking less but better is about overall wellness. It's not just about drinks, even though they're a huge part. It's an overarching thing.
And additionally, we will have live podcasting with Samantha Feher from the podcast Caps Lock, who will be covering different topics on wellness; helping educate the consumer on different aspects of wellness; and transparency and ingredients.
AM: And what types of attendees do you foresee coming?
DA: You know, we see it being a mix. This is not an industry event, but we certainly expect some industry folks will be there. But this is primarily a consumer event. We're targeting a bit of a younger demographic. I mean, that's part of it. We just did a big redesign for our website and our app, now called The Daily Pour. And part of the reason for that is our doubling down in the Non-Alc space, but also the fact that we really are trying to target the 25 to 40 year old demo of people, who have expendable income but who care about health and wellness.
And by the way, it doesn't mean that they don't drink alcohol. Right. It just means that for a lot of them, they do drink alcohol. They just are trying to drink less.
AM: That actually leads me into my next question about Gen Z and millennials in particular and whether they're seeing this as a specific intentional choice versus a substitute. So as people are looking to what to imbibe or include in their lifestyle routines, how do you see the difference if there are between different types of consumers that some are just looking for this and others maybe are moderating alcohol consumption?
DA: So we think the targeting is the same. Which is, it's about quality beverages. Whether you are trying to drink less; whether you don't drink at all; whether you are moving from alcohol to hemp; whatever the case may be - we think that the piece that's been missing is focusing on the quality. And that's how we started this business.
We started this as a consumer facing business to say to people, we're going to help you drink whiskey and tequila and rum smarter and better. All we're doing is applying that same philosophy to non-alcohol and functional beverages. So it applies to all of them with regard to and again, that's why I think it's so important that I keep emphasizing that we're doing these awards in conjunction with the event. Because it's the same focus, which is quality. What is the quality? What are the ingredients? Because that's what drinking fine spirits is all about.
AM: And you guys are having a Omakase Food Hall at the event, which I think would get us to go to most events. What's involved with that?
APG: So we wanted to recreate experiences for consumers where they would normally have alcohol, but really show them they could have fun with non-alcoholic and alternative beverages. So we created a pairing experience with well-known restaurants in New York, including the Butcher's Daughter, Ado Lei, and Seatopia. Basically with that VIP ticket, consumers will get to go to two different counters and have a pairing experience where they have a light bite paired with an alternative beverage.
AM: There's also a mixology area for the Drinks With Benefit Festival. What kinds of things would guests be able to mix?
APG: So yes, we have the mixology lab. And we really wanted to bring to life, have a space within the event that made education fun. So The Pathfinder, For Bitter For Worse, FLUÈRE, those are some of the brands that have taken over the space. And they'll be doing education, cocktail making sessions, guided tastings.
The Alchemist Kitchen, which is in Soho, they will do a lot of elixirs, and a guided education with how to make cocktails with different plants and herbs and things like that. It'll be a really fun space for consumers to have a hands-on education or edutainment experience.
AM: For non-alcoholic consumers, are they generally narrow-minded towards the areas they're focused on? Or are they very open-minded, where they would like to try the different categories from beer, to a CBD, to maybe a sparkling spritz or something?
DA: So look, yeah, obviously, it completely depends on the person. There are some people who simply don't want anything that is in any way mind-altering, right? So they don't want functional alternatives. They don't want alcohol. That's one. And that's probably a much smaller base of consumers. There's still people we're appealing to, but they are a much smaller group. The much larger group are the people who drink a little.
They also try functional beverages. They try non-alcohol. They're interested in different areas. There are some folks who only want functional beverages and not alcohol. So it really depends. But what we're finding, based on the studies, is that most of the people who drink these non-alcohol and functional beverages also drink alcohol.
AM: That's super interesting. The space is definitely booming as consumers are finding multiple winners, in multiple categories, as open-minded in trying new things. And there might even be new categories that come out in the future. What are some untapped areas you could see now? Or do you think pretty much we're hitting where we would be for several years to come?
DA: I'd say the untapped is really the increase in the quality and the focus on ingredients. In a way that’s 10 years, 15 years ago, it was, ‘oh it's just a non-alcoholic wine.’ Or hey, I mean, ‘you probably know this from it as a non-alcoholic beer or whatever it is.’ And it's like, ‘OK, is it good? What is it made from?’ So that's the difference.
And I think that's the future in terms of where people are going, which is why we're trying to ride that wave of particularly younger people who have been brought up, focused on quality in a world where the evaluation of quality hasn't been so focused on non-alcoholic spirits.
AM: Sure. And do you see that a lot of these consumers are somewhat sophisticated where the benefits will be worth the price points?
