MANIFEST YOUR LIFE WITH LONDON BROWN

This month, the anticipated release of STARZ's Power Book III: Raising Kanan premieres. Before it has even aired, it has already been greenlit for a 2nd season with the cast currently filming. We caught up with London Brown, who plays Marvin Thomas, Kanan's nephew to talk about the new series that takes place in South Jamaica Queens in 1991. We talk about his career from Fuse's The Hustle, his breakout role in HBO's Ballers and how he has evolved as an entertainer. We also talk about how important it is for him to stay grounded as he navigates the industry and his focus on giving back in the ways that he can.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you wanted to be an entertainer? You cover a number of areas as you’re an actor, dancer and a comedian.

LONDON BROWN: I think it’s just a thing that I remember early on always being into the arts. I felt that the arts came very naturally. Between the arts feeling like they were already part of my proclivity, I enjoyed them as well, fortunately. A lot of times, people are gifted and are good at what they do, but they’re not necessarily drawn to them. I was always very passionate about the arts in general. I just remember that it started when I did Easter plays and that sort of thing. So I did it and at school I realized that they had more plays there, so I did those and played the Scarecrow and in Black communities where you grow up in religious households, you go to church – so you’re playing an instrument, you’re singing – you’re doing something on that level. So all these things were just kind of normal and it transmitted to school and so throughout high school, I was involved in bands, was in plays and that’s when I started to take it seriously. I had a theater teacher that saw more in me than I did and encouraged me to take it more seriously.

From there, I went away to school and one of my friends encouraged me to dance. He was a choreographer with a dance team and he said, "you should join the dance team." I told him, "nah, I'm not going to do that.” He then told me that I should do it because he was gay, the rest of the team were all girls and since I was straight, that that would be a great match. So I did and I danced, I kept doing it and I taught dance which allowed me to pay the bills all while I became a teacher where I taught high schoolers theory of acting. While this was going on, I took some auditions to get into the groove of my art. It’s funny because while I was teaching for the high school, a fellow teacher told me about a comedy show that the school was putting on and I asked about it and they suggested that I should sign up to be part of it. I realized that the same energy of the instant gratification that we get from doing live theater, I can also get it from doing standup as it’s just a one man show. Doing standup, I finally felt that I had a voice. I do a lot of different things, but I also feel that with all of the things that I do, God gave them to me because he knew that I would also give them away. So teaching, I inspired a lot of other young people to do whatever they do now.

I was doing standup for about 2 years and I ended up connecting with Chris Tucker and we hit it off. I started touring with him as his opening act for a few years. Somewhere in there, I land my first TV show, The Hustle. That was 2013, it was a small network, but the creator was also the showrunner for Insecure, so Prentice Penny saw a bunch of young actors and said, “hey I want you guys to do this,” gave us a call and we auditioned and he took chances on us. In Hollywood, they want familiar faces so the fact that he took a shot on me, I did a season of The Hustle, Chris had stopped touring and with no TV show, I no longer had an agent or a manager.

So now, I am agentless and I get a call from a friend of mine who asked if I had auditioned from Ballers. I let him know that I had heard about it, but at the time, I was a choreographer just trying to pay bills. He said he would pass my information along. I go in, this is during 2014 and I audition for Ballers and they said they liked me. Initially the character was only supposed to do 1 or 2 episodes. After the audition that I did, they wanted to make me a lead on the show and keep me all 5 seasons. I moved to Miami, filmed and then finished the other half of the season in LA, so after that, the series ends in 2019 and Dwayne pulls the plug as I think that he was just busy because it was still #1!

AM: For sure, we loved watching it every week and although your character generated a lot of reactions and people didn’t like him. But we enjoyed your character. The growth that you did as the character, it’s interesting to see someone who was in a situation where he was trying to protect his friend, try to do what’s right, but you’re in an industry that you really have to learn quickly and to see the progression of the character season by season. We weren’t familiar with your work previous to that show, but when you have a knee jerk reaction to a character, they’re acting their ass off to make you feel that way. It’s not easy to come off that unlikeable.

LB: Right? For me, that’s why it was so important because on paper, the character wasn’t going to be around as that wasn’t the plan initially. He was supposed to be character A, Reggie the best friend. I knew that I really needed to be able to establish my presence 1, a lot of the guys that were on there had established resumes and had been in the industry a long time. I knew the opportunity and the weight that that project was going to have. It had the #1 entertainer with Dwayne Johnson and also it’s HBO, a very credible network. For me, I was going to exhaust whatever energy from whatever scene to make sure that I wasn’t doing too much but I was standing out on some kind of level. And 2, I became the antagonist by accident because we’d be on set and I was improvising a lot because they didn’t have any lines for me because I wasn’t supposed to be around. They said, “ok, let’s let him go and let’s see what we come up with.” So I was giving them stuff and then we kind of found this voice of Reggie as far as making him the fly around the food. So once I tapped into that, I knew I could amp it up wherever they allow me to go. At the same time, as an actor, in the development of making a character 3 dimensional, in season 1 and part of season 2, he was the annoying guy. But we wanted to take him to such a place that by season 5, he’s more responsible and he’s trying to get it together so that he’s really advising Vernon in positive ways. I wanted to make sure that I kept the character interesting and not just fall and be a character like Best Friend #1.

Now, we find out on Instagram that the show is over so I’m like, ok. I’m not worried because from a spiritual place, I don’t even put all my energy into man anyway. So, I feel that I will be fine. I’m working clubs, on the road and touring. So now it’s the fall of 2019 and I get a call from Robi Reed who does all the casting for Spike Lee’s projects and is really great. She calls and asks if I can do American Soul to play Bootsy Collins. I get down there and I learn the guitar and whatever I have to do for the part. I then do a horror film in Canada so I’m doing these 2 projects and my manager says that there is a young agent who is familiar with my work and wants to work with me. I tell him it's cool and he says that he likes what I do and asks me to read the sides, which are pieces of the script.

On the sides I see Power at the top. I think to myself that this can’t be the real Power because I had seen billboards all over Times Square that they are on the final season. So I thought that it was a mock because sometimes, they put a fake title on there. So I went in, I read the part and felt that it flowed well and that whoever was writing it had good language and it’s how I would talk so I thought it was cool. I sent the tape in, I didn’t hear anything and after the Christmas break, the new agent that I’m building with because we are just feeling each other out, I visit the people at the office and they let me know that I have a callback. I do 6 or 7 takes and then I go in and long story short, the agent said that they liked me and wanted to offer me the part. So I agreed and I’m still unaware that it’s Power and then I hear that it’s Raising Kanan. Mind you, I had never watched anything from Power at all. When I would run into fans on the street, they would say, “hey man, my favorite show is Ballers, Game of Thrones and Power.” So I wanted to be part of Power, but I was grateful for what I did have. I wanted to do Power so badly that I didn’t even want to watch it because I was already committed in my current project at the time. So when they said, Raising Kanan, I was confused, but I knew it was a show and it took place in the 90’s. I get on set and I start to connect the dots. People are telling me that this is the backstory of Kanan and I knew that 50 Cent had done something with Kanan because the streets were talking.

It wasn’t until I really got into filming the shoot that I realized that this was a spinoff – Power Book III: Raising Kanan! We’re an official spinoff because we’re the prequel. The other ones continue the story. So when I found out it's 1991, this character is not like Reggie – he’s Reggie on steroids and he just goes there. He’s short-tempered, but he loves and is loyal to his family. There’s a leadership power struggle between him and his siblings because his younger sister is running the whole family operation. She’s showing love to the younger brother because he’s really cool, calm and collected. So my character feels a certain type of way about that. My daughter and I have a strange and strained relationship because my character had done some time and she got a whole other life. So the only person that my character is able to flex some leadership on is my nephew Kanan (editor’s note: in Power, the flagship series Kanan is played by 50 Cent). So I’m the guy who introduced my nephew to this nefarious lifestyle that he begins. So, I’m like the muscle of the crew. My sister gives the orders, I carry them out and sometimes I go beyond what she asks for and that causes some animosity between us but in the end, it’s the loyalty that keeps us very connected to each other.

So, that answers your question and gives you the spill on how this all came out!

AM: You took us on a great journey! The way you presented your story makes me think about something I tell people all the time. When you’re building your brand and taking opportunities that are based on your interests or become available, you never know the people that you come into contact with and the projects that come your way. It’s the sliding doors that you enter and exist that allows you to build your career and sometimes it’s completely unplanned but each link adds another to get to your end result.

LB: You’re right. I know that for a lot of people, when they first saw me, it was from Ballers. But people didn’t know that there were a lot of foundational things that took place when I was doing theater that helped me to have a presence when I was playing across to Dwayne. That’s one side and the other is, if you can’t be the hero, the antagonist is the next best thing. It all just lined up! Even for people who didn’t know me, the fact that all my scenes in season 1 were with Dwayne, it pushed me into a space that I couldn’t have been more grateful for.

My first TV show allowed me to transition from theater and to learn how to play everything inside of a small frame. Ballers helped me to establish my onscreen presence. So by the time I got to Power Book III: Raising Kanan, I have more of a handle on what’s going on and how to play to it. I think that people will really connect with the project and my character Marvin – especially my friends because I do more cursing and drinking on TV then I do in real life! He’s charming but he is intense. My friends who know me, they find it funny that I’m playing Marvin because I’m cursing and rude and I’m so not these guys. But that’s why I enjoy playing them so much because I’m so the other way. I’m chill and very easy going. With Reggie, he didn’t care and he was loud. This character is shooting, fighting and doing all kinds of stuff. So I think people will connect with it very much so!

AM: Power Book III: Raising Kanan released earlier this month. When you got this role, what did you do to prep for it? It takes place in the 90’s. How did you get into the vibe and feel for this series?

LB: For me, I’ve always been a champion for the 90’s from the sitcom, the clothes and the music. I love the 90’s. It’s already part of my regular life so what I did in terms of preparation, I listened to a lot of Nas and 90’s hip-hop to understand the language. We had a dialect coach on set to just keep us where we needed to be in terms of the accent and dialect. I just tried to stay very present. My home is still LA, but for filming we all relocated and I’m actually here now in NY because we got a pick up for the next season already!

AM: Which is awesome because you were confirmed for a 2nd season just days before the premier dropped!

LB: I know and it’s such a blessing! I think that maybe the producers saw what they needed to see and they know it’s rich. I’m not even mentioning me, these guys performances are just strong. Mekai Curtis who plays Kenan is very connected. Our lead actress, Patina Miller (plays Raquel Thomas) she just gives it up - she won a TONY coming from theater. So a few of us have come from theater so already between that and when we came together, we didn’t have any egos. Sometimes in auditions, you meet each other and have chemistry tests and you vibe and they put people together and pair you up to see. We didn’t have any time for that. They booked us, we flew out to NY, we had a photoshoot and the first day was like a family scene. If we were playing like we were in high school on the first day of class, we could play with the awkwardness of real life on screen. But we’re playing a family that’s a tight unit. So we can’t be with the weird stuff. Everyone needs to be present and professional. Anything outside of that has to be left at the door because it can affect the chemistry. Fortunately, day 1, everyone was just cool and supportive of each other. The offscreen energy read very well for what we did onscreen.

The whole thing should come together well. The costumes definitely helped us. The hairdos – I’m in a high top. I spoke to the costumer just yesterday for the fitting and he felt that my character was one of the ones which helped to sell the era. They put me in some Dapper Dan. I mean the budget to make it come to life – even renting the cars so that every car all the way down the block and in the view of the camera was taken back to ’91. They really got all of the aesthetics down for it. I just hope people enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.

AM: How was it working with 50 and Courtney Kemp?

LB: After all the shenanigans that people feel 50 does, they have to understand that the dude is a very smart tactile guy! At the end of the day, 50 is very charming, but he is onto something. I had the chance to talk to him a few times and he really believes in the project, he’s really invested into it and Courtney’s energy and her last say so’s of things with her vision and I think that they both work well with guiding the ship in the right direction. We had a great lead writer, Sascha Penn, she wrote the hell out of the script. All of them were very open if we didn’t understand something or we felt that the character wouldn’t do this or that, it wasn’t about doing it like the way they said, it was very collaborative. They would ask, what do you think and I’d say that I didn’t think Marvin would do it this way, but we could play with it this way. Even with the hair or other items – everyone was really cool. I think again, all the way around the set because we didn’t have egos or dictatorship energy, it allowed people to give their opinions even if we didn’t agree. They were still open to hearing and we found a medium place. That I think is what helped this project all the way around.

AM: Do you find as an actor, that it’s difficult to prepare for a character when it’s a series versus a movie? Then when you’re looking at a series, is it difficult as you go in and out of that character when you’re picking it up to get back into the character when it takes place over multiple seasons? Is that hard for you to separate yourself from that character?

LB: For me, I always separate it from the emotional stuff. I just stayed in the dialect. I didn’t want to be back and forth. So the whole time I was filming, I stayed with the dialect. So now, I have to get back into it because we’re about to film again and I have been in and out of it today. But when I’m filming I stay that way throughout the filming and even off set. The emotional stuff, I leave at work so that I can live, breathe and process because my character is doing all kinds of stuff so I don’t need to bring any of that at home! When I come out of the costume, jump into my sweats and get dropped off, I’m back to that. Also, we were in the pandemic. I'm glad at the time, there was no real social stuff going on. For me, my routine was hitting the gym everyday, I’m a sneakers guy and I’m living in Harlem so I passed by 8-10 sneaker shops and walk in everyday and if I saw something new, I'd grab those and get some groceries. Then, I’d be home to study. I had a very simple vibe of things that I did. I just locked in and tapped in. We were in the middle of winter. I’m from LA and I realized that I was the only one that gave a damn about the snow. Everybody else was indoors and I’m the only one that was outside glad to be in the street and walking to the gym in the snowstorm. But that’s how simple I am – I just enjoyed it. I was grateful to work and grateful to see the snow. I do photography so I went out and would shoot. In my mind, going back to what you said about one path leading to another path and so forth, I’ve always wanted to live in NY but I didn’t want to uproot and to leave LA. So just like this is setup is exactly how I wanted it to be. My things are in LA but I can be here for a period of time but I can still go back home. This is just like how I would have wanted it to happen even though I didn’t ask for this. That’s how I know I’m where I’m supposed to be.

That’s why I encourage people to go out there for what they want to do. There are things on your list that you’re unaware of that automatically come with what they do. I have friends who say that they love to travel, getting free stuff and clothes and I’m like, “do the things that you’re supposed to do and the other things will come.” My core goal is to be an actor, but the other things as a result is living in NY, being able to travel and the free stuff. There’s the love that you get and even helping other people. I don’t complain, I’m just really grateful that people care enough to even want to sit down with me and talk with me so thank you!

AM: What are the workouts that you do and clearly with your job you always have to be ready for whatever is coming at you.

LB: I do a few things. I change up the routine so that my body doesn’t get too comfortable. At one point, I was doing a Dwayne exercise which we would focus on a particular muscle group for that day so Mon – chest, Tues – back legs, Wed – shoulders, Thurs - abs, Fri - arms. I was doing that for awhile. Right now, I’m doing a compound full-body approach. I do something for each muscle group but as a full-body type of thing. When we start filming, I will probably do an upper-body routine and then a lower body the next day. I try to do abs every day usually – at least 200 of something for abs. Again, even with Ballers, in season 1, they were like, “London, we need you to put this tank top on.” I was like, “ahhhh not right now.” At the end of season 2, not that I turned into Dwayne, but I filled out a bit and worked on some stuff. When I did that pool scene, I got myself together with my arms.

