TAKE IT TO THE WAVES | MONICA MEDELLIN

We enjoy a great docuseries where we get to follow our favorite sports and get behind the action to find out how it all comes together. Prime Video's 4 episode series, Surf Girls Hawai'i follows 5 native Hawaiian females as they take their shot on obtaining a spot in the world tour. We follow Moana Jones Wong, Ewe Wong, Maluhia Kinimaka, Pua DeSoto, and Brianna Cope as we see them navigating their season, training, and interacting with their friends and family.

We caught up with Monica Medellin, Creator and Executive Producer of this docuseries. We wanted to find out more about how she became a fan of this action sport, being a surfer, working in the surf industry, and the importance of storytelling to amplify voices that are underrepresented but have powerful points of view.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve personally been a fan of your work for awhile so it’s exciting to be able to talk with you to know more about you’re your docuseries, and what you’re working on that’s coming up!

MONICA MEDELLIN: Amazing! I’m so excited! I think that this is perfect because every body that knows me makes fun of me because athleisure is all I wear.

Thank you so much for highlighting me. I feel like a unicorn in this space. I just turned 30 and this all happened before then and it seems like the tides are changing and there are very few women that are like me in this position. So I really want to share my story and to hopefully inspire more storytellers in narratives like this.

AM: Absolutely!

Before we get into talking about the docuseries, we want to know more about you. What was the moment that you realized that you wanted to be a filmmaker?

MM: Oh, I mean, I feel like I was destined to be a filmmaker ever since I was a little girl. I couldn’t really identify that that was what I wanted until later in life. I've always been involved in sports as a child. My mom was a single working mom from Mexico and she raised me on her own.

Through that, she found different sports programs and extracurricular activities and that’s where I really fell in love with different sports and it started with more traditional sports like volleyball, basketball, and soccer. Then I moved into gymnastics and then we both discovered surfing while we were walking along the Santa Monica Beach and at that point, I had started skateboarding, surfing, and exploring these non-traditional sports.

I actually used her old camcorder to film myself skating! That’s what I did with my friends on the weekends, so obviously the production value was what it was!

You know, I started documenting sports from a young age and I started documenting myself as a young girl participating in those sports from that time. You know from there, I obviously played sports in high school – I was the team captain of the volleyball team, I would teach at surf camp over the summers and I moved to university and I studied Journalism at the University of Oregon. So, this theme of filming our experiences as women in sports has been something that has been a thread throughout my entire life!

AM: Wow! It also seems that a lot of your films as well as commercial work that you have done has also focused obviously on sports, but also covering underrepresented groups as well. As someone who is Black and has enjoyed sports such as snowboarding where people don’t think of us playing it, I like that you’re showcasing what is being done that people don’t necessarily think of.

MM: Right and I think that that’s something where you want to be niche, but not too niche where you miss out on telling other stories as well. I think that my main thing is highlighting and shining a light on stories that are underrepresented in the mainstream. That is the essence of my work. It doesn’t just need to be sports, it can be in anything. I mean, when I worked at the Los Angeles Times in 2015, I was helping launch a new platform that talks about this emerging American identity with race, immigration, identity, what does it mean to be American, but also never to really see yourself represented in the story in that way. So, I think that that time at the Los Angeles Times and producing documentaries around those topics really did shape the direction of how I approach my storytelling. Like sure, if I’m telling a story about an athlete, that’s in sports, but I want to uncover who the person is behind the athlete, what is the human experience that we can all relate to because ultimately, even when you see Surf Girls Hawai’i, it’s not just about surfing. It’s about coming of age, it’s about sisterhood, it’s about supporting each other through challenging times, and navigating life. So, I think that that is my approach through all of my storytelling that makes it universal whether you are interested in the sport or the topic itself.

AM: Absolutely!

What was the first project that you did that you realized that you wanted to do this as a career?

MM: Hmm, it’s actually funny, because my first film that I created was about a young Latina surfer in the Bay Area. She was part of a program that helped underrepresented youth get into the sport of surfing, get into action sports, and that film actually premiered at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival here in LA. That moment of seeing my work and my film, premiered at The Chinese Theatre, in Hollywood was such a monumental moment for me because I could see that this kind of storytelling was valued. I could see the reaction of the audience and I could see the emotion and I could actually feel the energy in the room. So, I feel like the LALIFF selecting my film to premiere at the Chinese Theatre in that way was a really defining moment for me. I knew that I could really make something out of this career and hopefully, tell more stories. At that point, I was still in my early 20’s so it was just the beginning, but I think that that was the moment that I decided to pursue this full time.

AM: We love surfers! This year alone we had the honor of speaking with Carissa Moore as well as Kai Lenny as covers for Athleisure Mag. You also surf – what is it about this sport that you enjoy so much?

MM: I think surfing is such a unique sport because it’s not just a sport. It’s a lifestyle, it’s a culture, it has deep roots around the world, and had I known that this sport is originated by people of color and women of color, I would have felt that I belonged in it sooner. (Editor’s Note: The origin of surfing can be found in various cultures as far back as the Incas in 1590 when a Jesuit missionary José de Acosta published it in Historia Natural y Moral de las Indias. In West Africa’s – Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Senegal and Central Africans in Cameroon have had various accounts of this activity in 1640, 1679, 1834, and 1861. In Polynesia in 1769 there is documentation of he’e nalu which translates to wave sliding by Joseph Banks as he was on HMS Endeavour during the first voyage of James Cook while the ship was in Tahiti.) I didn’t know anything about the history of surfing until I met another Latina surfer who shared with me this deep history. After discovering that, I made it my life’s mission to try to tell the world that this is the truth and that this is the history of this.