DA: They're becoming more sophisticated. And I think that is the whole philosophy behind what we're doing, is that we're trying to help them become more sophisticated. We're the place that can say to them, we know you want to be more sophisticated. Now let us help you get there in a really accessible way.
AM: Yeah. Master edutainer, Dan. I see that totally. I learn stuff from all your other groundbreaking shows, I just know a couple of things what to do, not to do now because of you.
DA: My strengths are condensing complicated information into a pretty simple and accessible way to say it. We're kind of doing the same thing here with drinks. We are taking a confusing world of drinks and trying to make it a lot more understandable and to help them make choices.
And that's not completely dissimilar from what I do in my TV world. Sure. And then also some humor here and there.
AM: Totally. So and then after New York, are there other cities you're looking to take this festival to?
DA: Yeah, we haven't figured it out. I mean, we definitely are thinking about doing more. We want to first get this one under our belts before we start actively planning the next one. We want to see what went right, what went wrong, where could we improve? And that will help us determine, should we do another one in New York? Should we think about one in a different city? Our whiskey and tequila events, we're seeing great success recently in launches in some smaller cities like Scottsdale, Arizona or Austin, Texas and places like that. And so would that be our next? I don't know yet.
New York is a big swing. You know, and honestly, if we weren't kind of first to market on this, we probably wouldn't have started in New York. But I think that's why we felt comfortable starting in New York, because we were stunned that this hasn't existed yet.
AM: Tell us more about The Daily Pour, the organizers of the Drinks With Benefits Festival.
DA: Yeah, it's a consumer guide to drinking better. And so it has what we do - we have an app that aggregates reviews and ratings, some of which we do, some of which is from other places. But it allows it to be a kind of one stop shop to tell you, is this any good? I mean, I use it all the time when I'm thinking about buying a whiskey or something, because it allows me to see numerous aggregated reviews. And a lot of these are enthusiasts who've done reviews who might not have put a number on it. And we translate it into a number.
So the app is very useful. The website covers different issues in the spirits industry. We've recently been focusing on one particular beverage in a particular week or a particular month, which is another new thing we've done.
But, you know, the Daily Pour literally went live two days ago (formerly Bottle Raiders). And it's just a fundamentally different vibe. Bottle Raiders was initially designed based on a whiskey drinker.. And now you're in a much brighter, more vibrant place because we want it to be more inclusive of the non-alcoholic and wellness community as well.
APG: I think The Daily Pour is meeting the consumer where they are today, covering cross categories. So it's covering ‘I do still want to drink, but I want to drink better.’ So it's covering spirits. Also, it’s ‘I want to have that great margarita, but I don't want to have that during the week.’ Additionally it’s covering functional beverages, ‘and I want to learn about Non-Alc.” So I think that a lot of the other websites treat Non-Alc and alternative beverages like a footnote. Like it's really hard to find them. If you go to certain websites, they have it hidden under culture. I'm like, I don't know how anyone would find that. So we don't want to treat it like that.
I think about the scoring. I think that's extremely helpful to have this kind of meta score, our signature rating system that aggregates everyone's point of view and just gives space that is sometimes hard to understand.
AM: And the app is free. Are there premium plans to it or features?
APG: Yes, and then if you get the premium subscription, that's like $5 a month. And what are the benefits of that, so it saves your taste list. You get access to certain events and kind of discounts on certain things that we offer, exclusive content, things like that.
AM: That's terrific. And I also wanted to ask about Ev & Em Vineyards, Dan.
DA: So Ev & Em is a winery that I acquired in early 2021. It was right in the heart of COVID and the winery owners had kind of given up in COVID. And I had a friend who is one of the pioneers of the North Fork wine scene who called me and said, hey, you mentioned that you were interested in buying a winery. Were you serious? And I said, yeah, I was serious. Because I told you if I ever saw something really interesting that I would let you know.
And this is really interesting. It has one of the oldest planted vineyards on the North Fork. It has a beautiful location. It just needs some love. It needs some new thoughts about how to do the winemaking. And you could have an A-list vineyard.
And he was right. Even by the ‘22 Vintage, which was released in some of it in ‘23, some of it only now for the Reds, we're creating luxury wines in Long Island. So these are wines that we think can compete with California, Oregon, Washington, et cetera, in really all varietals. And so that's been super exciting!
AM: And there are multiple offerings. There's a Reserve, correct?
DA: There is. Yeah, we're making everything from Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris. I mean, we've got a whole range of offerings.
And in some of those, we have a Reserve. So depending on the year, for example in ‘22, we had a number of Reserve wines on the Reds, some of which actually haven't even been released yet. But our Reserve Red ‘22, super proud of that.
‘23 was a tougher year for us, but ‘24 was amazing. So we're very confident about that ‘24 Vintage that's coming out. And ‘25 looks great as well.