Even with this, I got some intimate scenes in season 1 and I’m still vacillating between ideas of what I look like because that was one scene that I wish I could have gone back and taken a look. Not that I could have have changed what I looked like that day, but I know that that scene is coming up and I just hope that I look ok! Because it’s onscreen and this is now locked in forever. That’s why I don’t waste any time. They were making jokes at me for going into the gym, but I was telling my co-stars that this is the first time that people will see whatever they are seeing of us and on the branding side of things, I have done a few photoshoots outside of this. So if people reach out because they think your body looks nice, they may want you to be the face of Levi Jeans or Gap Jeans. I’m thinking way past the scene – it’s the branding side of it. I’m also thinking about the leading guy side of it. Will Smith was The Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire until we saw him in I Am Legend for example. We saw him chiseled up and then we saw him in Ali and he put some size on him. Or even Michel B. Jordan, we were like, “hey that’s the handsome looking Black guy." Then he sized up for Creed and people were like, "ooo Michael B. Jordan." The response that women had when they said his name, I was like, “ok he leveled up!” When he did Black Panther, now he’s in a different league and he is a leading guy. These are the things that I am thinking about so when people are joking about me being in the gym, I’m like, “listen, we’ve got to think past Power if we’re thinking about the next level. We’ve got to look good.”

AM: Absolutely. You don’t know where it’s coming from. You’re right with Michael B. Jordan, we had his trainer who is a Body Transformation Specialist, Corey Calliet who also does a lot of the people in the Marvel Universe etc as our July cover in 2018. He talked about how he transformed his body and you’re right, when he started taking on those roles with that physique, he’s a leading action hero! Now he’s in Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse. So you’re definitely ahead of the game!

LB: I’m just thinking advanced because I live in anticipation and I believe that I can have it and I manifest it. I don’t have any doubt and I am just preparing for the things that I believe are going to come. It’s like when Noah had the arc and people said, there’s going to be a storm and you need to get on the boat and people were like, “yeah sure - right.” I’m just trying to tell my friends that we have to get ready. Everyone mentally is not able to function in that capacity. But I know of many things that I have said and they did happen and when I spoke about Power and to be on Power, I had no idea it would be in the spinoff and I knew I wanted to do it. There are a couple of things on the list and I am just trying to do the best that I can to be prepared for them as I know that they are on the way.

AM: Do you have other projects that you’re working on that we should keep an eye out?

LB: Right now, it’s Power and now that the clubs are opening up, I will get back into doing standup. But there is a book of photography that I’m working on. I want to use the photos for the income from the book to help with homeless people. I do a lot with homeless people. Growing up, I always have helped street people and would feed them. LA has a huge homeless problem so I am working on this coffee table book. As people look at the homeless people from the different places that I have traveled to, it’s a way to keep us very grounded and to remind us on how we look at things. It’s very easy, not that I am in a high position, but even in the position that I am in, you can get caught up and think it’s about you. The best way for me to keep my heart in check is that I am always giving. By doing this book and what have you, it will help people that when they sit down and their rich friends come over and they take off their Rolex, there’s a book there that you can just tap into every so often and they can say that they are grateful for their apartment, house or whatever they have. That book will remind them that there are people who don’t even have a bed or food. I would give these people a pear, apple, PB+J and they would say, “thank you, I appreciate you.” I would talk with them and I realized that people aren't just crazy or on drugs. They may have went through a depression, a divorce, were in the military and they just fell on tough times. Even with this pandemic, it showed how people had troubles and everyone was shut down. Now people have to reup and regroup and focus. I did a table read during the pandemic and one of the actors was complaining about something and I’m like, “brother, we’re doing a table read. We’re working.” That’s the angle, I’m not mad at him. It just reminds me that I need to keep giving and keep myself very connected and grounded because the truth is, if I stay on the ground, if I fall or stumble, I’m already down there. But when people get besides themselves and spiritually, I’d rather keep myself humble then to have God do it – I got it and will do what I need to do because I don’t want Him to do it. I'll stay in check.

AM: So when you’re not on set or on stage and all of the things you do, what do you do to take time for yourself?

LB: If it’s not the gym, I’m going live and cooking. I do a lot of live stuff and interact with my followers. Or it’s my photography, I’m out and about with my camera shooting or just trying to help friends with their headshots. I also cut hair so if I'm in the city or I'm at home, guys want to come up, I cut hair. I’ll be home if anything, I’m really easy going. I like the self-care of cooking at home or going to the gym or giving to others in some capacity – the homeless and feeding them and trying to be of service.

IG @RealLondonBrown

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 127 London Brown | PG 128 + 131 HBO/Ballers | PG 132 - 139 STARZ/Power Book III: Raising Kanan |

Read the JUL ISSUE #67 of Athleisure Mag and see Manifest Your Life with London Brown in mag.

MAKE IT WORK WITH TIM GUNN

Tim Gunn is known well for his career at Parsons School of Design which started in 1982, he served as Associate Dean from 1989 - 2000 and would go on to becoming the Fashion Design Department Chair in August 2000. He is noted for retooling and invigorating the curriculum for the 21st century. His mentorship went mainstream as we watched him and supermodel Heidi Klum for 16 seasons on BRAVO's Project Runway. Last year, this fashionable duo debuted Amazon Original's Making the Cut and its 2nd season premiers this month. We chatted with Tim about his career, the show and how we "make it work."

ATHLEISURE MAG: We have been such a fan of yours for years. Looking at the depth of your career and how you have helmed the careers of so many people in the fashion industry, did you ever think that you would be doing what you are doing now?

TIM GUNN: Oh, never in a million years, never! This entire television phenomenon didn’t happen to me until after I turned 50. I had had a very satisfying career as an educator. I never dreamed that this would happen, it’s completely and totally surreal. I still pinch myself!

AM: It’s absolutely amazing and it’s also great to see how you have been such a powerhouse in the industry by sharing your insights. How important is it to you to be able to be such a mentor to so many designers that you’ve dealt with directly as well as to those that you may not have known that you have?

TG: I have to say that it’s a great honor and it’s a role that I take very very seriously. As a teacher for many many years, the greatest satisfaction for me was watching my students bearing witness to them having that kind of epiphany for what they can achieve, what they can do and having that “ah ha moment.” To be able to nurture that and to cultivate that and then to be able to actually see that happen, it’s just hugely satisfying and rewarding. I have the same thrill when I’m working with the Making the Cut designers. I don’t take any credit for their successes and I also don’t blame myself for things that go awry, but I do take great pleasure and honor in being a kindred spirit of sorts and kind of an angel on their soldier that’s there to tell them the truth, to be a cheerleader and to be a shoulder to cry on if necessary. It’s extremely satisfying for me and it’s a huge honor.

AM: We enjoyed the inaugural season of Making the Cut last year. What initially drew you to the format of this show and what did you want viewers to take away from it?

TG: Well, the concept of the show, the format is a concept that Heidi and Sara Rea, uber Executive Producer and I have had for a very long time. We had been forming it, we had been developing it – owing to the success of the other show that Heidi, Sara and I had did – Sara was the showrunner the last 10 seasons of Project Runway. We couldn’t do this, we couldn’t execute this vision. So when Heidi, Sara and I decided to leave, we shopped the show and our dream was to be with Amazon because of the creative flexibility that Amazon provides and the potential of the shoppability aspect. So we wanted first of all, to show a broader view of what the fashion industry is like rather than just showing the making of clothes.

We wanted to talk about branding because without that aspect, it’s just a pretty dress, who cares? For the viewers, we wanted them to be able to shop that look immediately as opposed to, “well you’ll get it in 6 months.”

All of that came into fruition and it was rather miraculous! I still pinch myself when I think about it. We’re just savoring this experience. It’s been phenomenal.

AM: It’s really great to hear that as my background was in Visual Merchandising as well as in Wholesale and I have worked corporate at a number of brands including Lacoste. What you shared is exactly what I love about this show - that perfect balance between creating something beautiful, but also understanding the business behind it which is so important!

TG: Yes!

AM: How do you decide the cast that’s on the show? Last season there were those that I was familiar with and others that were new to me. What are you looking for in terms of that dynamic?

TG: Well, we’re looking for people that have that vision, that have something to say visually, spiritually and practically! We’re looking for – in terms of the group of designers, we’re looking for diversity and points of view. We don’t want a sameness as that wouldn’t be very interesting for the viewers. We’re certainly looking for people who are hungry and really know that this is an amazing experience for them whether they win or they don’t - because of the exposure and because of the profound link of being a part of the Amazon family.

At the same time Kimmie, I have to say that you don’t know, you’re throwing the dice. You don’t know how exactly people are going to perform on the show. You don’t know how they are going to respond to the intensity of the environment and the fact that there are no breaks, we just keep go-go-going. You don’t know and when things do go awry, you hope that you’re able to pick people up and help them along so that they can self-correct in some kind of way. It’s never a dull moment I’ll say that!

AM: With the second season, what are you excited about as I’m sure it was challenging in terms of filming during a pandemic. Here at Athleisure Mag, we went to virtual photoshoots and found a different way to continue. So what are you excited about?

TG: I’m just excited to get the show out and up and to get people watching it! I want to learn things from their feedback. As we know, Season 1, we traveled around the world. Season 2, we stayed put and we were on a ranch in Malibu, California, but the venues that that ranch presented were all so incredibly different, it looks as though we had traveled. It’s hard to believe that we didn’t. We knew that we had to be very diligent and responsible in how we conducted ourselves during that very intense COVID period and we were successful I’m thrilled to say! But it took a lot of diligence and very responsible behavior.

AM: We’re definitely looking forward to seeing you and Heidi as we love your dynamic together. What is it like working with her and having that synergy that you guys naturally seem to have together?

TG: You know, working with Heidi, she’s like a safety valve for me. I relax when I see her, I know that everything is going to be ok, I know that we’re going to have a lot of fun and laugh a lot. She’s like my great antidote to everything that’s bad or unhappy in the world. She brings happiness, she brings light, she brings her incredible spirit – she’s a joy! I’m the luckiest guy in the world!

AM: Tim, it’s been such an honor to be able to talk with you and to hear your insights. I know around Athleisure Mag, whenever there are a number of projects going on from a photoshoot, releasing an issue, organizing schedules etc, I do think about you saying, “make it work” and it just kind of begins to organize the priorities as we approach deadlines.

TG: Absolutely, get that issue out and make it work!

IG @TimGunn

@MakingtheCutTV

@AmazonFashion

PHOTOS COURTESY | Amazon

Read the JUL ISSUE #67 of Athleisure Mag and see Make it Work with Tim Gunn in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #67 JUL 2021

In this month’s issue, our cover shoot is with WTA 4th Ranked, Australian Open Champion 2020 and French Open 2020 Finalist, Sofia Kenin. We talk about when she fell in love with the sport, training as well as participating in a number of tournament around the world and what she’s focused on this season as we get closer to the US Open. We talk with one of the fashion industries most respected people, Tim Gunn who talks about his career and the 2nd season of Amazon Original’s Making the Cut which is releasing episodes now. We also catch up with Chef Nyesha Arrington about her culinary career, falling in love with food, appearing on a number of shows including BRAVO’s Top Chef, the importance of identity and her upcoming show that she will co-host with Gordon Ramsay in FOX’s Next Level Chef. We talk with Ghanian-American Chef Eric Adjepong who is also a Top Chef Alum. He talks about why sharing his West African culinary POV is so important, projects that he’s working on, his upcoming books and his latest foray with AYO Foods. We became fans of London Brown when we first saw him in HBO’s Ballers. We talk with him about his career as an entertainer, how he frames his characters and his current role as Uncle Marvin in STARZ’s Power Book III: Raising Kanan. He also talks about the importance of giving back and manifesting where you want to be.

This month, country music star, Tyler Rich shares his favorite songs in 9PLAYLIST. Our cover star, Sofia Kenin shares her favorites and why in our 9LIST STORI3S. One of our faves and previous cover, Ray Donovan and The Game (which is getting a reboot on Paramount+) actor, Pooch Hall shares his 9DRIP with us. We also have another former cover, Chef/Restaurateur/TV Personality Jordan Andino, share his 9DRIP with us as well. Celebrity fitness trainer and nutritionist, Harley Pasternak shares his favorites and why in our 9LIST ROUTIN3S. In addition, celebrity chef + TV Personality, Nyesha Arrington shares her 9LIST ROUTIN3S that she enjoys in the morning, afternoon and night. This month’s 9LOOKS shares our favorite looks from Miami Swim Show with a brand that we have always enjoyed sharing, Camilla.

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack focuses on YUCO in Greenwich Village. This month’s Athleisure List comes from PJ Bernstein and Citrovia. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the JUL ISSUE #67 of Athleisure Mag.

IN THE STUDIO WITH DON BROOKS

Whether you've been enjoying your workouts or are adding items into the mix, we always like hearing about methods that people are doing. We took some time to chat with celebrity fitness trainer Don Brooks who is also known as Don-A-Matrix. We know of him from episodes on Keeping Up with the Kardashians as he has been the family's trainer for a number of years. We also know that he has sessions for his followers and fans to workout alongside him. We wanted to find out more about his journey into the fitness industry, his method, philosophy and some movements that we can include within our routine.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with fitness and know that you wanted to work in the fitness industry?

DON BROOKS: I’ve always had a passion for fitness and a drive to stay healthy and in shape. Before I became a certified trainer, I was someone who loved working out and the accomplished feeling that comes afterward. When I moved out to San Diego years ago, I knew I wanted to be a trainer but I couldn’t have imagined where it would take me – it’s been a blessing to do what I love everyday with great clients.

AM: What was your journey into the industry as I know you were previously an NFL trainer?

DB: After moving out to San Diego to meet some family who had moved out here previously, I fell in love with the West Coast and it’s incredible weather. I started training a variety of athletes in the San Diego area – eventually working with players on the NFL Chargers – and then decided to move to Los Angeles (where it’s a larger hub) and open up my own location there.

AM: What is your fitness philosophy?

DB: If you put in the effort and hard work, you will see the results you were hoping for.

AM: Tell us about the Don-A-Matrix Method as I know you focus the workout around quarters?

DB: I came up with the Don-A-Matrix method as a way to have a specialized workout resemble a sports game. Similar to a normal basketball or football game, my workout consists of four quarters – but within each quarter, you have 3 sets of two different exercises, combined with a period of rest or relief after each quarter. The method delivers results by challenging the cardio and muscular endurance system to tone and sculpt the body, while burning fat. The rest period also gives participants the chance to rehydrate, which is key for sustaining performance throughout the workout. A natural, low-cal sports drink, like BODYARMOR LYTE is my go-to between quarters because it’s packed with electrolytes, coconut water and vitamins – and doesn’t have anything artificial.

AM: Tell us about your studio.

DB: My Don-A-Matrix Studio is located right in downtown Los Angeles, CA at 7704 Melrose Ave. It’s been a great location for me and my clients – I’m able to host a variety of classes DAILY inside my studio, as well as outside in the back lot.

AM: What is Don-A-Matrix Day?

DB: I’m a native of Petersburg, VA – and grew up in the area – going to Petersburg High School and Virginia State University. I was lucky enough to be honored by the city of Petersburg a few years ago – and they named an official day for me, called “Don-A-Matrix Day.” It’s an honor for me, and I love being able to give back to the community that raised me.

AM: What does an average day or week look like when you are personally working out?

DB: I personally work out every single day – and that could be before or after my personal sessions with clients or even during the sessions, where I'll personally do the workout with them. On any given day, I could realistically end up “working out” 2-3 times a day. Free time is certainly limited!

AM: What are your go to items that you think are important for people to have on hand to have a dynamic workout?

DB: BODYARMOR is #1. It’s important to be hydrated before, during and after a workout. And I LOVE my Don-A-Matrix x Sweet Sweat Fitness Bands, as they are perfect for any workout – and allows you to work in all sorts of different modifications to your standard workout moves.

AM: How important is it for people to have accountability in their workouts and as people are on their journeys of their fitness goals, what should they be looking at to know they are achieving their desired results?

DB: The biggest misconception is that working out will change your body overnight. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case. So it’s 100% about accountability and the ability to stay the course. Results don’t happen overnight and there are going to be times when you want to relax, not workout, give-up, whatever it might be – but don’t. It’s important to keep going and workout even when you’re lazy and don’t want to. We all feel that way – celebrities, athletes, etc. – it’s just a matter of getting up and getting through it because you know that you’ll feel better and accomplished afterwards once you do start to see those results.

AM: For those that are finessing their summer bodies, what would you suggest for arms, abs and glutes?