I think that with surfing, it’s so special for that deeper reason, but also I think that it’s a way of connecting with nature to get outside and get off your phone. You have no way of communicating with anybody when you’re out there. It’s your time to exist and enjoy yourself and I think that it resonates with a lot of people. I think that when I first started surfing in Los Angeles, the lineups looked a lot different than they do today. Today I actually paddle out and I see more women, I see more women of color and I actually see friends every single time that I go. I think that this surf culture has been defined by advertisements, brands, the industry, but we are reclaiming what it means to be a surfer and you’re seeing that happening in your local lineups. You’re seeing that happening through Surf Girls Hawai’i, you’re seeing that happen through different lenses, I think! I think that that is what makes surfing special. It’s just, there’s nothing else like it honestly.

AM: As the creator of Surf Girls Hawai’i, what drew you to telling this story?

MM: Surf Girls Hawai’i is what I have dreamt of ever since I was a little girl. We saw Blue Crush released back in 2002, which was my favorite film, and I really identified with Michelle Rodriguez (Fast and the Furious franchise, Machte franchise, Resident Evil franchise), who was another Latina and I mean, that’s just one part of it. When I was working in the surf industry, I noticed that major mainstream platforms just had more coverage of male surfers. You barley saw women and in advertisements, it’s still really common to see a surfer girl in a bikini and a man on a wave surfing.

AM: Right.

MM: You walk down to any surf shop and that’s still the reality of our time in 2023! Actually, while I was working at the League (World Surf League), I started a personal archive of my favorite surfers who were women, who I thought deserved the spotlight and I pitched an idea that would eventually push the company to promote men and women equally on our social platforms. I think that since then, we have seen a shift. I just really wanted to be able to highlight women that I felt didn’t have a seat at the table. I think that through Surf Girls Hawai’i, they are finally getting the recognition that they deserve. That’s really cool that I helped spearhead that effort and identified this talent early on.

AM: For those that have not seen this docuseries, can you give us the premise of the show, and also, how did you decide to select the 5 Native Hawaiian female surfers that are featured in the docuseries.

MM: Surf Girls Hawai’i follows the next generation of native Hawaiian, female surfers as they compete at an elite level to earn a spot on the world tour of professional surfing. Surf girls is about a sisterhood of native Hawaiian surfers who are on the cusp of becoming pro and this is the most elite level that they have ever competed on and they are competing against each other, but also together in a lot of different ways and they support each other through that. I think that what makes it special is the fact that oftentimes when you see shows that center women, you see maybe cattiness or drama between the women. You see this marketable yet damaging portrayal of female relationships.

I think that what’s different with Surf Girls Hawai’i is, even though they are fierce competitors, and they are competing for one spot, they all support each other through this journey. That’s because they all know that if one of them makes it, everyone makes it because this is more than just winning for their own personal gain, this is about representing native Hawaiian culture at the highest level of surfing. I think that carrying that responsibility, and that legacy, is what makes this highest stakes in a lot of ways. You don’t need that cattiness or drama between the girls. I think that that is the premise, but also what makes it different.

AM: From your perspective as a filmmaker, how do you go about creatively organizing all of this. As you said, they’re all there for that aligned goal, but they are also individual people. How are you weaving that story and kind of planning it in your head especially when it’s only 4 episodes! By the end I was wanting to see more about these women, wondering if there would be another season, would the same surfers be followed – so many questions!

MM: The response to this show has been so overwhelmingly positive and I have been told that it is over performing. It shows that there is a gap and this storytelling was absolutely needed and 4 episodes did the trick! I think that that worked and I think in going back to your question, this cast is so special because on the surface, they are all native Hawaiian pro surfers that share this bond and share their culture together. But what I wanted to really accomplish with this series was to show them as multi-dimensional, multi-faceted women. They’re all different and all have different interests and different mindsets. They’re all different because you have on the one hand, Maluhia who is 26 years old, considered older to be competing and is at the crossroads of deciding on whether she wants to be a professional athlete and fulfill that lifelong childhood dream or pursue her education. She did both. She got her degree from Stanford and she is pursuing her PhD at UH Mānoha – all while competing on the WSL tour. I think that that is super unexpected. That defied expectations and I think that each character defies expectations of what you would think of them on the surface. So that’s just one example of how we approached the storytelling around each woman. How do we paint them as more than an athlete? Because each character is more than an athlete.

AM: What was it like working with Hello Sunshine on this project?

MM: I’ll start with Hello Sunshine. Hello Sunshine was honestly a dream partnership. Like we were aligned in our values before we even made the show together. I think for me as a creator, it was really important that the team working on Surf Girls was women-led and women-run, that is the essence of what makes Surf Girls Hawai’i what it is. I think that Hello Sunshine’s mission of changing the narrative for women aligned with my mission well before the final product. I think that Surf Girls put this native female Hawaiian experience at the forefront and Hello Sunshine invested in that, believed in that, and they saw that from the beginning. I think that that’s brave. This talent, they’re low profile, lesser known names outside of the surf industry, but that didn’t matter to them and I think that they just saw the magic. I also think that the Hello Sunshine team was very collaborative and supportive of hiring women behind the camera and making sure to work with my recommended Hawaiian and Hawaii local creators and crew. I just felt like the set was forward thinking and they understood the importance of picking a team to tell a story and in the best way.