You can find out more about Drinks with Benefits Festival and get your ticket (General Admission is still available as VIP is sold out) by visiting their site. In our SEP ISSUE #117 which drops on Sep 30th, we will also recap this event as well.
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
This Summer we have enjoyed a number of our favorite songs, ticked off things on our bucket lists and with a few weeks left, we continue to add to our playlists. We need to make room for Sommer Ray - DJ, fitness influencer, and entrepreneur who has been dropping singles and touring here in NY, Las Vegas, Cancun, and Cabo San Lucas to name a few must visit destinations as she finishes phase 2 of her Summer tour.
We wanted to find out more about her background, her passions, and the importance of fitness in her life. Of course, we explore who she has worked with as a DJ, music she has dropped and what we can keep an eye out for. We also wanted to lear more about projects that she is working on from beverages to Imaraïs Beauty.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into your recent tour and DJing, we’d like to get to know more about you. When did you fall in love with fitness?
SOMMER RAY: Fitness has been part of my life since I was a kid. My mom was a competitive bodybuilder, so I grew up in the gym and around that lifestyle. I loved the way training made me feel, both physically and mentally, and that connection never left.
AM: As someone who is constantly on the go, what are 3 workouts that you enjoy doing as we are always looking to add to our routines?
SR: I love weight training, Pilates, and yoga. Weight training keeps me strong, Pilates works my core and improves posture, and yoga helps me stay flexible while giving me a mental reset.
AM: What led to the launch of your fashion brand of fitness apparel and what do you enjoy about designing it?
SR: I wanted to create pieces that I would actually wear myself, things that feel good, move with you, and look great both in and out of the gym.
AM: Tell us about Imaraïs Beauty.
SR: Imaraïs Beauty is a plant-based beauty brand that focuses on gummies for skin, hair, and overall wellness. Everything is vegan, cruelty-free, and made with ingredients that really work. It’s about beauty from the inside out!
AM: We grew up as kids drinking Shirley Temples and have loved the trend of Dirty Shirley. You have Tempted. Why did you want to create this brand?
SR: I can’t share too much yet, but I’ve been teasing something in that space and there are some big things coming. It’s fun, it’s fresh, and I think people are going to be really excited when they see the full picture.
AM: What do you love about EDM music?
SR: I love the energy and the way it can instantly change your mood. EDM brings people together without needing words, it’s all about the vibe and the shared experience.
AM: When did you realize that you wanted to be a DJ?
SR: I used to host club nights, and after a while I realized I’d rather be the one curating the vibe than just sitting in the club. Once I started learning to mix, it clicked for me that this was how I wanted to be part of the energy.
AM: What is your creative process like when you are creating music?
SR: It usually starts with a feeling or a vibe I want to capture. I’ll think about the energy I want people to feel, then start building around that, whether it’s a beat, a hook, or a bass line that sets the tone.
AM: You dropped No Sleep last fall with Martin Jensen and earlier this year LaLaLa (Everybody’s Up) with a remix by HEDEGAARD. What was it like to release these songs?
SR: Both were amazing experiences. No Sleep had a fun, uplifting energy, while LaLaLa was heavier and more club-focused. Seeing people connect with them live has been the most exciting part.
AM: You recently dropped She’s A DJ. Why did you want to create this song and what was the process like for you?
SR: I wanted to make a song that was cheeky and empowering, especially as a female in a space that’s still very male-dominated. The process was fun, I leaned into personality and made sure it captured that “own the room” vibe.
AM: As you continue to navigate your music career, what artists would you like to work with?
SR: Calvin Harris and Martin Garrix are both at the top of my list. They’re legends in dance music who know how to make tracks that hit globally while still feeling fresh. Collaborating with either of them would be a dream, and I think we could create something high-energy that really connects with people.
AM: You have been touring for the past few weeks. What do you love about sharing your music with those in the cities that you are stopping in?
SR: Every city has a different energy. I love seeing how crowds react to certain tracks and how the vibe shifts depending on where you are. It keeps every show fresh.
AM: Since you’re traveling so much, how do you make your hotel and the city you’re in feel like home?
SR: I make time to hit the gym, explore local food spots with my team, and meet people at the shows. Those little routines and experiences make each city feel personal and keep the travel from feeling too repetitive.
AM: What upcoming projects do you have that you would like to share with us?
SR: I have more singles coming this year and a few exciting collaborations in the works. I’m also building out my live shows to make them even more of an experience.
AM: How do you take time for yourself as you have a lot going on as an entrepreneur, DJ, etc.?
SR: I carve out small daily routines that keep me balanced, morning workouts, staying active, and making time to unplug from my phone. Even when life is busy, those little moments to reset are important.
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PHOTOS COURTESY | Sommer Ray
Read the AUG ISSUE #116 of Athleisure Mag and see THAT IT VIBE | Sommer Ray in mag.