DB: Here are three examples of specific workouts that target your upper body, lower body and core. Keep in mind, the below include a Bosu Ball and would come in a set, similar to my Don-A-Matrix method.

• Lateral Squats – Start from squatting position and keep one foot on the ground and the other on the Bosu ball. Leap into the air and switch feet. Repeat 20 times.

• Jump Switch Lunge – Start from the lunge position with one foot on the Bosu ball. Jump into the air and land on your opposite foot. Repeat 20 times.

• Push Ups – Start in a plank position, dome side-down, and your hands on the flat side on the Bosu ball. Lower down into a push-up position, hovering your chest off the bosu. Repeat 20 times.

AM: You’ve trained Fergie, Josh Duhamel, Travis Barker and more. When it comes to taking on clients, what are you looking for whether they are your celeb clients or someone who sees your work on TV or online?

DB: If someone wants to work with me, they just have to reach out! I always have open availability, and I enjoy working out with new attendees all the time. You don’t have to be a celebrity, just someone who is serious about wanting to better their body.

AM: We know that in addition to people looking to achieve personal fitness goals, you work with celebs that may have to transform their bodies for roles, how do you approach those projects?

DB: Any of my clients – whether they are celebs or not – have personal goals that they want to attain and that’s why they are reaching out. It’s all about accountability and understanding that you have to put in the work in order to attain those results. So as long as you’re willing to put in the work – and deal with the struggles that come with it – I’m happy to work with anyone who wants to get their mind and body right.

AM: You’ve been a long time trainer to the Kardashians. How does the Don-A-Matrix Method work with them and how is it customizable as we're sure Kim, Kourtney and Khloe have different fitness goals.

DB: Absolutely. To your point, they all have different goals from a fitness and body perspective. The Don-A-Matrix Method is great because it’s flexible for any body type, workout level and more. If we’re trying to work on a specific muscle group or just trying to tone down (or up) the workout, we can mold the Don-A-Matrix workout to each attendee’s specifications – whether that’s tweaking the workout, modifying the number of sets or adding another fitness item to change it up.

AM: We have had the pleasure of talking with a number of trainers such as Harley Pasternak, Gunnar Peterson and Jen Widerstrom about how they had to adjust working with their clients especially since they couldn’t get in the gym with them. Did you find last year’s lockdowns a difficult transition for your clients in terms of their preparation to work out and what did you suggest to them?

DB: It was truly a strange year or time-period for everyone, so it was all about trying to adapt and manage as best as possible. For a lot of my clients, we tried live-streaming workouts and doing at-home workouts – things of that sort. As time progressed, we transitioned into more outdoors workouts, given everyone’s comfortability. But I think overall, it just shows that you have to be adaptable for whatever barrier comes your way.

AM: How did you connect with BODYARMOR and what was synergistic between your brands that you felt this would be a great partnership?

DB: My partnership with BODYARMOR goes back several years now and it’s one that has been beneficial for us both. Obviously, hydration is key for working out – and BODYARMOR makes some incredible products that are better-for-you than the other sports drinks out on the market today. They have clean ingredients, potassium-packed electrolytes and vitamins, and their low calorie/low sugar BODYARMOR LYTE is great for fueling my workouts and helping me recover faster.

AM: How important is hydration while working out and of course, throughout the day?

DB: Hydration is critical to your performance – whether you’re working out or about to start your day. It can often make the difference between you being able to complete that last set or struggling to get it started. And part of that is preparation – you want to be sure that you’re hydrating before, during and after your workout – just so you’re giving your body exactly what it needs for fuel.

IG @DonAMatrixTraining

PHOTOS COURTESY | BODYARMOR

Read the JUN ISSUE #66 of Athleisure Mag and see In the Studio with Don Brooks in mag.

IN THE ZONE WITH RIOT TEN

Over the past few weeks, we've started to see a number of our favorite artists hitting the road to perform at residencies, events and more! It's so exciting to see how we have begun getting into a modified new normal. We caught up with RIOT TEN, a producer and DJ who we have enjoyed including his songs in our playlist. We wanted to find out how he got into the industry, how he stays inspired when making his music, about his new album that launches next month on Dim Mak's label and his upcoming performance at Lollapalooza.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with music and when did you realize that you wanted to work in the industry?

RIOT TEN: For as long as I can remember I always loved music. But it wasn't until the start of high school that I began experimenting with it. That's really where it all started. From then on, I knew I wanted to make music for the rest of my life and there was no one that could tell me otherwise.

AM: How did you get your start?

RT: Well, I guess it depends how you would define "start", but I'd say mine was when I first downloaded FL Studio. I was introduced to it by a friend of mine, Jack Bass, during my sophomore year of High School. The rest is just history.

AM: How would you define your style of music?

RT: I'd describe my style as loud, obnoxious, and high energy. Haha I know it doesn't sound very inviting, but when you're playing in front of thousands of people, and you feel the energy, it makes a bit more sense.

AM: Who would you identify as your mentors musically?

RT: That's a hard one to be honest. As far as producer mentors, I never really had anyone take me under their wing so to speak, but influences are a completely different ferent story. I still draw influence from so many artists, all different genres and different sizes. I also had some artists supporting my music early on that played a big role in my growth. I toured with Yellow Claw, Adventure Club, Excision, and others early on.

AM: You’ve been producing music since you were 15, when did you realize that you wanted to DJ and at what point did you feel that you made it in the industry?

RT: I was around 18 I believe, playing at house parties, when I realized I wanted to DJ. The energy from those parties was something I'd never felt and I was addicted to it. And I'd say I was around 25 when I began feeling "legitimate" in the scene. I know I still have a long way to go, so even though I may be on a larger stage, I still don't necessarily feel like I've "made it"... If that makes sense. When I start headlining festivals, and my music hits #1 on Billboard, maybe then I can rest.

AM: You’re known for dubstep and hardtrap, when you’re not making music, who do you enjoy listening to when you’re just relaxing at home?

RT: I'm a big fan of rap and hiphop, so when I'm driving I'm usually listening to that. Some Smokepurpp, DaBaby, Ludacris, Lil Jon, etc. If I'm relaxing at home, some chill house music does the job. Artists like Kaskade, Deadmau5, stuff like that. But if I'm in my feels, I love some Hans Zimmer, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Ryuichi Sakamoto. That might come as a surprise to some.

AM: Creatively, what’s your process like when you’re creating your music?

RT: It really varies. Sometimes I have a concept of what i want to do and other times I just play around with sounds and see if something cool comes out of it. There are also times where i'll just sit there for hours and nothing good comes out of it. Patience is key.

AM: This past year or so has been one that we couldn’t have scripted. With the lack of being able to tour and with plans being in the air, how did you approach continuing to make music?

RT: It was a hard time for so many of us, but I really do think I wrote some of the best music I've ever made. It gave me so much more time to really experiment, hone in on my craft with different sounds and styles, etc... Although financially difficult, in hindsight it was everything I really needed to continue my career.

AM: What did you learn about yourself during the pandemic?

RT: I realized that I wanted to help others more. I wanted to do more good deeds and be a better person overall. I've always believed in good energy, so the time off at home really helped me actualize it.

AM: We have been playing “Don’t You” on loop as it’s cool to listen to when you’re relaxing but is also awesome for working out. This song has such an ethereal quality to it, what inspired you in creating this?

RT: Honestly, this song was a bit of an accident. It was just one of those times when I was messing around with random sounds while warming up. I started to catch a groove and it literally all came together in the same session. For me, the vocals really opened up a lot of possibilities in the song and sort of became the glue.

AM: You’re releasing your latest album, Hype or Die: Homecoming in July on Dim Mak, tell us about the album and what can we expect?

RT: It's my best body of work, hands down. As far as expectations, you can expect a lot of different styles of bass music. Some of the songs are slow, some fast, some high energy, some more melodic, some aggressive, some tame. I think overall the listening experience is the best I've put out and I am beyond excited for this release.

AM: Who are 3 people that you have yet to work with that are on your list?

RT: Honestly an easy #1 for me is Meek Mill. The energy and rawness he has is something I've always wanted on a song of mine. For the more melodic stuff that I make I would love to work with Maroon 5, or at least Adam. His voice is A1. And on the production side, however cliche it seems, Skrillex would be the ultimate collaboration.

AM: With things reopening again, you’re back on the road performing and you have a number of festivals coming up – you’re playing Lollapalooza – how excited are you to play this festival as well as to get back to juggling a schedule?

RT: I think excited would be the understatement of the century. Haha playing at Lollapalooza has been a bucket lister of mine since I began touring and I'm going to make a major statement with that set. Overall though, don't get me wrong, I did enjoy being at home with the family, so I'm going to miss that a lot. But nothing beats delayed flights, airport food, and crying babies on a plane every week. I'm so ready for it all again. haha

AM: Are there additional projects that you have coming up that we should keep an eye out for?

RT: Sitting on A LOT of unreleased music right now. We have a new single this month with a music video, a full length album in July, and I just about have the follow up EP finished as well. In addition, I have a side project that I'll be announcing soon as well. We've released a handful of singles already under the alias, but I've yet to disclose my involvement. Excited to see the reaction to this!

AM: When you’re not making music or hitting the road, what do you do in your downtime?

RT: I'm at home with my 2 boys and my girlfriend. I really don't like to go anywhere when I'm not traveling, so you can catch me spending time with the family or playing Xbox with friends. I'd consider myself a gamer, so I definitely like to escape sometimes and play some Apex Legends and Rocket League.

IG @RIOTTENMUSIC

PHOTOS COURTESY | RIOT TEN

Read the Jun Issue #66 of Athleisure Mag and see In the Zone with RIOT TEN in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #66 JUN 2021

In this month’s issue, our cover shoot is with World Champion Skateboard professional and member of Team USA who will debut this event at the Olympics in Tokyo next month, Heimana Reynolds. We talk about how he fell in love with the sport, training as well as participating in a number of events around the world and taking it to the global stage.  We talk with Don Brooks aka Don-A-Matrix, celebrity fitness trainer to the Kardashians, Fergie, Travis Barker and more. We talk about his work with the NFL led him to creating his own fitness method, working with his clients and how we can add various routines into our workouts. We also catch up with celebrity fitness trainer and sports nutritionist, Harley Pasternak who shares workouts we can do when we may not have equipment, go to bites and the importance of hydration. EDM artist RIOT TEN talks about his upcoming album dropping next month, his tour and his creative process. We had an in-depth conversation about the efficacy of vaccines on organ transplant and immunocompromised patients with world renowned organ transplant surgeon, Dr. Dorry Segev MD, PhD (a Major K. and Thomas Pozefsjy Professor of Surgery and Epidemiology and Associate Vice Chair of Surgery at John Hopkins University. He is the founder and director of the Epidemiology Research Group in Organ Transportation). We find out more about one of our favorite golf tournaments, THE NORTHERN TRUST which returns to Jersey City at the Liberty National Golf Club Aug 16 -22nd. Executive Director of the PGA TOUR, Julie Tyson talks about how she came to the golf industry, what is involved in creating this event as well as how important it is to the season as well as the communities that it is played in.

This month, Team USA Diving’s, Steele Johnson shares his favorite songs in 9PLAYLIST. Celebrity Hairstylist and Founder of Beachwaver Sarah Potempa shares her favorites and why in our 9LIST STORI3S. EDM and Dim Mak artist, RIOT TEN shares his 9DRIP with us. Journalist, broadcaster and podcaster Catt Sadler shares her favorites and why in our 9LIST ROUTIN3S. In addition, country music star, Tyler Rich shares his 9LIST ROUTIN3S that he enjoys in the morning, afternoon and evening. Our 9PLAYLIST 9MIX 9ACOUSTIC performance is by Ultra Record’s OMI. 

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack focuses on Concord Hill in Brooklyn. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Birch Aquarium and Crystal Springs Resort. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the Jun Issue #66 of Athleisure Mag.

CHANGE AGENTS NEEDED WITH GURWIN SINGH AHUJA

This month, we talked with Gurwin Singh Ahuja whose career has included his public service in focusing on Civil Rights, working in the Obama Administration as well as being focused on the importance of sustainable access to cure issues such as Climate Change and being ready for how we go about our work as we continue to evolve.

Although Gurwin has worked in various political capacities, it's worth noting that he interned at the National Economic Council in the Executive Office of the President during the Obama Administration; he was a National Field Coordinator for the re-election campaign for President Barack Obama's 2nd term; he founded the Know Your Neighbor Coalition which partnered with the White House to enhance civil rights policies at the US Department of Justice, US Department of Homeland Security, US Department of Education, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; he also worked as a Special Assistant and later an Advisor to the Office of the United States Trade Representative in the Executive Office of the President during the Obama Administration to name a few. He also became the Co-Founder and Advisor to We Are Sikhs, an organization advocating what Sikhism stands for the equality of women and men and denounces any discrimination pertaining to gender, race, caste, creed, religion, or color.

In addition to being the Director of Strategic Communications at The Glover Park Group, a leading strategic communications and government affairs firm which was founded by former White House and Democratic campaign officials Carter Eskew, Michael Feldman, Joe Lockhart and Chip Smith, he continues to fight for change. He's focused on a sustainable marketplace he founded, Salvos which allows people to make conscious choice through their purchase power. We talk with him about his career, the importance of making an impact in order to make a change and what he wants his legacy to be seen as.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We were looking forward to this interview as you have covered a number of areas from your political involvement to launching Salvos, the sustainable marketplace, what did you think you were going to be when you were growing up?

GURWIN SINGH AHUJA: That’s a great question. I didn’t know really. If you had told me about the stuff that I did when I was a kid, I wouldn’t have believed you. I wouldn’t have thought that those things would have been possible for someone like myself. I was a fairly average student. I was a pretty confused kid. I didn’t really get it together until I was 19/20 years old.

AM: That response is surprising as I know you graduated from Ohio State and went to grad school at Columbia Business School!

GSA: Yeah, I didn’t go to Ohio State initially, I was rejected, I went to a community college at the University of Dayton and then I transferred to Ohio State. When I got there, I then excelled.

AM: Last fall, we had Kal Penn as a cover and some of our readers had no idea that he was involved in politics and served in the Obama Administration just like you, what made you interested in politics?

GSA: It was really Barack Obama to be honest with you, I was following the election closely as an 18 year old and I remember sitting in my US government class thinking that before I knew who Obama was, I thought, maybe there would be a Black president when I’m old. Given the trajectory of the progress of our social fabric of our country effectively, I watched him and it inspired me. You saw somebody and sometimes this trope is over used – but you saw somebody who was literally a person of color and at that time, it was very unique, there’s been many strides since then. As an 18 year old, I thought, if he can do it, maybe I can do it. If I work hard, apply myself and do the things that I’m supposed to do, that really helped to focus my attention and I wanted to get involved in politics because of him. I never would have guessed that I would actually end up working for him.

AM: As a Black Co-Founder of this media house, I remember seeing him and thinking that in my lifetime, I would never see a Black president and what that has created has been phenomenal. Historically, the different things that have taken place in this country, you never would have thought that something like that would happen.

What was it like working with him to lend your voice, be in service and to make change happen?

GSA: To that point, I remember watching him get elected and I was sitting in my dorm room and 4 years later, I remember this very distinctly and I was in his boiler room on election day. The boiler room is kind of the place to be with all of the big people that are there – the campaign manager, the CEO of Google was a volunteer for the campaign, top White House staff – I’m sitting in that room 4 years later at 22 years old! It was wild to go from in a dorm room to that.

In working in his administration, it was what you would expect it to be. It was a very buttoned up operation, very professional operation and working in the administration actually generated hope for me. I was like, “wow this is how politics work and how politicians are.” We have learned that he is more of an aberration than a base case really. It was his personality that really permeated through the organization. I think that the fact that he was such an underdog made the people around him, we all became family.

AM: We enjoyed the We Are Sikhs Funny or Die video, Let's Talk About Turbans. The exchange that takes place as people are trying to communicate with those that come from a different background and making it so awkward as opposed to just saying it really resonated.

GSA: That was kind of the purpose of that. The subliminal message of that is that we’re all human beings and we should just treat each other as human beings as opposed to being avatars for the groups that we belong to.