I actually created and directed the original digital series that sold the show, and the vision stayed true throughout the process. I think that that is really hard to do actually. I feel that the women were really portrayed in a positive light and the culture wasn’t sensationalized. That was really really important. That’s my bit on Hello Sunshine!

AM: That’s amazing to hear. What has been your biggest takeaway in doing this docuseries?

MM: Oh my gosh, so much! I mean, creating and executive producing my first TV show, was an experience that I learned a lot from. I think that a big takeaway from the series is that you see the reactions from people that watched this and people are hungry for this kind of storytelling and they’re hungry to see women and women of color in sports. I think it’s interesting because this was technically made for Gen Z young women to identify with. But you see women of all ages responding to this and you see men of all ages intrigued, interested, and inspired by this story. So, I think that this is a story for everyone and that’s the takeaway – this story is important and deserves a spotlight and we were the first to do it and that’s really, really special. We were the first female sports docuseries on Hello Sunshine’s platforms and this was the first female sports documentary on Amazon.

AM: That’s a pretty big first!

MM: That’s big!

AM: That’s awesome!

I’m sure you’re always working on different projects, is there anything coming up that you are able to share that we should keep an eye out for?

MM: Yeah, so 2 things! I just got back from Tahiti for a shoot with the Olympic Channel, so that’s coming up. Then, I have another underreported, but fascinating field that centers women of color and Black women in sport that is not highly covered that I am currently developing. I’m developing projects constantly so we can leave it at those things.

IG @monicamedellin_

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 52 Ryan Gladney | PG 54 Brie Lakin | PG 57 Katie McDonald | PG 58 - 63 Prime Video |

Read the AUG ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see TAKE IT TO THE WAVES | Monica Medellin in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG ISSUE #92 | JOEL CORRY

In this month’s issue, our front and back cover story is with EDM DJ/Producer and hitmaker, Joel Corry! With his latest single, Drinkin' that dropped last Fri for his upcoming album, Another Friday Night with MK and Rita Ora. We caught up with him in Ibiza to talk about he got into the music industry, his creative process, his latest single, upcoming album, his schedule, passion for fitness, and more.

We also caught up with Creator/Executive Producer and storyteller, Monica Medellin whose docuseries Surf Girls Hawai'i, which can be streamed in it's entirety on Prime Video. We talked about her career, a number of her projects, her passion for sports, and why she wanted to share the story of native Hwaiian women who are competing to be on the World Tour. We also chatted with Team USA Olympic Swimming Medalist Elizabeth Beisel. She talked about her love for swimming, being an Olympic athlete, the importance of swimming as a skill that we should all know to be safer in the water, giving back through USA Swimming Foundation, Block Cancer and the Newport Folk Festival!

We took some time to talk with Chef Jacqueline Blanchard who has worked in Michelin starred kitchens and took her knowledge and passion back to New Orleans with Sukeban and Coutelier NOLA, her cutlery and culinary tools/accessories store. We talked about kitchens that she trained in, why she launched her store which includes craftsmanship from Japan with an array of knives, why she is passionate about Japanese cuisine and how it parallels with Southern Louisian food, and more.

Prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike, we took some time to talk to Netflix The Upshaws' Jermelle Simon. We talked about his career which includes the stage as well as this series which is back for another season, his creative process, auditioning with Denzel Washington, and upcoming projects and manifestations.

Labor Day Weekend here in NY means that it's time for Electric Zoo. We give a bit of a preview of what to expect this season and in the SEP ISSUE #93, we will have interviews from artists that participated!

This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from EDM DJ/Producer, Joel Corry. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from singer/songwriter and entertainer, INNA. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from EDM DJ/Producer Joel Corry, EDM DJ/Producer Ferry Corsten, and Team USA Olympic Swimming 8X Medalist Nathan Adrian.

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack shares a must-visit to Centrolina inYDC. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Halifax Hoboken at the W Hotel Hoboken and Rua Thai in Brooklyn. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the AUG ISSUE #92 now.

BEAUTIFUL CUISINE | CHEF PHILIPPE MASSOUD

When you're enjoying a meal, each bite creates a memory of the sights, sounds, and occasion that is taking place. But in other cases, each bite creates a bridge to culinary and cultural history as a means to ensure that a heritage and dedication to flavors lives on. This month, we sat down with Chef/Owner Philippe Massoud of one of our favorite restaurants, ilili here in NY. We have made our own memories at this restaurant and enjoyed a number of meals here as we have our favorites when we dine here.

The name ilili translates to "tell me," and in each bite, Chef Philippe is telling and building an intricate food storytelling canvas that connects us his to his people from centuries ago. In our discussion with him, he took us on a vivid journey of how growing up in a culinary family in Lebanon that navigated war, while also offering hospitality to its guests, led him on a quest to maintain a connection to his culture by recreating dishes that we are now able to enjoy here in NY as well as in it's DC location. We talk about his passion for hospitality, commitment to food, the flavors of Lebanon, bringing authenticity of the cuisine to those who may have been previously unfamiliar, and the impact of his legacy.