AM: We believe that looking at someone from a particular race does not mean that they are the representative of that entire group – as they are not a monolith. Seeing that in that video and once again making that statement that one should ask about a person’s particulars and not making it an assumption for everyone was also a great message that you shared. As long as it’s respectfully done, you can just ask! How did you come up with We Are Sikhs? What’s the purpose of it and what’s behind it – what’s your involvement in it?

GSA: I’m the Co-Founder of that as there are other founders. The thing that motivated me and this goes back to the Obama campaign during 2012, there were a group of white supremacists that went into a Sikh Temple and started shooting people. 6 People died and 1 person was permanently paralyzed and it was kind of jarring. At that time, discussions about these kinds of ideologies and people were really not mainstream. The Sikh community, our core beliefs and organizing principles are: gender equality, racial equality, religious tolerance and the belief in one universal God. So very universal beliefs but because we have beards and turbans and we're from India but we look Middle Eastern in a post-911 world, there was a lot of confusion about who we were and what we stood for. I remember sitting there and thinking, if our community could just capture 1/100th of the magic of this campaign, maybe not for an attack of this degree – but the bullying and discrimination would die down. So basically, I got some of Obama’s top people like David Axelrod and his firm, people that really put together his message which has become famous of hope and change. I had them work with my community to put together a very comprehensive campaign that has become successful beyond my imagination. We had the opportunity to work with Funny or Die, Ben and Jerry’s, UFC, NBA and so many amazing organizations. We won a bunch of different industry awards like the Shorty Awards for the video. It’s been something else!

The Funny or Die video came about in an interesting way. When President Trump became president, there were a lot of racial tensions obviously and it was shocking for me and it kind of shook my beliefs in the country for a couple of months. Then once we started going out and talking to people, I noticed that there was a high capacity for people to learn, but there was this feeling that despite their political ideology – unless they were so out there, most people who don’t care about politics all that much, not as much as I did, I found that there was this wall of hesitancy to get engaged because they didn’t want to be called out or to be called a racist. I wanted people to ask questions because we were so different and the only way that they could gather information – because they wouldn’t learn it in school about our community. I wanted people to ask questions. I sensed this hesitancy. I know that when you establish that you’re willing to have a conversation and you can see that the other person is going to be respectful, a lot of dialogue is able to happen. I wanted to do it from that angle. I also took a lot of inspiration from The Office and funny enough, some of the people from that show has seen it like Rainn Wilson (plays Dwight Schrute) and a few others. None the less, the point was to create a common humanity.

AM: What is – whether it’s your platform or the organization’s platform coming off of a pandemic and an election, there is a whole social justice movement that took place last summer and now we’re focused on hate crimes happening to Asians, with your focus on civil rights and equality, how are you using your platform to lend your thoughts to these issues?

GSA: That’s a great question. I think about them everyday and I engage with people on it everyday in a variety of capacities. One thing that we did to give a larger voice to a large number of communities which started at the White House was a program called Know Your Neighbor. It was modeled after We are Sikhs – it hadn’t launched yet but there were sketches of that launch. We had a lot of polling that influenced the White House to start Know Your Neighbor which was helpful to spread awareness on a range of communities. There were 2 moments that influenced Know Your Neighbor and we renewed it under the Biden Administration. There was 1 more minor incident that people probably struggle to remember because it was in the news for only a day. There were some Muslim kids that were in a parking dispute and they were killed and the other one where there was a kid who was 18/19 who lost their life over an argument. Obviously, the more famous incident that people know more about, the shooting in South Carolina at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the kid went in, went to the prayer service and murdered everyone after. That was another influencing moment and we renewed this under the Biden Administration as the White House is partnered with us on that. It ended up changing a lot of policy in the Obama Administration and it’s just under way in the Biden Administration. Hopefully we can change more Civil Rights policy. Interestingly, all the people that helped form the program on the administration side are back in the same roles. So it makes it super easy!

AM: Do you have an official capacity under the Biden Administration?

GSA: I don’t have an official capacity under the Biden Administration, I’m a fan of the President and I do help the administration on a few things here and there.

AM: How are you able to manage all of these hats that you’re wearing with these organizations, you’re with the Glover Park Group as well as Salvos, your sustainable marketplace – how are you able to do that?

GSA: That’s a great question. I work an fuck ton! There’s absolutely no way around that. Another interesting thing is because we’re in a pandemic, it’s hard to socialize – it’s either that or I watch TV!

AM: How did you decide to create Salvos – there is a vast assortment.

GSA: We’re actually working to narrow it down to things that really sell well. You’ve structured this conversation kind of personally. My interest in climate change has really been driven from all of the social justice and equality work that I have been doing.

The bigger picture here is that climate change is going to be a very serious threat to the world. Obviously, we’re going to survive it, but it’s going to change a lot of things. When I say changes, I’m not just talking about the sea levels getting higher or the weather being crazier. It will fundamentally change where people live, how they grow food and there’s going to be hundreds of millions of people that can’t live where they are living and will have to leave. This will cause tensions in places where they are moving in. We’re worried about xenophobia today which is pretty modest in terms of immigration and refugees. I can only imagine when a solid percentage of the world has to migrate and that people will have to change the way that they work. Most of the world is still just farmers working on their own farm. Small farmers will not be able to work and will need things to do. We are already in a situation where the number of quality jobs are shrinking. My point in saying all of that is that we have this vision of the future that is always going to be more prosperous and just from the past. I think that climate change really creates a situation where the future may not be a more is more future – it may be more chaotic. We have to change our economy to mitigate these effects so that we can preserve all of these positive changes that we have been able to work towards for over a century!

AM: Wow, that’s a thought. The more things change, our very way that we go about doing what we do will also be very different.

GSA: So, bringing it back to the business and bringing it more closer to Earth, we have this big problem – being sustainable is hard! I even have a hard time doing it! It’s hard because it’s unclear whether the products you’re getting are sustainable and if you’re being greenwashed. It’s hard to find them. We wanted to make a place, where people could make at least 1 change, find genuinely sustainable products in one place and we’re slowly building. We will narrow things down to focus more on home and bath because that is what has been selling well and that makes sense. We’re ultimately trying to provide credible products, to make one change to ultimately mitigate the effects that we talked about earlier.

AM: What is your criterion? Being someone who outside of Athleisure Mag. My career is rooted in fashion as a Celebrity Fashion Stylist and as an Accessory Expert. In the jewelry business for example, there is a whole issue with Blood Diamonds and knowing the supply chain from where it’s put together to how it comes forward so you know that you can identify where the problems are should a part of the chain not be in compliance. How are you doing that from your side in terms of onboarding those products and those brands?

GSA: That’s a great question! There’s 3 cases of the criteria. The first one is the material – is it a more sustainable material? Like it is made with bamboo instead of plastic, is the clothing made out of hemp as opposed to regular cotton. The second one is the actual use case. Is the use case actually sustainable? If it’s biodegradable is it living up to its claim? There is one product that exemplifies the use case methodology which is – we sell these phone cases by Pela, they make biodegradable phone cases. They’re basically big hunks of plastic and they work. If you dig it into the ground, within a few months, it's going to go away which is kind of crazy. I use it today and it’s one of the best sustainable products that I use and the case is just as good as a normal case. I don’t even know we have normal cases and I have dropped my phone a number of times and it’s super protective. I’m not sacrificing anything by using it and when it’s done, it will just got away as opposed to being here for thousands of years. Third, the most important one, like you said – the supply chain is super important. It’s very difficult to monitor it so the way that we hack it is the certifications that are out there that assesses companies and their products that are done by scientists that are far outside of our capabilities. So we look for products that have genuine eco-friendly certifications.

AM: I think it’s smart as I would do this when consulting with the retail industry that you do have to look at the numbers in order to hone in on the assortment and to do swingshops on the other items. To see everything there was interesting.

GSA: It’s hard, there are a lot of products with varying quality some are good and some aren’t – it’s just interesting as I dug into it, to see all the issues and successes of the industry.

AM: What other projects are you working on as you seem to be oscillating between a number of things. I’m sure like us, even when you’re relaxing, you’re thinking ahead to the next group of things that you want to embark on.

GSA: I know what you mean! I have made a vow to myself to take a breath and not to add more stuff. I’m finding that I have had a decade of craziness and doing a lot of stuff and sometimes doing a lot of stuff, doesn’t actually help in generating new ideas, sometimes it just makes you tired. So I don’t know – I’d be interesting to hear your experience on that. I’m trying to pause myself from doing more and more. The more I am going to do, the less I will be able to actually do it.

AM: I can agree with that. I also find that when people know you for certain things or they understand that you have an adjacency that works, it becomes very difficult. I have a 3 layered system – anything I take on, has to actively support what is already going on. If it’s reasonably adjacent, you’re not spitting yourself too much. But if you ask me if I want to go to Mars tomorrow, I wouldn’t see how that works well within what I am already doing. But if it’s reasonable, the timeline works, you find yourself saying ok – and then in the middle of the night you’re like ok that was a chunk right there.

The pandemic allowed us to hone in on things that maybe we wouldn’t have greenlit before because we were looking at being busy in other ways. We’ve been able to analyze and understand what we really want to do and to look at the resource allocation to see it in its proper light.

What do you want your legacy to be?

GSA: I think about it often. When I was in business school they made us think about this. I’m not sure if I want to be known as doing any one particular kind of thing or job per se. In some ways that’s outside of my hands as many things are out of my control. I think what is in my control for today and moving on with life, the thing that motivates me from all my projects is that we see each other as humans and as equal despite our differences. That’s what motivates me throughout all of these people and work. It motivated me to get involved in politics with Barack Obama because I saw myself and it motivated me as I saw us as equals, to do We Are Sikhs and Know Your Neighbor because I wanted other people to see each other as equals and it motivated me to do sustainability and climate change because I see that problem and that situation getting worse if we don’t handle this issue. That’s what motivates me and I hope that when my life is over and everything is done, I can be seen as somebody who helped to see one another’s common humanity.

IG @GurwinAhuja

Read the May Issue #65 of Athleisure Mag and see Change Agents Needed with Gurwin Singh Ahuja in mag.

MINDFUL DEDICATION WITH CHRIS BRICKLEY

As we head closer to the NBA Playoffs, we caught up with Chris Brickley, a Player Development Coach who played at the University of Louisville under Rick Pitino, worked with players at the NY Knicks and launched a successful training company, BlackOps Basketball. His training has been sought after by a number of basketball players, entertainers and more.

We took some time in between his busy schedule to find out about how he built his career, how he became so influential in the sport as well as his personal projects.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with the game of basketball?

CHRIS BRICKLEY: I fell in love with the game at 11 years old. I realized I could use the game to do some amazing things and I became obsessed with it.

AM: You played at the University of Louisville under Rick Pitino and went on to coaching at Ole Miss and being the youngest assistant coach at an NCAA Division I school at Fairleigh Dickinson University. What is it about coaching that you enjoy?

CB: Being in love with the game of basketball and learning from Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino, I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to teach young men the game of basketball and the game of life.

AM: How did you transition from coaching there to being at the NY Knicks?

CB: When I was coaching at FDU, I would workout JR Smith at night at Manhattan College. That season JR was 6th man of the year. The Knicks heard about me and hired me.

AM: What is a Player Development Coach and what do you do in that role when it comes to interacting with your players?

CB: My role was to make development plans for all of the players and to make sure during the off-season and season they were constantly improving. I loved it.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to start BlackOps Basketball and why was that important for you to do?

CB: Being with the Knicks for 4 seasons, I believed that I had enough connections to branch out on my own. Even though leaving a guaranteed Knicks contract wasn’t easy, I’m glad I made the decision. BlackOps Basketball is something I am proud about.

AM: What are your days like with your clients during the season and off season?

CB: During the season, it’s a lot of text convos and dinners, taking about their games and what they can do better. The off-season is grind time - we make a plan and work extremely hard to attack that plan.

AM: When it comes to taking on clients as you have a number of NBA stars, those looking to hone their skills for college as well as those that are entertainers, what do you look for?

CB: I look for players and people that genuinely love the game and want to get better. You don’t need to be an NBA star or a celeb, you just need to be urgent about getting better. Simple as that.

AM: What kind of intake questions do you ask for those that have worked with you for the first time? Do you ask what they want to improve, athletes that they want to play like etc?

CB: We have many conversations before we start up. I ask them what they think they need to improve & work on. I tell the them what I think they need to improve and work on and we come to a common ground. Then we work.

AM: In working with your clients, how much interaction do you have with their teams’ coaches?

CB: I have a lot of interaction. In the off-season players coaches will come in the gym and watch the workouts. They will also give me stuff to focus on.

AM: You have also been working with J. Cole who will premiere this month playing for the Rwanda Patriots BBC for the inaugural season of the Basketball Africa League. I know this was a dream for him to play at a pro level, what was it like working with him to get him to this dream?

CB: J. Cole was someone I looked up to way before working with him. So to work with him every night for 4-5 months was amazing. He got so much better and now he’s a pro!

AM: I know that Quavo has worked with you for a while and introduced you to Travis Scott, which brought you on tour with him, how do you schedule your time as your work can literally take you anywhere?

CB: So Quavo is one of my close friends so shout-out to him. When he introduced me to Travis, Travis asked me immediately to come on tour with him. His tour hit all the NBA cities and it was during the winter so it worked perfectly. I could work with Travis and also see my clients in their cities. Shoutout my guy Travis!

AM: We’ve enjoyed looking at your feed over the years where you’ve shared pick up games at Life Time Athletic with LeBron James, James Harden, Carmelo Anthony etc. – how did these come about and did you realize that this would be such a draw for others to want to participate in as well?

CB: One night Melo and I were hanging out in Puerto Rico and he said when we get back to NYC schedule a pickup game. He said he wanted to play some 5 on 5. The first one I scheduled had Kevin Durant, Kemba Walker, JR Smith along with 10 other NBA players, it went viral and the rest is history.

AM: How do you take time for yourself when you’re not watching games, prepping for your clients, working with them in person, etc.?

CB: I listen to music, hangout with friends and go on walks. Music and walks are my peace of mind.

AM: You’ve partnered with BODYARMOR. How did this partnership come about and what is it about your synergy that made sense for you to work with one another?

CB: I’m very excited about my new partnership with BODYARMOR. Seeing the growth they’ve had in the last few years and the potential they have to do more – along with the fact that they have incredible athlete investors who I regularly work with like Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Trae Young – it was a no-brainer for me. I know my brand and company is still on the rise too, so we’re both grinding to be the best out there and that makes it even more special.

AM: Why do you like including BODYARMOR within your routine?

CB: Now more than ever, athletes and trainers – like myself – are paying close attention to what we put in our bodies. To perform like the best, you need to prepare like the best – and hydration plays a major role in that. BODYARMOR is my go-to because it gives me exactly what I need – potassium-packed electrolytes, vitamins, and antioxidants – to ensure I’m feeling my best out on the court and can perform to my highest level.

AM: Tell me about Color Blind. What’s the ethos behind it and what is the product assortment that’s currently available?

CB: Color Blind is my baby! It means so much to me. I love fashion and I love the meaning. It represents the light in all of us Doesn’t matter your race, your gender, your religion, we are all humans. I have some amazing collabs coming soon! I can’t wait for you guys to see.

AM: What other projects are you working on that you’re able to share with us? Based on your IG, it seems like you’re working on some music?

CB: Yes BlackOps Presents ‘Welcome To The Grind’, it is going to be the soundtrack for all hoopers and athletes across the world. When athletes and people in general are working out I want them to play this album. The album has some of the biggest names in music. It’s going to be a classic!

IG @CBrickley603

@BlackOps.basketball

@ColorBlind

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 56 - 61 Chris Brickley/Social | PG 64 BODYARMOR |

Read the May issue #65 of Athleisure Mag and see Mindful Dedication with Chris Brickley in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #65 MAY 2021

In this month’s issue, our cover shoot is STARZ’ Run the World (which premiered this month) actor, Nick Sagar. We talk about how important his creativity outside of his craft has been to him, how he got into the industry, his process for going about his projects, the power of family, his latest show Run the World as well as info on the third installment of Netflix’s The Princess Switch which is out later this year.  We took some time to talk to noted basketball trainer, Chris Brickley who is known for working with James Harden, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony as well as J. Cole, who’s been on our playlists and is currently playing for the NBA Africa! We talk about how he got into the love of the game, how he transitioned to be a Development Coach for the Knicks, ultimately creating his own firm where he’s able to take on a myriad of clients and his partnership with BodyArmor. With the Olympics getting closer, we have interviews with Team USA Gymnast Medalist, Laurie Hernandez. We talk about how she got interested in the sport, what it was like being apart of the Final Five at the Summer Games in Rio, training these past few months during a pandemic, her upcoming Olympic goals for Tokyo and her latest collab with The Little Words Project. We also talk with Team USA Diving Medalist Steele Johnson as he talks about his journey to swimming and his passion for diving, joining Team USA for the Summer Games in Rio, working with his Synchro partner David Boudia, the remainder of his schedule on The Road to Tokyo and what he is looking forward to. We caught up with Gurwin Singh Ahuja who is known for his service in Civil Rights, held positions in the Obama Administration, is the Co-Founder of We Are Sikhs and also launched a sustainable marketplace, Salvos. We talk with him about his became politically interested and active, what he worked on while in the administration, the importance of bringing awareness about the Sikh community, talked about Climate Change and how he wants his legacy to be seen as. We also talk with noted artist, Jade Purple Brown who has had her work features in a number of campaigns with brands from Murad, Sephora and Drew Barrymore’s Flower to name a few. She talked about how she realized that she was interested in being an artist, how she selects her projects and being an entrepreneur.

This month, Olympic Team USA Skateboarding hopeful, Heimana Reynolds shares his favorite songs in 9PLAYLIST. Team USA Diving Medalist David Boudia shares his favorites and why in our 9LIST STORI3S. Celebrity Basketball Development Trainer, Chris Brickley shares his favorites and why in our 9LIST STORI3S. EDM artist, Anabel Englund shares her favorites and why in our 9LIST ROUTIN3S. In addition, Team USA Gymnast Medalist, Laurie Hernandez shares her 9LIST ROUTIN3S that she enjoys in the morning, afternoon and evening.  

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack focuses on Balade Restaurant. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Opus and TRX Training Club. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

COMMIT TO SELF-CARE WITH CATT SADLER

TV Personality and journalist Catt Sadler has been noted by the LA Times as one of the Top 10 Next Broadcasters of Our Generation. Her work in front of the camera has included talking with a wide range of celebs, personalities and athletes to give us the inside scoop. She launched and hosted E!'s The Daily 10 as well as appearing in a number of the networks' shows from E! News, Daily Pop, E! News Weekend to E! Live from the Red Carpet for a number of years.

Since her days at E!, Catt has also focused on the importance of empowering women and encouraging them. She navigates these areas via her site, The CattWalk. She dug deeper through her successful podcast NAKED with Catt Sadler. We caught up with Catt to talk about her career, the importance of wellness and self-care in her life, why she encourages others to embrace this as well. and her latest podcast show, It Sure is a Beautiful Day.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We have always been a fan of yours. When did you know that you wanted to work in the entertainment industry as you have worn so many hats from being on TV, being a podcast host and producer!?

CATT SADDLER: My fascination with the entertainment industry was two-fold. I grew up in the Midwest watching a lot of tv and going to the movies dreaming of La La Land. I almost studied theatre in college, but was also always driven by people’s stories. I ended up studying broadcast journalism and then realized, with the help of my first agent, that I could engineer a life in entertainment television. It would be very competitive and was certainly a longshot (back then no one had iPhones), but as fate would have it I landed my first fulltime tv reporting job in San Francisco at the WB network when I was 22 years old. With more than two decades of hosting and reporting under my belt, producing was a very natural extension of that. The podcast space is a very freeing medium with less structure and rules – not to time, anything goes – I love the rawness of it. I have complete creative control of the content, my guests, the format. I’ve never had more fun.

AM: What does self-care mean to you?

CS: Self-care means so many things to me. Of course, it’s about treating myself to fresh flowers and a massage every now and then. But it’s really about the balance of mind, body, and spirit. It’s doing my best to not neglect any of these areas in my life. Understanding that, and tending to each of them is crucial to my overall wellness!

AM: How important is it to commit to self-care?

CS: The actual commitment to self-care is the most important piece. It’s a discipline that creates the best balance and peace for me. Consistently incorporating movement or exercise into my days, making time to write in my gratitude journal, and continuing my ongoing therapy. Fueling my body with food that makes me feel better, not worse, is also super important. Too much of a good thing is never actually good. Even spicy margaritas.

AM: What are your wellness goals for 2021?

CS: I’ve returned to hot yoga which is so good for us! Sweating is such a necessary release of toxins and stress. This practice has really become my church in many ways. I want to continue to get stronger and more flexible, while also increasing my supplements and vitamins. As we age we need all of the help we can get! I load up on superfoods and elixirs, collagen powders, probiotics, and more most days!

AM: By engaging in self-care, what have you learned about yourself?

CS: When we are kinder and more compassionate towards ourselves, we are better able to contribute more fully and generously to others. I’m a better mother and friend when I’m taking good care of myself.

AM: Many people try to peg their self-care moments to a particular day like on Sunday. How do you make sure that you do this more often than one day a week?

CS: I love a ritual and while I understand it might be good to put self-care on the calendar, I actually think it’s the little choices each day that matter the most. Even if it’s waking up and drinking a full glass of water or committing to five minutes of meditation. The small acts of self-care accumulate and have lasting effects.

AM: You have partnered with Hims and Hers. How did this partnership come about and what is the synergy between you?

CS: Well firstly, who doesn’t love JLo? I saw she was an ambassador for the brand and it wasn’t long after I started teaming up with them. I was using an assortment of their products. I appreciate that they cover the scope of beauty and wellness with effective products all in one easy to use and understand online destination!

AM: What are your quick tips to having glowing skin?

CS: It all starts with fresh clean skin. I like using a gentle cleanser and moisturizer to keep my skin balanced. Hers Deep Sea Cleanser and Tidal Wave Moisturizer have been working wonders. Especially hydrated skin is critical so beyond drinking a ton of water every day I also use Hyaluronic Serum from Dr. Barbara Sturm. Another serum that makes my skin feel radiant is 111Skin’s Rose Gold Radiance Booster. As I get older, it’s also important to make sure my foundation isn’t too matte or drying. I sprinkle in MARA Universal Face Oil into my foundation to make sure I create a dewy youthful look.

IG @IAmCattSadler

PHOTOS COURTESY | Catt Sadler

Read the Apr Issue #64 of Athleisure Mag and see Commit to Self-Care with Catt Sadler in mag.

COUPLESHIP ROCK WITH PERRY + ETTY LAU FARRELL

We had the pleasure to connect with rock powerhouse couple, Perry Farrell and his wife, Etty Lau Farrell. Perry is known as the Godfather of Alternative Rock and is noted as one of the people to push the genre forward. From Psi Com, Jane's Addiction, Porno for Pyros and his solo projects, this frontman can do it all from lead vocals, writing and more. Etty is a classically trained dancer who toured with Ricky Martin, Madonna, Bon Jovi and joined the Jane's Addiction tour in 1997. She would go on to being a bandmate and being in a number of projects with Perry including being a vocalist in their band, Satellite Party and Kind Heaven Orchestra and being on the board of Lollapalooza.

We caught up with rock's glam power couple to find out about their love for performing, how they work together, Lollapalooza, and Perry Farrell: The Glitz; The Glamour box set.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Perry when did you first fall in love with music and when did you realize that you wanted to perform?

PERRY FARRELL: I was so fortunate to be able to be introduced to so many artists by my big brother and sister. He turned me onto The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and The Who which was my starting point. My sister loved fun and soul so I got to know about James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone and George Clinton as well as the Funkadelic - loved that.

I didn't really think about performing until much later in life in my early 20s! I felt that I had the frame for it as a skinny guy and that I could be a frontman. I knew that I could dance, but I had to have that voice.

So, I taught myself to be a lead singer! I would look into the mirror and imitate Mick Jagger and David Bowie. I wanted to create music that people could feel so I had my mixer, headphones, microphone and I would write songs.

AM: Etty, what was your journey to coming into music and being a vocalist, dancer and songwriter?

ETTY LAU: I had been dancing my entire life as I am a classically trained dancer as a ballerina! I was born in Hong Kong and I went to the Royal Academy of Dance and when I moved to Seattle while being in a dance studio there, I also attended the Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Cornish College of the Arts. I came down to LA on a scholarship at 19.

We met in 1997 when Jane's Addiction was going back out on tour and I was on tour with them ever since.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Athleisure Mag is cofounded by a couple so we always like talking to couples who work together. You guys have worked together for decades from Jane’s Addiction, Satellite Party and your latest project, what is that like and how do you navigate the dynamics of work along with your coupleship?

ELF: We have a bit of an odd codependency with one another. So we share everything - a car, a stage, a hotel room.

PF: Even a toothbrush!

AM: Oh my!

ELF: No not a toothbrush, that's gross ha!

AM: Definitely have to have your own on that one haha!

ELF: When it comes to working together, I think of Perry like my boss in many ways. I know that when I'm on tour dancing for Jane's Addiction, he is the boss. I'm on the board of Lolla and I do a lot of the logistical things and make recommendations - but he is the boss.

PF: Absolutely not. I am not your boss, it's a partnership. When we work together, there is a give and take and it's all about immersing yourself and bringing all of these experiences together to make something meaningful and heartfelt.

ELF: We know our strong suits and we're able to play off of one another. What he has, I may not have and what I have he may not have - but together, it works as a true partnership! I know that he respects my opinion, but the final word is with him - I can only advise.

AM: The first music festival that we remember going to was Lollapalooza in 2007 and again in 2008. We saw Satellite Party, Daft Punk, Kanye, Lady Gaga - so many great acts and series of days. It literally started our path to attending festivals.

Like many this past year, it has been insane and between lockdowns, quarantines and pauses, plans were in the air and there were pivots. You guys had Lollapalooza virtually, but with vaccines being available, are there plans to resume this festival this year in Chicago and or global cities?

PF: Lollapalooza is a microcosm of music that has a massive amount of people that enjoy music over a period of days in various cities.

Because of COVID, we did a digital platform in 2020. We did 4 days online and reunited Porno, Janes and had people play live. It was fun because we went into archives and it was a great way to give everyone hope and something to enjoy.

If we can all stay on course, getting vaccinated, socially distant and mask up – maybe please God, we’ll get to go to Chicago in early August with an audience in one capacity or another for Lollapalooza – not a large one but maybe a half capacity. We can only respond to the people and what the city/government professionals say that we can do.

I listen to Joe Biden when he says that July 4th could be when we have our first small celebrations, then I’m going to say, that mine will be in August and I want to have it in Chicago. So I’m planning for a party in some kind of capacity for Kind Heaven Orchestra to come out there.

AM: Definitely hoping that we can go back to in person events! The fact that you guys use your platform to continue to drive the point home that wearing masks is a must and that they need to get vaccinated! It's a shame that it's become so politicized!

PF: Why do you think it's politicized?

AM: I'm not sure why! I think that wearing a mask is just being a good citizen and keeps yourself as well as those around you safe. It's such a small effort with a great impact to show that you're doing your part. The more we're able to do it, engaging in social distancing and safe behaviours, then we can begin to embrace the things that we have done before. It may be in a different way, but baby steps!

ELF: Without a doubt. I mean we have ideas of things; however, it's based on a number of things and ultimately, it's based on what the city will allow. But we're hopeful so keep checking our site and our socials for the latest information on that!

AM: One of the things that I have loved about your music Perry is that it has such a jazzy element to it. My great uncle was tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson who was with Blue Note Records and was part of the Hard Bop era.

As a power duo, you guys formed The Kind Heaven Orchestra. Can you tell me more about this and this 9 piece ensemble?

PF: Thank you yes and that's phenomenal! I love jazz, I love Duke Ellington, Miles Davis - their sound as well as their sense of style is just really something that I vibe with - that was great music.

The Kind Heaven Orchestra is an art collective and a music collective - an installation. We install for more than one day and I want to keep that going with that intimate scenario to see where it goes. Of course, it can be blown up too!

Before COVID, we were performing and I look forward to getting back to it when we're able to do in person events again!

AM: Your box set, Perry Farrell - The Glitz; The Glamour is a 35 year retrospective of your solo and artistic explorations outside of Jane’s Addiction and Porno for Pyros. With 68 tracks, vinyl, blue ray discs and remixes with Maceo Plex, Groove Armada, UNKLE and Hyper to name a few, photos and art - it's an epic and stunning box set to have. Why did you want to embark upon this project and how long did it take to put together?

ELF: We put it together during quarantine. It became our project!

AM: Wait, you just decided to put out this massive retrospective? Some people were making sourdough and you guys decided to showcase history!

PF: I tend to look forward and don’t look back. I like to keep it fresh. I had music all over the universe from Porno for Pyros stuff to Psi Com stuff and solo stuff. I had tracks floating around like they were comets and stars. I wanted everything in one place and to have my body of work. With the Internet, I love that you have a place where you can have all of your history and I had boxes of photographs which every picture tells a story!

ELF: It was going to a 50 page autobiography with photos . It's all vinyl and all solo work - so not Jane's Addiction. So it starts with Psi Com, Satellite Party and Kind Heaven. We have a few new songs in there too. It ended up being 100 pages with photos and about his childhood.

PF: There are 2 songs in the boxed set with Jim Morrison. I received an unearthed recording of The Doors’ Jim Morrison, written and recorded with Starcrawler. I had one of the tracks mixed by a Palestinian woman as well as an Israeli man who created mixes that are in the box set.

AM: When you look at 2020 and as we continue into 2021, there was a lot going on from COVID-19, the election, social justice, facing the need to talk about equality within Black Lives Matter as well as Stop Asian Hate – how are you guys utilizing your platform to lend your voices to this?

ELF: A lot of people don't know that I was born in Hong Kong and I know growing up when I came to the states, I had instances of prejudice and scary situations, but it is nothing like the trauma that is going on right now. We have to educate and bring awareness to what is happening and to speak out!

There are so many things that I want to do to continue to let people know about this. I'm even educating myself as well. When I open my mouth to speak, I'll know what I'm talking about. I think the more we learn about this topic, the more we learn about what we don't know.

AM: Couldn't agree more. It's so important to realize that this is going on and then to be an ally! As a Black Co-Founder whose boyfriend is Italian American/Jewish, he finds it important to not only be aware of what's going on but steps in to be an ally. I think this is so important when it comes to underrepresented groups whether we're talking about Asian, Blacks, LGBTQIA+. This is one of those issues that we need get people to realize that we will not continue to allow these horrific activities to take place!

PF: Absolutely. We need to stand in solidarity, love each other and to unite.

IG @PerryFarrellOfficial

@EttyLauFarrell

@Lollapalooza

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Perry + Etty Lau Farrell

Read the Apr Issue #64 of Athleisure Mag and see Coupleship Rock with Perry + Etty Lau Farrell in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #64 APR 2021

In this month’s issue, our cover shoot is actor, producer and entrepreneur Mark Wahlberg. We talk about his mantra for life, his roles, apparel brand MUNICIPAL and his docuseries on HBO Max, Wahl Street. We took some time with broadcaster and podcast host, Catt Sadler to talk about the importance of self-care in her life and why it is something that she continues to engage in. We also talk about her latest podcast show, It Sure Is a Beautiful Day. We interview rock powerhouse couple Perry Farrell founder of Lollapalooza and frontman of Jane’s Addiction, Porno for Pyros and Psi Com and his wife Etty Lau Farrell, a vocalist, dancer and on the board of Lollapalooza. They shared how important performing is to them, how they work together, his latest boxed set Perry Farrell: The Glitz; The Glamour and their intent to bring Lollapalooza back in person based on protocols. With The Kentucky Derby taking place tomorrow, we catch up with Churchill Downs’ Executive Chef David Danielson as he shares what Derby Week is like for him and his culinary team, this years menu and how he relaxes after he finishes this epic event.