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

CHEF PHILIPPE MASSOUD: I fell into food before I fell in love with it. Being in a family who has been in the business since back to the 1800s, both my paternal grandfather and paternal grandmother were in their respective families, into food. They started, my grandfather used to walk from his village to go work as a cook in the home of the rich and the famous as a prep cook. Then subsequently, he traveled with his brother to Alexandria, Egypt which back then was the hub, the capital of the aristocracy, nobility, and the pizzazz. He went and worked in palaces and hotels or what have you. They they came back to Lebanon and they opened a restaurant in downtown Beirut in the 1800s. Him and his 3 brothers actually brought in Austrian pastry chefs to teach the Lebanese how to do pastries, ice creams and chocolates. In that restaurant, you had a little chocolate stand, an ice cream stand, and a pastry stand, and you had the restaurant which also did a lot of catering.

So long story short, fast forward to when I was born, I was born into that DNA. My father used to cook for us every Sunday and we used to have these glorious meals and food was always a topic of conversation. When the war broke out in Lebanon, I ended up becoming a refugee in eventually what became our family business which was a hotel. The family grew from a restaurant to my grandmother and grandfather doing a Bed & Breakfast in the mountains of Lebanon. My grandmother sewed all of the bedsheets and the curtains. My grandfather ran it and eventually, they sold that, bought a piece of land and had the courage to build one of the first beach resorts in Lebanon which was called the Coral Beach. So when the war broke out, we were coming down from the mountains and we said, “ok, we can’t go home. It’s not safe. Let’s go to the hotel and then we’ll go home as soon as the quarrels stop.” We never went home. We lost our home in Beirut and we lost our home in the mountains. They were robbed, pillaged, and burned because we were from one religion and our homes were in an area of another religion. All religions behave really badly unfortunately.

So living in the hotel because we were confined to the hotel on many occasions, and because the hotel also became the refuge of many refugees, the hotel became my little park. My alternate world, my world of stability and to escape from the bombs, the bullets, the death, and the destruction. So I used to walk into the kitchen and to the patisserie and to steal petit fours and eat them. I would enjoy the tempered chocolate that was resting on the top of the baking oven of the patisserie and just eat spoonful’s of sugar and chocolate and grand patisserie and what have you. I did not know that this would be my calling at the time, but I think that that’s where my formation started. Because I was exposed to that and I loved eating, I loved tasting, and subsequently as a little kid, my first experience really – we had a French restaurant in the hotel that was a Michelin level restaurant where we had the gueridon and with it the steak au poivre table side with the sommelier table side – Baba au Rhum and Crepe Suzette. We had all of the French classics of the time. So, watching the maître d working the pan and sautéing the filet and then putting the cognac on and all of that, it was mesmerizing to me.

So, I asked one of the maître d’s to teach me to do that as a young boy. I don’t know I think I was 6 or 7 or maybe even 5. I dabbled with it right? Subsequently, during the war, but things had subsided a bit as we had gotten used to living with the war, we moved to an apartment and all of a sudden, I find myself in this apartment going food shopping with my mother in the super market and buying ready made cakes from Duncan Hines or whatever it was called back then. I’m appalled by how they taste because I was eating all of this freshly baked stuff that was freshly made and all of that. I wasn’t going to have any of it. I started calling the chef at the hotel and I said, “listen, I want to do this. How do I do it? Can you share a recipe with me?” So as a young 8 year old, I started baking cakes, crepes, figuring out how to make pastries, sweet cream, and understanding why the pastry cream wasn’t rising. In essence, it was because I had lost the access to all of this amazing food that I needed to have that food; therefore, was compelled to learn it and to figure it out at a very young age.

Then when my parents would be hosting guests, we would do catering from the hotel and I would spend my time in the kitchen with the chefs helping them plate because I loved all of this multi-tasking, 4 different pots on the stove, the hustle and bustle and all of that. I watched and I developed a palette and a taste at a very young age. Subsequently, when I became a teenager, I would be the one that would cook for my friends. When we went out, if we were out late after hours, I was the guy that would bring out the pan and would start cooking and setting up at 4 o’clock in the morning to drown all of your alcohol so to speak! That went on and at the time, my father didn’t want me to do any of that because he wanted me to get a degree like all parents want – to be a lawyer, a doctor, or become a neurosurgeon. This industry is back breaking and is difficult.

Subsequently, when I came to the US and I experienced Lebanese food as it was being served and reproduced, I was having none of it. It was so far from the foods, it was so far from the authenticity and I could not for the life of me understand why it wasn’t being reproduced correctly. I knew how to do it and I would even quarrel with my aunt whom I was living with at the time. I came as a tourist and then my parents called me and I was 14 years old and they told me that I could not come back home and that I needed to stay in the US because it was no longer safe in Lebanon. Therefore, I became a refugee. I was accepted in the public school system thankfully and I am extremely grateful for this country giving me the opportunity and therefore, I missed everything that made me who I was which was the food. I started cooking again and my aunt would cook and I would say, “this doesn’t taste like the Coral Beach.” She would then ask me what I would want to do and then I would say that we should do this or do that. She would say that it would take too much time and then she’d say, “if you don’t like the food, don’t eat it.” She was fed up with me because I was complaining all of the time!

All along, I took notes in a little recipe book that I kept – just basic stuff and all of that. I went to Cornell University and I studied for a degree in Hotel and Restaurant and Resort Management. Part of that program is that you have to do kitchen training, you have to understand food production and what have you. I discovered the recipe card and when I saw the recipe card, I thought, “oh my God I never thought about food this way.” I realized that at the end of the day, a recipe in a way, is a mathematical equation. It’s a balanced equation between the flavors, the textures, and the technique. I love that! So I started putting my little scratchy notes with my chicken shit writing into the recipe card and I started experimenting because I missed the food. There was a restaurant on campus that was kind of a fast casual at the time serving the food, but the food was really not there. Every morning before class, I would stop by and quarrel with the chef and beg him and say, “listen, we can do this better. Why don’t we do it?” Unfortunately, with a lot of immigrant cuisines, because our industry is so back breaking, they’re ok bending the flavor profile, bending the textural profile because they are doing the best that they can. The audience does not know the difference between the authenticity and not. This is where for me, it was an absolute no no because why are we teaching people how to eat this food incorrectly? Why are we modifying it? It’s really good, it’s really delicious and we should be serving it unadulterated in its authentic form and in the right way.

So while I was in college, my father got killed and the hotel that I thought that I would eventually go to work in got sold because we had to sell it under the gun. We were pretty much kicked out of the region that we were living in because we were Christians at the time. The same thing happened to Muslims on the other side. It’s not like Christians were behaving better than the Muslims and vice versa. Everybody was misbehaving and being evil. I found myself orphaned of a destiny that I thought was already written for me. I realized that I didn’t see myself working as a front desk manager in a hotel. I don’t see myself doing housekeeping. I really see myself working with this cuisine and correcting its path. I decided that I was going to jump into the food and jumping on the bandwagon, enhancing and elevating Lebanese cuisine. So I started really developing a menu and then all of the different ideas that I had. I started developing recipes for them based on my memory and what it was that I ate as a child. Don’t get me wrong, I failed and failed and failed. I burned and it tasted like crap and it gave me a stomach ache and it took me a long time. But I am a Capricorn and I have horns and I don’t give up easily and there is nothing such as failure in my vocabulary or my drive. I subsequently decided to prove to myself that I could cook the food and that I could really do it right.

While I was in college, I did 2 things. I did co-ops, my practical training that I had to do every semester. I did it in hotels in Spain. I worked in restaurants in Spain in the kitchens and worked in the pastry department, the savory department, prep departments, and it was back breaking. Back then, we didn’t have clogs and Birkenstocks and whatever. I was working in moccasins like all of the Spaniards were.

AM: Oh wow!

CHEF PM: It was not fun! But I loved it. I was working in very busy hotels - 250 rooms. So I understood and it was natural to me. It’s not like I was out of my element because unbeknownst to me, it created a lightbulb moment! You know when Malcom Gladwell talked about the 10,000 hours of training that you get to really become an expert in your area or what have you. I got a lot more than 10,000 because my entire life was in that.

I went to Lebanon and there was a famous – one of the top Lebanese restaurants at the time - called Bourj Al Hamam whose owners had worked with my grandfather in the past. You have to realize that a lot of the chefs in Lebanon and a lot of the pâtissiers when you’re talking about the 1800s and 1900s, had either worked, collaborated, or trained or did their internships with a business in which my grandfather had been involved because it was a very small country. My grandfather was like the Danny Meyer (Blue Smoke, Manhatta, Gramercy Tavern) of his times or the Stephen Starr (The Dandelion, Barclay Prime, Parc) of his time in Lebanon. They opened up the doors for me like it was my own restaurant.

I had my chefs pants and white coat from college. I had a video camera and I filmed everything and tasted everything. I wanted to reconcile what I had produced in the cuisine from my own experimentation with how it had been produced in the restaurants. I was like, “wow I got it!” I really got it going. Obviously, I didn’t know all of the little tricks that help you do things better, I didn’t have the technique to chop down 30 cases of parsley into tabouleh and all of that, but I knew where the flavor was. I spent about a month or so in that restaurant and I went to another restaurant and I trained in the art of making shawarma. Basically, how to butcher the meat, how to skewer it, how to cook it, how to shave it, how to make the perfect sandwich, the perfect prep, the balance between the meat, the greens, the tomato, the tahini sauce – how all of them have to be perfectly balanced to really give you the right flavor. All along, I’m taking notes and correcting my own recipes and what have you.

Then I decided that I wanted to see how Lebanese food is produced outside of Lebanon and I ended up going to Paris and I worked there for 3-6 months if my memory serves me right in all of the top Lebanese restaurants in Paris. I learned how to make all of the Lebanese pastries – the baklava, powdered creams, the canape, the cookies, semolina cookies and what have you. Also, I was able to see how a concept that had multiple creations creates a consistency and stability. So having seen all of that, I thought, “you can do it my man, you can do it!” So it was time to put my ring into the hat. That’s what I decided to do. Now mind you, I tried to open a restaurant in the city from ‘94 – ’98 and every time I called the landlord, they asked me if I had ever run a restaurant or owned a restaurant in NY and I would say no and they would hang up on me saying who the hell did I think I was?