This month, Drax Project shares 9 songs via an acoustic performance for this month’s 9PLAYLIST 9MIX 9ACOUSTIC. We also have EDM DJ, DIPHA BARUS include a 9PLAYLIST 9MIX. Olympic Team USA Marathon Medalist, New York City Marathon and Boston Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi shares his favorite songs in 9PLAYLIST. Olympic Gold Medalist, 2 X FIFA World Cup Winner, US Women’s Soccer National Team and Washington Spirit Kelley O’Hara shares her favorites and why in our 9LIST STORI3S. USA’s Queen of the South, Molly Burnett shares her 9LIST ROUTIN3S that she enjoys in the morning, afternoon and evening.  

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack focuses on Soogil. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Little Chef Little Café and FORME Life. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the April Issue #65 of Athleisure Mag.

KEEPING IT FUN WITH VANESSA LACHEY

We caught up with one of our faves, Vanessa Lachey who got her start competing in pageants, being a host on MTV's TRL as well as a number of TV hosting jobs. She also appeared on CBS' The Bold and The Beautiful, FOX's BH90210, and recently, FOX's Call Me Kat. We talked with her to find out how she fell in love with the entertainment industry, Netflix's Love is Blind which she hosts with her husband and 98 Degrees band member, Nick Lachey and what she's working on at the moment!

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve been fans of yours since you were on the pageant circuit and of course seeing you as a host on TRL, when did you realize that you wanted to be in the entertainment industry and what drew you to it?

VANESSA LACHEY: I have always loved entertaining my family and friends. I liked making people laugh, and honestly with my dad being in the Air Force and me moving around a lot, being silly and outgoing was my way to make friends and also a coping mechanism for when I was sad or uncomfortable. The pageant was a dare when I was in high school. More of a push my boyfriend's dad who thought if I won his son would appreciate me more. What ended up happening was I realized I only knew how to be ME. I was so nervous and I thought I never stood a chance, but once I won, by being me, I realized how special and unique we all are and can be, as long as we stay true to ourselves. When I started hosting I combined two things I LOVED and knew, music and my outgoing personality. It was such a fun fit and my most favorite job! I owe a lot to both of those experiences and what they did for me personally and professionally.

AM: You've been in so many different great shows, what are the things that you look for when you're considering participating in them?

VL: Honestly, the number one thing I think about is how will the affect my family. Both with my schedule and time away from my kids and time away from my kids and time away from my husband. Next I look at the role and if it's fun, would I enjoy it and how can I make it “mine." For hosting I always want to be a part of something fun and entertaining, but love when I also get to be a part of something bigger and moving or inspirational.

AM: It feels like last year we consumed a lot more programming than normal due to lockdowns etc and we got sucked into Love is Blind. I loved the concept behind it and thought that you and Nick as hosts was such a great addition! What drew you to being involved and how was it for you and your husband to do this together?

VL: This was such a fun project to work on together. We actually hadn’t work together much previously – we’d done a few pageant hosting gigs together but that was it – so it was kind of an experiment to see what our working dynamic might be like. What drew us to it was actually the similarity between the show and how Nick and I first started dating. When we first got together he was living in LA and me in NY, so we communicated mostly over text or the phone for the longest time, really only seeing each other when one of us had work in the other’s city. Obviously we had already seen each other when we started dating, but we loved the concept of this show where people meet and fall in love without relying on physical attraction or having the burden of outside distractions. None of us knew what they outcome would be, so it was a wonderful surprise to see the couples and love that resulted from season one!

AM: Will you be coming back for the next season and can you share anything for fans of the show?

VL: Yes! We are so excited to be starting filming for season two AND three in the next few weeks! Season 2 will be in Chicago and season 3 in Dallas. I can’t share too much, but I can promise you won’t have to wait too long before you get to see it all unfold.

AM: Tell us about your new role as Tara Barnett in Call Me Kat and why you wanted to be on this fun show?

VL: Yes – Tara is such a fun character to play and I really enjoy the sit-com space. I’m also a big fan of Mayim Bialik’s and working together and playing best friends has been such a joy. This was one of the first times a job approached me about a role they thought I’d be a fit for, and I feel so incredibly lucky to be working during an otherwise really difficult time.

AM: I know you haven't been on this show although you could be in an upcoming season, but last year many fans of the Masked Singer kept thinking that the Snow Owls were you and Nick when it was actually Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black! Would you ever consider being on this show and what would your costume be?

VL: It’s so funny seeing all the speculation around Nick and this show! We enjoy watching at home and even the kids love analyzing the contestants people think sound like him. I think I will leave the singing to Nick, but it certainly would be fun!

AM: In addition to playing roles in various shows and competing on Dancing with the Stars, you have hosted a number of great shows from TRL, Top Chef Junior, hosting various Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, you will be hosting a virtual awards show called Total Wireless Awards. Can you tell us more about this show and who is being honored?

VL: Yes! I’m so excited to be a part of a program that is so positive – I think we can all use more positivity after the past year. The Total Wireless Awards are featuring five amazing real-life individuals who have really done amazing for themselves, their families or their communities during a really challenging year.

We’ve got a single mom who is working so hard in order to give her three kids the best education possible, all while going to school herself. A high school student named Danny Goldberg who was inspired by his ER physician dad to find ways to help his community during lockdown and started Zoomers to Boomers – an organization that is now active in more than 30 cities across the globe! And a goofy, comedian dad who started making fun TikTok videos with his kindergarten aged-daughter to help make virtual learning more fun.

All of these amazing stories were made possible by virtual connection – something that Total Wireless offers at such an affordable price – plans start at just $25 a month with no-contract required. We’ll be releasing the five stories on Total Wireless’s Instagram page on March 16th and are asking folks to go vote for their favorite story. Then in a few weeks, I’ll be announcing the “fan favorite” winner and sitting down with them to reveal their grand prize!

AM: Are there upcoming projects that we should keep an eye out for that you can tell us about?

VL: I’ll be starting production for Netflix’s Love is Blind Season 2 & 3 and so excited for what’s ahead.

IG @VanessaLachey

PHOTO COURTESY | Vanessa Lachey

Read the Mar Issue #63 of Athleisure Mag and see Keeping it Fun with Vanessa Lachey in mag.

WINNING IS A HABIT WITH KELLEY O'HARA

Soccer season is upon us and our eye is on the US Women's National Team's Olympic Gold Medalist, 2 X FIFA World Cup winner - Kelley O'Hara who also plays for the NWSL Washington Spirit. With a season that kicks off next month, we took some time to talk about how she fell in love with the sport, being able to play for the DC team, what it's like when she's in training, her schedule when competing with the national team as well as her home team, joining KT Tape as one of its newest ambassadors and of course her upcoming projects in film, podcasting and her beauty brand.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with soccer?

KELLEY O'HARA: I think I fell in love with soccer in high school. I played a lot of sports growing up, and soccer was one of my favorites, but it wasn’t until I decided soccer would be the sport I wanted to pursue full time and wholeheartedly that I really fell in love with the game.

AM: When did you know that you wanted to go pro?

KO: I always knew I wanted to play for the USWNT, however I didn’t think much about turning “pro” because for most of my high school and college career there was not a professional domestic league to play in. My goal was always to continue to play post college, but I always thought that would mean having to make the national team as my only option. Once the WPS came around, I realized I had the opportunity to get drafted and play not only for the national team but also for a pro team.

AM: What is the role of a defender?

KO: Technically I play defender, but I play it in a very attacking minded way. My number one priority is keeping the ball out of the net for the other team, but my next biggest priority is contributing to our attack in a meaningful way.

AM: The season is about to start next month for your team, Washington Spirit which you recently joined. I know that you also live in DC so how exciting was it for you be able to play for your city?

KO: Honestly, it’s a dream come true. I feel like every pro athlete would probably love to be able to live where they play. I have spent the last 10 years of my professional career moving from city to city - spending season in one place and off season in another - it’s nice to be in one place and living at home full time! Plus, DC is such a soccer city! I am really excited to play for the fans here and try to win a championship for the District.

AM: What are the weeks leading up to the start of the season like for you in terms of training and getting ready to get back on the field?

KO: We just spent three weeks down in FL for spring training to prepare for the Challenge Cup, which is the NWSL preseason tournament this year. That starts in April and then regular season starts in May.

AM: What are your workout routines like when you’re training for the week for the next game versus off season?

KO: In season training is all about recovery, preparation, and then execution in the game to get a win. So, most of the training is focusing on making sure you’re physically ready, i.e., your loads for the week are enough but not too much, and you’re tactically prepared for whoever you’re playing. In the off season, my workout is very individualized and is about working on weaknesses. It allows me to create a quality base physically for the season ahead and offers me the luxury of working on technical aspects I want to specifically focus on.

AM: On game day, what’s your routine like leading up to hitting the field?

KO: Game days are pretty chill. My main focus is preparing my body to perform, so eating and drinking the right things leading into the game, while also mentally preparing for what needs to get done.

AM: You joined the KT Tape team earlier this year, what does this partnership mean to you and how will you partner with them?

KO: I’ve been using KT Tape pretty much my whole career, so it’s cool to turn it into an official partnership. I love that their product is athlete focused and really works! I’ve relied on their tape throughout the years to give me the extra assistance my body might need, so to know they are now supporting me not only on the field but off of it is pretty great.

AM: What are your go to products?

KO: I have primarily used their KT Tape Pro, both for performance and recovery. I just tried their newest product the KT Recovery+ Wave and it was incredible! It helps to relieve pain in tissues and joints with sensation-free electromagnetic waves. You don’t feel anything from the device, but it modulates nerve activity to give you pain relief and it really works! I was blown away.

AM: In addition to being on the Washington Spirit, you’re also on the US Women’s Soccer Team. How is it managing both of those schedules and are there differences for you when you are competing?

KO: It definitely makes for a busy schedule, but I feel lucky to have that problem! When it comes to competing for my two different teams, I don’t approach them differently. My goal is always to win - whether that’s in an off-season pickup game, practice, an NWSL match or an Olympic final - I aim to bring the same competitiveness to everything. Winning is a habit, so it’s something I am cultivating.

AM: We're looking forward to seeing LFG which comes out on HBO Max which focuses on the US Women’s National Team’s fight for equal pay and has you, Megan Rapinoe, Jessica McDonald, Becky Sauerbrunn, Sam Mews and others on the team speaking and advocating about this issue. Why did you want to participate in this film?

KO: We wanted to tell our story in our own voice. I think a lot of people really only know what has happened or is happening by what or how the media writes about the lawsuit, but most people don’t know the amount of time, energy, and persistence this legal battle has taken. Plus, we know that our fight and hopefully win has the potential to create important change we need across all industries.

AM: The past year has definitely been one that we have all been navigating. With the Olympics postponed to this summer, what are you looking forward to with the upcoming games?

KO: Definitely the joy that is competing and chasing after a goal with my team. I’m also looking forward to the Games hopefully giving the world something to look forward to and to showcase the unity and joy that sport can provide not only for athletes but for their fans

AM: Outside of the sport, you’re the host of Just Women’s Sports. Tell me more about this podcast and why you wanted to have this included in your platform?

KO: The Just Women’s Sports podcast was born out of the desire to give female athletes a space to tell their stories. Only 4% of media coverage is dedicated to women’s sports, and it’s something I have personally felt my whole life. Haley Rosen, the founder of JWS, wanted to change that. I came on board to help advise the company, but that quickly turned into wanting to be involved and do the work to help change the future of what covereage looks like for female athletes.

AM: What other projects are you working on that we should keep an eye out for?

KO: I am an owner and partner in Tame the Beast - a company of grooming and shower products with a focus on sustainability and reducing plastic consumption. I am creating a unisex skincare line with them that will be launching this summer, which I am really excited about!

AM: You have so many accolades from being a 2 X FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion, an Olympic Gold Medalist and receiving the Hermann Trophy in 2009, what do you want your legacy to be in the sport?

KO: A winner and a good teammate - the type of player and person you always want on your team.

IG @KelleyOhara

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 36 KT TAPE | PG 38 - 40 USWNT |

Read the Mar Issue #63 of Athleisure Mag and see Winning is a Habit with Kelley O’Hara in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #63 MAR 2021

In this month’s issue, our cover shoot is luxury real estate owner/broker, contractor, developer at The Oppenheim Group and star of Netflix’s Selling Sunset, Jason Oppenheim. We talk about how he got into his real estate, his successful show that has been greenlit for a 4th and 5th season as well as the importance of giving back. We catch up with Vanessa Lachey to find out about the upcoming season of Netflix’s Love is Blind which she hosts with her husband Nick Lachey and who will be filming their 2nd and 3rd season in a few weeks, her new show on FOX, Call Me Kat and her upcoming projects. We also talked with Olympic Gold Medalist, 2 X FIFA World Cup Winner, US Women’s Soccer National Team and Washington Spirit Kelley O’Hara. We talk about how she fell in love with the sport, what it’s like to navigate two schedules, joining the KT Tape family as an ambassador as well as her upcoming projects which includes the documentary LFG and her beauty brand that she co-founded, Tame the Beast.

This month, singer/songwriter STEALTH shares 9 songs via an acoustic performance for this month’s 9PLAYLIST 9MIX. Season 16 BRAVO Top Chef, Iron Chef Champion and Host of TRU TV’s Fast Foodies, Justin Sutherland shares his favorites and why in our 9LIST STORI3S. This month, singer/songwriter and actress Nomi Ruiz shares her 9LIST ROUTIN3S that she enjoys in the morning, afternoon and evening.  

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack focuses on Jungsik. This month’s Athleisure List comes from REED JOHN FITNESS and Automat Kitchen. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read Athleisure Mag’s Mar Issue #63 now.

9LIST STORI3S | DANICA PATRICK

Read the Feb Issue #62 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S | Danica Patrick in mag.

STAYING MOTIVATED WITH BOB HARPER

We had a candid talk with one of the top Celebrity Trainers, Bob Harper. You know him as one of the trainers and eventually the host of The Biggest Loser, he has been on countless shows encouraging those to take care of themselves and their health and is known for the way he engages with others. We catch up with him to talk about how he got into the fitness industry, including TV into his brand, his latest project and how he has navigated these times.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve been fans of yours since we saw you on The Biggest Loser as a trainer and then as a host – when did you know that you wanted to work in the fitness industry as your expertise has spanned over 3 decades!

BOB HARPER: Wow 3 decades! That makes me sound so old!

AM: Oh no it doesn’t! It makes you sound experienced and amazing!

BH: That’s true! I’m embracing my 50’s. I’ve been in the industry like you’ve said for over 30 years now. When I got into fitness, it was something that I fell into because I was living in Nashville, TN and there was a gym that I lived next door to and all of a sudden I just started going to the gym and I definitely got the bug of fitness. I decided that this was something that I really wanted to do so I got my certifications, started to do group fitness and then I decided that I would move to Los Angeles, CA to really make a full-time career out of health and fitness and then the rest is pretty much history! I went from being a Celebrity trainer out of Los Angeles to getting this gig on a new show called The Biggest Loser and at first, I was super skeptical because listening to the name, I didn’t know what it was about and then I found out that it was all about diet and exercise – it was something that I thought, “ok, let me try to pursue this a little bit more.”

AM: Did you ever imagine that when you first started in this industry that you would take the different avenues that you have taken and really expanding your brand as being as you said, a TV personality and being more than just a trainer and having your group sessions?

BH: It was never anything that I ever thought that would I do in terms of being on television because I was very happy with where my career was, but when I got this opportunity to work on Loser, I thought, you know what, it’s going to give me the opportunity to work on this platform to be exposed to this whole other demographic and I really found that as much as I loved all of the celebrities that I had worked with, this was just something that was just so much more rewarding in a completely different way.

AM: How would you define your approach when you’re working in a group setting or with your personal clients? Do you have a certain approach, focus or modalities that you like to focus on?