Subsequently, I got called from a restaurant owner in DC. The owner of Capital Restaurant Concepts who owned Paolo’s, Georgia Brown, and Old Glory, J. Paul’s and Georgetown Seafood. He said, “listen Philippe, we’ve heard about everything that you have been trying to do in NY, we want to do the same. Why don’t you come and develop the concept?" At the time, they had the Executive Chef, they had the whole corporate structure. Obviously, I was 29 years old and to make a long story short, we opened that restaurant with the chef, I was concept director so I did both front of house and back of house. It wasn’t my restaurant. I tried to do the best that I could and I elevated the food up to what I was allowed and it was a great success. It was called Neyla in Georgetown on Main Street. 4 restaurants had failed in that location and everybody thought that we would fail, and of course, we succeeded and then in 2004, I resigned because I saw that there was no more growth and I was frustrated that I couldn’t express myself artistically the way that I wanted to. I took a year off to try to figure out what I wanted to do and one of my current investors contacted me and said, “hey listen, we used to drive from NY to DC to go eat in the restaurant that you were running in DC because we knew that we would be well taken care of and that the food would be as good as it would be. Why don’t you come and open in NY?” I was like, “are you kidding me? I haven’t been in NY in 5 years, I’ve lost contact with everybody. I don’t know any sous chefs, any cooks, bartenders, managers." I felt like I was going to pass out from anxiety right there and then.

So I took a leap of faith and I went to NY and when I walked into the location which is where ilili is, it’s as if the skies parted and the Gods smiled and the organs played and the angels came down and I felt that that was the space. At the time, my mission was very simple. I knew that to change the conversation about the cuisine, I needed to do something very big. The cuisine was very disrespected because it was always associated with street food, casual food, and I wanted to change that discourse. I wanted to change the conversation and I knew that we could because it’s a beautiful cuisine and I knew that it had a tremendous potential.

At the time, I was attacked for being a lunatic and who was this crazy guy that was opening a 10,000 sqft restaurant in Flatiron which is the most destressed neighborhood in NY and who do you think you are? But hey, I’m still a Capricorn -

AM: With those horns!

CHEF PM: Right, watch me do what I want to do. There I was on opening night with 80 Americans and me being the only Lebanese. 80 Americans who had never served, eaten, or cooked the food and they all knew what it was that I was trying to do. They all became American Lebanese because they understood the story and they believed in what it was that we were accomplishing and we did it! ilili is an homage to my heritage, it’s an homage to my culture, it’s an homage to 3 generations of Massoud’s that have been in the food and beverage business. I have family that is in the wine business. All my other cousins are either the equivalent of the Dean and Deluca’s of the high end groceries or super markets in Lebanon. The entire village is in the food industry. They are either chefs or in retail foods because of my grandfather. They saw that my grandfather succeeded. So that’s really what ilili is and it’s telling that story. Because I am telling my story, I wanted the whole restaurant to be about telling your story, having fun, celebrating each other, celebrating your guests, celebrating the moment - that's what we do.

“At the time, my mission was very simple. I knew that to change the conversation about the cuisine, I needed to something very big. The cuisine was very disrespected because it was always associated with street food, casual food, and I wanted to change that discourse... it’s a beautiful cuisine and I knew that it had a tremendous potential.”

— Philippe Massoud

AM: I think that’s amazing. I’m originally from the Midwest. So coming to NY, I came here in 2002, and the diversity of foods and flavors, we didn’t have that in the Midwest at that time that I was aware of. So I spent the first 2 or 3 years tasting all of these different things that I had never had including hummus, tabouleh, but I would go to the East Village and all of the places to get it. I loved it, but I always wondered if there was more to this cuisine than just street food. Although it was really tasty, I wondered what it would be like when elevated and I didn’t really known anything beyond that.

Then your restaurant opened. I think it was in 2008/2009 when I went and I was blown away. It became a place that if people asked me for a business meeting where I wanted to go – ilili, NYFW – ilili, my birthday – all the occasions. My family, they loved it. We’ve had our business meetings there! Just the food and the warmth, the space is so large and the hospitality that is shown just makes it such a beautiful place. I’ve been introduced to more beautiful foods in this cuisine because of your restaurant that makes it a place that I always want to go to.

CHEF PM: Thank you!

AM: Yes, so thank you for that!

CHEF PM: That’s very kind of you!

AM: Yeah!

CHEF PM: You asked me about why the staff is so customer friendly driven. So when we were in the hotel, every guest was a family member. They were all in their homes and our homes. We took care of guests in a way that whatever the request, whatever needs, met whatever anticipation that we could think of! We had a box of cigars that we would pass around to the big spenders and they got complimentary cigars from the maître d. If one of our employees had an apple grove in his village, we would bring apples from the village and distribute them and send them by car to every guest. We really went out of our way to be almost extended members of the family of our guests. Besides being in a war, that was the level of hospitality that we had grown up. I made it very clear to our staff that there was was no no in ilili and that every guest matters and a grace and a hospitality are fundamental to the cuisine as well.

Now the mere fact that you’re not having a linear experience in the context of an appetizer, main course, and dessert, and the fact that you have Thanksgiving every time that you’re eating here. That helps also! It breaks the ice, it’s more festive and you’re less guarded. The tension at the table is substantially subdued because the celebration starts the moment that you sit down and you’re getting all of these different plates that are coming down. So the concept helps, but it also has to do with the company culture. We take care of our employees in NY the same way that my grandfather and father did in Lebanon. We married our employees, we helped them buy their first homes, we helped send their children to college, we helped a guy propose to his wife! These are the things that we did. So, I consider my staff as important to me as my guests. I go out of my way to do the best that I can in that environment in the hopes that they pay it forward to the guests. It works. Don't get me wrong, we have days where we fall flat on our face – we’re not perfect and people have bad days, so what, it’s not the end of the world. we're human beings we're not robots.

There’s a certain beauty – restaurants are a snapshot of life. It‘s an amazing ecosystem where you have one table that’s celebrating, another table that’s mourning, another table that just met, an employee that had a bad day. The amount of psychological energy that exists in a restaurant is just amazing and we try to keep it light and fun and the food helps to do that.

AM: It definitely shows. I used to be a person that could never eat by myself for lunch and I would have such anxiety about it. I remember one day, I was really craving going to lunch at your restaurant it was during NYFW and I was in between shows, but I was alone. The care was so sweet that it actually broke the issues I had with solo dining when I wanted to eat alone.

CHEF PM: That’s so sweet!

AM: Haha yeah I don’t know I think when you’re growing up as a kid, you never wanted to eat by yourself, but there are times when you’re in the city that you’re not going to be able to have someone with you. I didn’t know if it was going to be weird, but the staff was amazing and I really enjoyed it.

CHEF PM: Yeah and also, the fact that you’re not eating only with a fork and knife, you have the pita and you can scoop the food, and you have the lettuce and you scoop on the Tabouleh, that interactivity breaks down some of the rigidity of the dining experience. This is why we open the door to the cuisine and we planted the flag. I’m so happy now that there are plenty of restaurants in this field that are serving this cuisine.

I think it’s because society is shifting a little bit. So small plates and what I like to call, the Thanksgiving Effect, is something that we crave now. We’ve become a lonely society and so our only friction points with our fellow human beings are when we go out dining. It’s really – if you think about it, you used to go out shopping and you rubbed elbows with people. You're ordering everything online. You used to go to the super market, everything is online – at least if you’re in the big cities. Because you don’t have time to go. At 3 o’clock you have done your shopping list – you don’t have time to go there for 45mins. So, restaurants, in my humble opinion, are the last and only area to feel human warmth and to have human friction which is so vital and important to our collective wellbeing when you think about it. It’s becoming a big problem and COVID has proved that to be a 1000th multiplier. So yeah, what better way to do it than to share food?

AM: Absolutely!

What are the spices and ingredients that are indicative of Lebanese cuisine for those that are not familiar?

CHEF PM: Allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, sumac, and aleppo pepper are generally used. You then have coriander, ginger, and of course, all of the herbs. But in sticking to spices, usually, you’ll have wherever you have allspice, you’ll have cinnamon that’s right behind it. There’s just a bit of hint of it. It’s never like cinnamon only. That’s usually what you will taste taste in a lot of the vegetarian stews, whether it’s okra stew, eggplant stew, or string bean stew. Remember, the cuisine originally is a vegetarian cuisine.

People did not have money to buy beef or to slaughter a goat or a lamb frequently. You slaughtered a goat or a lamb on the rare occasion that you could afford to do it or if it was a religious holiday. So people were eating an overwhelmingly vegetarian diet. So, all of those stews would be made with these spices.

The way that I like to do it to make it simple for the readers out there, whenever you have 1 part allspice, you’ll have half a part cinnamon, you’ll have 1/4 part clove, and 1/8 part nutmeg. So if you do that blend, then you’ll get yourself there if you want the Lebanese palette when it comes to the seasonings. Now keeping in mind that Lebanon was on the tailend of the Silk Road. The caravans used to buy spices, seasonings, and silk. Lebanon was a silk exporter and the economy fundamentally at that time was silk. So, you have a lot of movement between Asia and the Lebanese coast going out to Turkey and Aleppo, Syria so eventually, we did get stuff that were influences from China and it’s quite interesting that for example, we have a bread that we make on an inverted wok and I’m always scratching my head to wonder if we got that from the Chinese or did they get it from the Lebanese – who took it from whom? Or who borrowed it from who?

But usually in our cuisine, seasonings are behind the ingredient. They are not ahead of the ingredient. They let the ingredient sit on the throne and if you want, the seasoning comes as a caress and a whisper, but not as a punch. That’s what makes the cuisine light. Don’t forget that if you over season, it’s not so good for your digestion. A lot of people have allergies that they are not aware of. They don’t understand that sometimes they go to restaurants and eat and they feel light, and then others it’s like they just poured a pound of concrete in their stomach. Well, it’s because of the balancing act that you have to do and I myself, you know, suffer from a lot of digestive issues. So, everything I do, I consider myself the Guinea pig. So if this works for me, it will work for my guests. I really take care to ensure that I am giving you the lightest and most tasteful version of the cuisine, keeping in mind your wellbeing as well.

“There’s a certain beauty - restaurants are a snapshot of life. It’s an amazing ecosystem where you have one table that’s celebrating, another table that’s mourning, another table that has just met, an employee that had a bad day. The amount of psychological energy that exists in a restaurant is just amazing and we try to keep it light and fun and the food helps to so that.”

— Philippe Massoud

AM: Well for the restaurant that is here in NY, what are your favorite dishes that you feel that people should try when they come by?

CHEF PM: To be honest with you, it all depends on the day of the week. Our roast chicken is a huge favorite. People just don’t understand how it can be so succulent and tender with so much flavor.

AM: I’m people!