BH: Yeah, I have always described myself as a very pragmatic health and fitness trainer. I have never been one to beat somebody down as I have tried to lift them up. I want them to see themselves through my eyes when they are unable to do. That’s just something that has always been in me. That has always been me to be someone that has always looked at that glass as half full no matter how far off track someone has gotten. I realize that in health and fitness and especially when you’re working with people that are overweight, it’s something that they have to embrace for the rest of their life. There’s no endgame here when it comes to weight loss, managing weight loss and when I speak to people in that pragmatic way, it just me saying, “these are the cards that you have been dealt. This is something that you're going to have to be thinking about for the rest of your life.” I think that once you're able to swallow that pill, it makes it a lot more manageable. I feel like that there are so many avenues of health and fitness out there that kind of go, "I have all the answers, this is it and once you do what I’m telling you to do, then life is going to be great.” And I’m like, “ok, well once you have lost all of that weight or achieved the goals that you have achieved, what then?” I always try to look at the what then.

AM: Before we get into the Next Fitness Superstar, how did you decide to work with NEOU Fitness and what was the synergy there?

BH: Since the pandemic happened last year and it feels like –

AM: Like five years!

BH: Yeah, I’m going insane ha! Yeah, before the pandemic, I was never an at home fitness person. You would think when you look at my career – I mean people would say, “I’d love to see your gym at home!” I’ve always loved being in gyms, group fitness and being around other people. Then with the pandemic, I was forced to approach fitness in a completely different way. I started doing all the workouts that I like doing and I tried doing them from home. It wasn’t until I met with the people at NEOU that I really decided that I knew that I was really responding to the situation that we are in. NEOU has so many different options of working out and that’s what I wanted! I don’t know about you, but I was really getting bored with the things that I was doing and I really needed to mix it up and I also wanted to do things that was going to put a smile on my face. I don’t want to sound cheesy.

AM: Totally get it! We’ve been to NEOU for editor events, we miss our hot yoga studios and being around others in working out and having that experience with other people as well as enjoying the amenities –these past few months to keep it fresh has totally been a challenge!

BH: It’s totally been a challenge! I have to have those conversations with myself that I have had to have with my clients over the years when I’m saying to myself,“ I don’t want to work out” – those days when I’m dealing with low-level depression throughout this year and being like, “oh my God, this is never-ending, I can’t get motivated” and having to say to myself – “I know I’m going to feel better about myself when I work out.” My fiancé will say to me, “honey, you know you’re going to feel better after you do it. Just turn on the computer, get your workout going, jump in the pool and do whatever you’re going to do” and it’s true and I’m always having to remember that feeling. I remember telling that to every single person that I have ever worked with and I like NEOU in the way that it gives me so many different options and those options are what keeps me motivated.

AM: Tell us about The Next Fitness Superstar as the concept sounds fun and what’s your role in this project?

BH: I’m really excited about this creative idea. It’s something that I came to them with and I said this was the first thing that I wanted to do with them. I found it to be interesting and dynamic. Since the pandemic and looking at the different trainers, workouts, health professionals out there – people are always asking me how can they go to the next level? Going to the next level, whatever that means for you is trying to put yourself out there in a completely different way. That’s what the Next Fitness Superstar is about –show me what you’ve got! I remember being very clear, it’s not about the way a person looks. I see people with the best bodies in the world and their training ability for themselves is great – but what are you able to give that person that you're working with? So with the Next Fitness Superstar, I want to see how you are able to communicate, are you able to deliver, what your brand is, how you are able to get the workouts in to get me engaged and to keep me engaged. I think that when you deal with trainers, you have to see them from so many different points of view. It can’t just be you have great abs or you have great legs – what else do you have after that?

AM: It’s cool to see that you guys had over200 people competing, and you narrowed it down to 10. Can you share if you have any favorites or if you’re leaning towards anyone or anything that is standing out with you?

BH: Well I don’t want to talk about favorites, but I will say that it was super hard to get to the top 10! I love the top 10 that we have and I think that they’re really strong and really dynamic so it’s exciting! Let me tell you, we’re about to give it to the audience for their vote. I’m glad that they’re going to have to do it and not me!

AM: For sure! What’s going to happen over the next 4 week period with this?

BH: Well what is going to be really fun is that when we get to the top 3, we’re going to be putting them through a workout, a live workout on NEOU – I want to be able to talk with them and to hear how they are able to communicate. I think that that’s really important since I have been in this industry for a long time. Going from being a trainer to going live on the Today Show and a number of shows throughout my career, there’s an art there. There is an ability to speak and be concise. WhenI watch people and I see that people are starting to ramble, saying a lot and you're wondering if they’re really saying anything – I think at one point and I say this with any trainer that I have talked with or worked with, “don’t be afraid of the silence.” Especially if you’re in the midst of a workout. Don’t be afraid to let the room breathe. You know what I mean by that?

AM: ABSOLUTELY!

BH: I have been in a number of workouts with trainers that there is so much dialogue and it starts to make me a little insane it's like, enough with all of the talking. Let me know what you need from me, guide me in this way and allow for the magic to happen!

AM: Agreed! A lot of times when we’re working out, we just need that space so you have that moment for your body to go through what’s happening and to feel like the movements are becoming a second nature. When you’re talking too much, it becomes noise after a certain point and then it’s too distracting.

BH: Oh my God! I have actually done workouts where to the computer screen I'm saying, “stop talking!” Give me a minute!

AM: And sometimes you just hit that mute because you can’t!

BH: It really takes away from the times where they really have something important to say and people have to learn how to edit themselves! That’s the bottom line. I love that people are going to be able to vote by going to NEOU to vote for their favorite trainers. We have gotten really great responses from it.

AM: It looks like it. So when we get to the 3 people, they have the activities that they will do and people can vote. What does the winner get for winning it all?

BH: That’s what’s really exciting. Not only will they get a contract with NEOU, the publicity from doing it, being placed in a different arena for doing it which I think is the best part of the prize, there is also a $5,000 cash prize too. I thought that was pretty great!

AM: Sure. Even for the 10 people that were announced initially, there’s something to be said that you went through that process to get there. Will this be something that will continue to take place to have these kinds of competitions or are you just feeling this out to see how it goes?

BH: We’re definitely feeling it out, but I also have other ideas that I have been playing around with on what we can do. I do believe that at home fitness is here to stay for a while now and I want to be able to inspire people at home that aren’t working out with large groups of people anymore. How can I keep you going? I mean, that’s what it’s about as you know! You’ve got to be able to change it up and people are asking, what’s the best diet out there and I’m like, “you know what? It’s the one that you’re able to stick with and that you're able to continue to do!” That’s when everything changes. I have done every single diet that’s out there and it’s good for people to try different things because it keeps your head in the game.

AM: Outside of Next Fitness Superstar, are there other projects that you are working on that you can share that we should keep our eye out for?

BH: I know that one thing that has been very near and dear to my heart – literally and figuratively, is my partnership with AstraZeneca something that we call, Survivors Have Hearts. I used to travel around the country with heart attack survivors. Now with COVID-19, it’s been a virtual thing. So this year, I’m hoping that we can get out on the road maybe. The response that we have been able to receive by doing it virtually has been super successful and that’s something that as a heart attack survivor who is coming up on 4 years in 6 months, being a survivor – it drives me even more. Being able to talk to heart attack survivors, people who took care of them during that hard time has been super rewarding for me.

AM: During this pandemic, we enjoy your photography and being able to see the world through your eyes and seeing your pups, Karl and Vivienne because they’re so cute. How did you get into photography?

BH: Thank you for saying that! Photography means a lot to me and it’s always been something that’s really important for me. Ever since I was a kid and I got a little Instamatic camera – I’m really dating myself here.

AM: I had one growing up I’ll be 42 this year, so I know what you’re talking about!

BH: Well you’re a little younger than me, but you know what I’m talking about. I was very drawn to that media of art where you’re able to grab a second in life and that you can never go back to it. You have to remember that every photo that is being taken, especially the way I go about it– it’s that instant and that instant is gone and you’re able to document. I love being able to tell a story in that range finder of my camera. That’s how I look at it. I tell people all the time, everyone can take a picture as we all have iPhones, smartphones or whatever you call it. But whenever I am able to have my real camera in my hand and to not just take a picture but a photo and tell a story, it’s just something that I have loved for a very long time.

AM: I’ve loved looking at that second Instagram that has those photos. Growing up, my dad has the 35mm cameras where you go into the darkroom and we actually had one in our house. So seeing these single stories that you’re telling and how poignant that they are – I didn’t know that about you prior to the pandemic, but very cool to see the world through your eyes.

BH: I appreciate that and as far as your dad and working with film, that’s always been something, of course, I work with digital mostly, but I have my film camera and when I’m in NY, I have a darkroom that I go to in Brooklyn called Gowanus Darkroom and I develop my own film, print my own photographs and there is something very therapeutic about that for me. You’re in that darkroom and creating art and it just stimulates me.

AM: It’s been so fun talking with you. Who are 3 people that have inspired you to be where you are whether personally or professionally?

BH: Oh wow, that’s such a big question! I mean an immediate answer would be that I would talk about people like the trailblazers, Jack LaLanne – that man was in the business forever and continued to just inspire and be so inspirational. I’ll tell you another one – Richard Simmons, I mean what he did with his career – the heart on his sleeve. Everything from Sweating to the Oldies and what he did, people tried to emulate it. He had those diet cards, a deck of cards – that’s just what everything was built on!

If I’m going to stay in the old school world, I’m going with Jane Fonda! Jane Fonda and everything that she has done! I don’t even know how old she is, but LOOK AT HER! I like looking at people that are growing old gracefully because I’m of that world so when I look at Jane Fonda, I want to drink the water that she’s been drinking!

AM: To this day, as I’m the Co-Founder and Style Director here, there have been a number of shoots that I have styled and I have used her iconic fitness looks as an inspiration to the shoots that we have created. She is a style icon and a fitness icon and her look is something that has been a classic.

BH: I’ll tell you what and I’m thinking about the new and younger generation, there is someone on Instagram and TikTok if you have not seen him and I highly recommend – he has gotten me through 2020 in the darkest time and he’s called The Fittest Wizard. Have you ever heard of him?

AM: No, but just wrote it down!

BH: Oh my! He’s like a Crossfitter and he’s super fit and that’s beside the point! He does all this dancing and his physical ability and what he’s able to do and he’s having so much fun doing it. I’ve really become such a proponent of making fitness fun especially in 2020 and he has made me laugh and smile throughout this whole year!

AM: I’m looking at it now – wow!

BH: Wait ‘til you see him dancing around, he’s insane!

IG @BobHarper

IG @BobHarperGallery

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Bob Harper

Hear Celebrity Fitness Trainer Bob Harper on an upcoming episode of our show, #TRIBEGOALS - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multimedia companion podcast network! Subscribe to be notified when the episode drops. Listen on iHeart-Radio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, AmazonMusic, Google Podcasts or wherever you enjoy your podcasts.

Read the Feb Issue #62 of Athleisure Mag and see Staying Motivated with Bob Harper in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #62 FEB ISSUE

In this month’s issue, our virtual cover shoot is actor, director, producer and writer, Peter Facinelli of Twilight, The Vanished and Nurse Jackie to name a few. Peter talks about how he got into the industry, his versatile roles, working in front of and behind the camera as well as upcoming projects that he has coming up. Our photoshoot shares fun menswear looks for WFH, Out & About and Fitness. We catch up with multi-platinum record producer, A&R executive, songwriter and lawyer Jeff Blue. We talk about how he was integral in finding and establishing the careers of Linkin Park, Macy Gray, Korn, Limp Bizkit. We talk about what he looks for when he takes on his projects, stories from the industry, the importance of authenticity and the iconic sound. He also shares his upcoming projects that include his iHeartRadio podcast, his upcoming docuseries focused on A&R stories and the script that he is working on. We check in with Celebrity Fitness Trainer Bob Harper who talks about being in the industry for over 3 decades, his NEOU partnership, how he has embraced at home fitness as we navigate the pandemic and we talk about industry icons that have inspired him. We’re enjoying the 2nd season of Snowpiercer and are looking forward to finding out more about Breachman Bojan Boki Boscovic who is played by Aleks Paunovic. Aleks talks about how he got into the industry, shows he’s apart of and his band Specula Black. We also delve into how he approaches his projects as well as his anti-bullying initiatives with the Canadian Red Cross.

This month, EDM DJ/producer Valentino Khan shares 9 songs that we should listen to in this month’s 9PLAYLIST. Former Racer Car Driver and Entrepreneur Danica Patrick shares her favorites and why in our 9LIST STORI3S.

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack focuses on Tiger Lily Kitchen. This month’s Athleisure List comes from MIFUNE New York. As always we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

See the Feb Issue #62 here.

NEXT LEVEL BEATS WITH SIDEPIECE

We caught up with SIDEPIECE, the collaborative project from respected producers Party Favor & Nitti Gritti. Their breakout hit, ‘On My Mind,’ was co-released with Diplo on his underground label Higher Ground. With over 75 million global streams, the song is nominated for a GRAMMY in the "Best Dance Recording" category, marking their first-ever GRAMMY nomination as SIDEPIECE. We wanted to find out more about their work, their creative process, how they came together and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we get into your collaborative project, tell me when you realized that you wanted to create music individually as Party Favor & Nitti Gritti.

NITTI GRITTI (RICKY): I started making music in 2012 as a hobby during college. I was just so competitive and determined that I ended up quitting everything to focus on it full time. Something about pro-duction and EDM blowing up at the time gave me the inspiration to really try and make music my career.

PARTY FAVOR (DYLAN): I got into electronic music when I was in my freshman year of college. It hadn't really popped off yet as dance music in the states and was still relatively underground. The only main-stream artists pushing a similar sound were the Black Eyed Peas/David Guetta at the time. The energy of the music and the unique soundscapes really attracted me and made me want to make dance music. It stirred something in me if you will haha.

AM: As producers, both of you have worked with amazing artists and have had a number of hits, how would you define the Party Favor and the Nitti Gritti sound?

PF: I think both of us are similar in the sense that we make all types of genres and I’ve always had a hard time being boxed into one thing specifically. The Party Favorsound originally started out as fun booty shaking music and over time I have been bringing in more songwriting and serious subject matter into the project. As I get a little older, my tastes and interests are changing and I like to constantly challenge myself. My upcoming album I’m finishing up right now is going to be a complete departure from early Party Favor and it’s very conceptual. Doing a full visual experience with it as well.

NG: Nitti Gritti is my project that allows me to release almost any genre and getaway with it. From Trap to Dubstep to Future Bass to Pop, I try to take inspiration from virtually any sound I want.

AM: Who have been some of your favorite collaborators that you have produced for/with?

NG: Getting to produce for artists like Major Lazer, Bad Bunny, SAINt JHN, Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull has been incredible. Seeing songs racking up huge streams over the years is always a great feeling.

PF: For me, early on working with Diplo was a great eye opener into thinking outside the box and how the process and industry works. He’s always thinking of what’s next and that inspired me to be better and not get complacent when I was starting out. I have worked with A$AP Ferg a few times both for his and my projects and he is one of my favorite people to work with. His vision for how he wants a song is crazy and he loves to make stuff up on the fly in the room which is how I work best as well.

AM: What is your process when you’re individually working with other creatives?

PF: It depends on each song and each situation. I love working in person because I think when you have that energy feeding off each other, there's nothing like it. The best music gets made that way. If I can’t get in a room with someone, I like to first take at least 45 minutes to chat/catch up and get to know the person before even discussing one bit about the song. Making music is all about feeling. For other records though, I might not even work with another person and maybe do everything on my headphones.

NG: I usually like to just hangout for an hour before we even start making music. Talking about life helps to open up the flow of communication, and then I like to start from scratch on a guitar or piano so the vibe is natural and we don't force the production process.

AM: How do the two of you work together when you’re creating music within this SIDEPIECE project especially with the craziness of 2020?

NG: We usually work remotely by sending Ableton sessions back and forth, but I go to LA to work in person with Dylan all the time. There's no doubt that we haven't been able to work face to face as much as we would have liked to this year, but we're making it work however we can right now.

PF: It’s been great because we have been on the same page mostly about the music and our skills really complement each other. So when I’m feeling lost on an idea or start something and want to hand it off, I know Ricky is going to be able to take it to the next level or fill in the blank of what’s missing. We both have our own separate projects so the SP project never feels like there's too much pressure and that's why I think it works so well. We treat it like our SIDEPIECE. Working in person for us is where we’ve made our best music, but we FaceTime all the time and show each other ideas. Going back and forth, we just make do with the situation. We’re sitting on so much music because all we’ve been doing is producing haha.

AM: How would you define SIDEPIECE’S sound?

PF: I guess Tech-House with a twist. We wanted this project to honor house music and its history and styles but wanted to bring something new to the table. I think coming from the world we do as PF and Nitti, we approach songs a little differently in the house world. We aren't in it for a fad, we're here to stay :).

NG: I'd describe it as "timeless house mu-sic that also pushes boundaries."

AM: What was the thought behind coming together as SIDEPIECE and tell me about ‘’On My Mind” and co-releasing it on Diplo’s underground label, Higher Ground.

NG: SIDEPIECE happened after Dylan and I showed each other some music on Face-Time one day. In about an hour, we realized we should try something together. It was cool how quickly we clicked mak-ing this style of music. As far as "On My Mind," I actually made it with Diplo in Bali on a writing trip we did, then almost a year later we made SIDEPIECE and all agreed it would be the perfect collab release for us.

PF: Ricky started this song with Wes (Diplo) before the SP project even started. When we initially started working on the project, he showed me the record as it was at the time and we both agreed it was perfect for the project. We worked on it more from there and turned it into what you hear now. We didn’t really have a choice on where it would end up label-wise because Diplo had a label haha, but we knew it was the right fit regardless.

AM: Not only has this song been successful streaming-wise, but you just scored a Grammy nomination for it in the “Best Dance Recording” category. How did it feel to get this nomination?

PF: Such a surreal feeling. We knew the song had potential and the response has been crazy but it was still such a surprise seeing our names up there. Honored and humbled by the response and the nomination. It’s chosen by our peers so that's even more of a big deal to me than the actual award. Now we gotta somehow top it haha.

NG: I've been a part of a Latin GrammyAward but I never got the actual trophy, so this time I'm really pumped to attend the GRAMMYs and try to win the damn thing! Haha!

AM: What are your plans for SIDEPIECE in 2021? Have you penciled in any festivals, drive-in shows whether virtual or live?

NG: We have a lot of music coming out and a few plans for future shows!

PF: Festivals, tons of new music, traveling the world, and just generally taking over is the plan.

AM: Are you working on new music that we should keep an eye out for?

PF: Way too much new music haha. We have a new one coming out in February called “Temptation” that we are stoked for. It was one of the first projects we made when we started SP. Hopefully some collabs this year too. We are open to anything and everything!

NG: We're always working on new stuff, it's just a matter of getting the songs out with a good plan behind them!

ID @YouASidePiece

@PartyFavor

@DJNittiGritti

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 42, 44 + 47 Koury Angelo | PG 48 Tati Bruening | STYLIST Corynne Burrows |

Read the Jan Issue #61 of Athleisure Mag and see Next Level Beats with SIDEPIECE in mag.

THE ULTIMATE BITE WITH MING TSAI

We've been a fan of Chef Ming Tsai for a number of years from attending a decadent editor's event where he paired savory dishes with a premium alcohol brand, watching him on his shows sharing his love for East meets West cooking, to seeing him on a number of shows judging - we love seeing his passion when he is creating his dishes. As someone who is known for his restaurants, TV shows, cookbooks, cooking line and more, we wanted to see how he has been navigating the past few months, find out how he came to the food industry and to find out more about one of his newest projects MingsBings!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into your culinary career, you were a professional squash player and played at Yale– what is it that you love about the game and do you still play it?

CHEF MING TSAI: I am one of the most competitive people I know and squash to me is one of the most intense sports because you are enclosed in a small room with one other person and there is no-where to hide. If you are on a team sport like football or basketball you could in theory get lost in the shuffle. On a squash court, it’s two people and you’re responsible for your own actions and you control your own fate. The one curious rule is if you hit the other person with the ball you actually win the point. To someone outside the sport, you could in theory keep hitting the other person, but the other person could also keep hitting you back and they might hit you harder. Squash is a game of true sportsmanship, it’s a prerequisite.

I continue to play today mostly because I’m coaching my son David who proudly is following in my footsteps at Yale. As a side note, as a Chef, I love playing to burn a ton of calories, but it’s also a great way to get rid of stress (it’s very therapeutic), particularly right now during COVID which has hit the restaurant industry really hard.

AM: What was the moment when you fell in love with food?

CHEF MT: Apparently my first word was Nui Nai, which means milk. As soon as I could walk without falling over, which was maybe around 2 years old, I was always hanging out in the kitchen. I would watch my parents or grandparents in the kitchen cooking admiring the wok over the fire, their knives with the cutting board, but most importantly I learned early on that by hanging out in the kitchen, you'll be fed faster there. I kept coming back for more, I knew there was something about being in the kitchen that made me happy, and I was, still am and always will be hungry.

AM: When did your interest in food turn into wanting to work in the industry?

CHEF MT: I became interested in the food industry early on because my parents used to do private catering events and festivals. As early as age 10, I was frying egg rolls for thousands of people next to my grandfather. My first epiphany with food was also at age 10. My parents had friends over, unannounced because the couple happened to be driving through Dayton which is where we lived at the time. In the Chinese culture, you don’t ask “How Are You?” when greeting someone at the door, you actually ask, “Have you eaten?,” so I took it upon myself to make them my first fried rice. It by no means was my best, but in an instant when I watched all four of them, my parents and their friends, enjoying the meal, I realized I could make people happy through food. It was a true epiphany that to this day, is why I love being a chef.

AM: How would you define your cooking style?

CHEF MT: East-West, blending of techniques and ingredients that produces food that is bold in flavor and contrasting temperatures and textures that at the end of the day is inherently healthy. I’m more plant-based now more than ever.

AM: What was your culinary journey that you led to opening Blue Ginger?

CHEF MT: I cooked at the Mandarin Kitchen, with my mom. During college, I went to Paris for apprenticeships and then went to Le Cordon Bleu. After college, I moved to Paris and worked as a Pastry cook at Fauchon with Pierre Hermé. After that, I worked as a Sous Chef at the restaurantNatasha. That was the first time I was able to first blend East-West flavors in a professional sense. After two years in Paris, with the goal of opening my own restaurant one day being a good Chinese son, I went to Cornell to get a masters in Hospitality and Marketing. After I received my masters, I went to open a bunch of restaurants in hotels and ended up at the Intercontinental where I helped open 5 restaurants and 2 hotels. I realized I missed cooking in the kitchen and wanted to get back into the kitchen. That’s when I went to the Mandarin Oriental and worked at Silks. In 1990 Ken Hom was the head chef and he greatly encouraged me to keep, cooking the East-West style, it was really significant for me. Funnily enough, Silks was also where I met my best chef friend Ken Oringer. After Silks, I went to Santa Café in Santa Fe, where I did East-meets-South-west food. It was a significant period be-cause not only was it my first executive chef job, when I got my highest Zagat rating, but was also when Food Network “discovered me”. I took a liking to teaching what I knew in the kitchen and spreading my love of food to the masses. After two years though, I was ready to open my own place. I decided to move back to East to Boston and from there I opened BlueGinger in 1998.

AM: What were the biggest lessons that you learned when you opened your first restaurant?

CHEF MT: There are three big important lessons. The first is design build. The architect and general contractor have to speak the same language. You can’t build a 13-foot wall because planks of wood come in 12 feet foot pieces. You have to think about the way materials come in when you design something. A round booth costs twice as much as a square, but they can seat the same amount of people.

The second piece to this is you have to be there daily to save time and money. Plus if you are there every day, everyone works a little faster and you’ll save time with decisions and money. This helps to not only finish on time and but, will help save with your budget. The other piece to this is In-spect your space before you take over the lease really well. Make sure you drill into walls for water damage, asbestos etc. The second is cash-flow. When you raise money, if you did zero covers the first month, you should still be able to cover payroll, taxes, insurance etc. Restaurants fail because they open later than scheduled and they don’t have enough cash flow to sustain them. They don’t have enough money to pay rent, insurance, taxes even though they aren’t operating. If you open 2 months late, you have more financial pressure, so you have to do x amount of covers to pay for payroll, insurance etc. Then they start buying cheaper products or taking shortcuts and lower-ing quality and the downward spiral can’t be stopped. Make sure you raise enough money to open on time and on budget.

The third most important thing is who you surround yourself matters. Your team matters, they represent you. You have to find true hospitality professionals. They have to think like you and want to be in the restaurant industry. You want people that believe in hospitality and you have to make sure that every person in your organization believes that. As a chef the front of house for the customer experience is more important. For example, you could have the best food in the world, but if the service is condescending or arrogant, they won’t come back. You could have mediocre food, if the customer was entertained, treated well, the server remembered their name, it was the best service in the world, the customer will come back. You need loyalty, it makes a restaurant successful. Front of house is 70% of your dining experience, if you have the right pricing, the magic experience and the best food, it's the secret formula.

And just as important, as the leader, you have to lead by example. I’ve never walked by trash in the middle of the dining room, a cigarette or trash outside the restaurant and not picked it up. There’s no job too small for the owner. Ideally, you aren’t the only one doing it, you have to roll up your sleeves and get dirty. You have to do it, lead by example and show others how to get it done. And always use, “please and thank you”. You always have to ask, it always helps get the job done.

AM: You have won a number of awards including James Beard, Zagat and more – how important was it for you to receive the accolades?

CHEF MT: None of us are chefs to win the awards. We are chefs to make delicious food for people. The only reason having a large platform has helped is that it allows you to do more good, I’ve been able to do a lot of good because of my platform. Family Reach is an organization that provides a lifeline to families fighting cancer. In 10 years, I’ve helped raise over 8 million dollars through live charity dinners, but I’m fully aware that it’s because of my platform I’m able to do this. It’s a lot of waste of opportunity if you don’t take the opportunity to do good with it.

AM: Tell me about Blue Dragon and what people can expect when they come there?

CHEF MT: Blue Dragon has been closed since May 30th, we were proudly a partner with the Lee Initiative providing meals to restaurant workers in the Boston area. We were able to use Jamaica Mi Hungry food truck to provide thousands of meals to restaurant workers. Reality is real, where Blue Dragon is located, there is no business hence Blue Dragon is in hibernation for now.

AM: You are also the chef/partner at BABA in Yellowstone. What is this restaurant and what should we know about it?

CHEF MT: BABA is my one year old restaurant at the Yellowstone Club in Montana. I’ve always loved the mountains and Mon-tana is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I got to create a new signature dish, Tea-Smoked Peking Duck and bring back some old Blue Ginger favorites as well, plus some touches like Potstickersand shumai from Blue Dragon as well. It’s a culmination of all my favorite dishes and foods I’ve cooked throughout my career and absolutely my favorite way I love to eat. I know I’m very blessed to be able to go to Big Sky as often as I do.

AM: We have yet to try them, but we know they’re on their way – tell me about MingsBings, why did you want to offer these, what they are and will you have additional offerings as well?

CHEF MT: In 2017, my family and I received the world-shaking news that my wife Pol-ly had been diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer. While we explored medical treatment options at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Polly also made the life-changing decision to transition to a strict vegan diet with the hope of lowering inflammation by using food as medicine. As I dove into cooking all-plant based food, I found a lack of healthy savory meal replacements while strolling the grocery aisles. I was quickly disappointed by the variety and quality of the options on the market. It was in this moment that I recognized a new mission. While I created plant-based meal options to help Pollyheal as she improved, I also realized there were likely many more people out there like her who were possibly making the same changes. I continued to search and create vegan alternatives that were delicious and nutritious. After experimenting in the kitchen, MingsBings was born. The first flavor, the Original, is a veggie filled patty that launched the end of 2020 packed with watercress, red onions, shiitake mushrooms, edamame, garlic, ginger and pepitas all wrapped in a gluten-free brown rice wrapper. Found in the frozen aisle of Dave’s Fresh Market in Rhode Island (and soon other local grocery stores in MA) and online on MingsBings.com. Plus I’m so proud to say that a portion of our proceeds give back to both Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Family Reach, two organizations that are incredibly near and dear to my heart. Stay tuned for new flavors coming out soon too!

AM: I have been a fan of yours for years and remember you on East Meets West with Ming Tsai and then seeing you're on anumber of shows on Food Network, being on the Today Show for the Beijing Olympics as well as your current show, Simply Ming. How important is it for chefs to share their personality and passion for food through these shows as well as socially?

CHEF MT: I’ve always loved to teach, cooking and sports. It’s also why I love being a father. You have to love teaching if you want to be a dad. I love all the outlets to be able to continue to teach. It’s why I loved East Meets West, Simply Ming and why it’s been a lot of fun to continue to do it on social media like Instagram and latest Pinterest and TikTok accounts. It’s so important to show your authenticity, to explain where the dish was created and where it came from. The meteoricrise of social media is like the invention of the TV, but the difference is when the TV was invented, you still had to buy one to join. Now, everyone has their phone and it’s free to join. It’s scary because it’s not going to slow down. I was only one of 8 chefs on TV in the early Food Network days, now I’m one of 70,000 on TikTok, the points of entry have been removed, anyone can be a chef on TikTok, if you have one follower, you’re a success. Just like a restaurant, you have to differentiate, fortunately, I truly enjoy teaching and showing people how to do cooking hacks, cleaning a cast iron pan, how to make a simple fried rice dish. Paramount for anyone in this medium, you have to stay authentic to your craft, but it doesn’t mean you can’t play to the edges and have fun with it.

AM: You’ve also had Simply Ming cookware on HSN as well. How important has this been to your brand?

CHEF MT: I’m so happy I’m still with HSN and we’re delving into food as well. It’s a key relationship for me because I’ve always wanted to level the playing field and have people cook with the same equipment I’ve had to make the task easier. The cookware is nonstick so that less fat can be used if desired. My favorite demo is cooking salmon with no oil so the salmon doesn’t stick. I’m so excited we are going to start selling some MingsBings on HSN the next few months.

AM: COVID has definitely had an impact regardless of your vertical and the food industry has been affected – how have you navigated this time with your restaurants?

CHEF MT: I closed Blue Dragon for in-restaurant dining 2 days before the governor closed all restaurants. We remained open for take-out and proudly participated in the Lee Initiative operating as a food pantry to serve restaurant employees. We also partnered with the Jamaica Mi Hungry food truck to be able to bring more meals to surrounding Boston neighborhoods where the majority of employees live. We quickly realized it was difficult for them to come to Blue Dragon because of public transportation with COVID, so we decided to bring the meals to them. Fortunately, BABA has amazing COVID protocols for both staff and members and has safely remained opened.

AM: You have written 5 cookbooks – what is that process like and do you have additional plans for future ones?

CHEF MT: A cookbook is a major project. The reason I have not started another one is lack of time to dedicate to it. I plan on writing more, however, my next one may be more my philosophy of cooking and living than recipes, though it will still include some recipes.

AM: We’ve loved seeing your plank challenges – what was the thought behind that and why did you want to share that with your followers?

CHEF MT: Honestly it was first done as a needed distraction for not only what I thought we needed as a country, but forme as well. January being a new year, I think the entire world thinks about a new health regime. I wanted to do something that I would have to continue to do for 31 days and by putting it out there in the social media world, I knew it would help hold me accountable for 31 days. What I love about this challenge, there are no winners or losers, there are only winners. No matter how much time you do, even if you add one second, you have still accomplished something great. I was looking for positive resolutions and this was oneway to get it moving. I have loved doing it so much that I will likely continue doing it with a push-up challenge for 28 days in February.

IG @MingTsai

@SimplyMingTV

@MingsBings

PHOTOS COURTESY | Chef Ming Tsai

Read the Jan Issue #61 of Athleisure Mag and see The Ultimate Bite with Ming Tsai in mag.