CHEF PM: Mind you, it’s marinated in almost 14 different ingredients, right? It’s cooked to order and that’s why it’s so juicy and tender. It’s not pre-cooked, it’s not part cooked and then reheated. It’s cooked from scratch. So the roast chicken I love. The lambshank is a dish that I really adore. If I want to do the South of France or a Mediterranean experience, I’m going to order a bottle of rosé, I’m going to order the whole Bronzino, the Black Island Shrimp, The Octopus, a Hummus, a Salad and I’m good to go! I just took a trip to the French Riviera or the Puesta de Sol or Beirut right? That’s the fun part of ilili, in the sense that you can do that one day and the next day, you want to go meat centric and have that delicious California, Lebanese, or French wine and Leg of Lamb and you can have that robust meal just as well. You can also go with the chicken and get yourself a delicious white wine. So that’s the fun part about the concept. You really have a beautiful dish that stands on its own and can really give you the dining experience.

And of course, the Mixed Grill, who doesn’t want to go and have a little barbecue flavor? A little kebab that has all of the aromatics. But then there are moments when I really really jones for the Steak Tartare – Kibbeh Naye Beirutiyyeh. Eating it, I have so much fun with it. Sometimes I add cilantro leaves to it, I’ll add the Harissa and paint it on it so that it’s nice and spicy. So really, I don’t have a favorite. It’s about the day of craving and what I have a target for when I come in. If not, then I will go some place else and not go into ilili. Don’t get me wrong, I love pasta too!

AM: What led you to open another ilili in DC?

CHEF PM: Well because I had lived in DC and I had a great time and fell in love with the city and because we had created memorable times in that restaurant that I led, people today still have memories of Neyla. At the time, when I was in DC, it was crazy. I was DJing, I was cooking, I was maître d’ing – I’d finish working the grill, change my chef coat, put on civilian clothes, sit at the bar with my Radio Shack mixing table and DJ every Fri and Sat. It was crazy! We had a line out the door. All around the block. We were spinning music and people were dancing.

So, I had really beautiful memories of DC. When The Wharf approached me, and I visited The Wharf, I was mesmerized by the transformation of the area as I remembered what it was like back then! I really liked it and I said that it was a no brainer. We had been in NY long enough and it was time to grow. Why not DC as the next step?

Now little did I know that COVID would come and we would all undergo the trauma that we did. But we built the ilili in DC during COVID. We used to drive almost every week for 4 hours because we couldn’t get on a plane and it was a nightmare. There were supply chain issues and what have you. DC if you want, was all about celebrating life. In DC, the space when I walked into it with Nasser Nakib our architect, we were like, “wow this is a Navy area, this is a greenhouse. This is like a courtyard in the old world. We need to transport people into that moment of time.” We were all coming out of COVID and we wanted to flip COVID the bird so to speak and to say, life is good, life is vibrant, and things are coming back. I mean, it was dark! NY was very dark. I’ll never forget. I laid down on the street in 5th Ave for 15mins and there was nobody and nothing. I was just lying down and serene.

So we went with a celebration approach, we went with what does the space want to be? This is why I’m not a cookie cutter, I’m doing restaurants that tell the story of the space that they’re in, the geography that they’re in, and the culture that they’re in. For example, this is why we have the Hummus with the crab meat, the falafel, and a little bit of Old Bay because I wanted to do a little bit of an homage to the neighborhood that we’re in. That’s why the menu is a little bit different and I wanted to elevate things a little. DC is smaller so it’s much easier to elevate it a little bit. I don’t know if you know, but every piece that we have in DC is custom made from the floor tiles, to the chairs, there is nothing to the exception of the table bases that we bought in the US – everything else was imported from Lebanon and put together by yours truly and the rest of the team that was there. That’s because we care deeply about the story that we are telling and we don’t want to cut corners, it’s not about the dollars and cents, and it’s not about the return on investment. Yes it’s important and it counts, but it’s about really putting your heart and soul into the space and hoping that your guests when they come into your space, that you have really given your all for their pleasure. That’s what we try to do in DC.

AM: Well we have not gone to that one yet.

CHEF PM: Oh, you’re going to love it!

AM: I looked at the pictures and the location is beautiful. It’s different than NY but I love the vibe.

CHEF PM: They don’t do it justice!

AM: I imagine!

Do you plan on opening in other cities as well?

CHEF PM: Yes, we have been looking at Miami for quite sometime but the market is so hot that it has been hard to find the right location. We love Miami, there has been some interest in Los Angeles, but we need a local real estate partner as we need the right space. I’m not going to grow for the sake of growing. And I’m very happy to stay where I am and to grow what I have. But I want to do transformative restaurants and when the right location comes, we will do it!

Yes, Miami is important, Chicago – these markets are soliciting us, but we haven’t found the perfect – well not perfect as perfection is the enemy of progress, the right location has not been found.

AM: What is an average day like for you? I can only imagine that your hands are in so many pots.

CHEF PM: I’m not going to lie to you, I have taken a bit of a backseat to empower my leadership teams to do more. I used to work 80-90 hours a week, 7 days a week pretty much. I am trying to be more disciplined and do 5 days a week – but I do 5.5/6 days. I usually wake up around 6am in the morning, I have my Espresso, read the news, catch up on everything, I am at the restaurant anywhere between 8 o’clock and 9 o’clock depending on whether I slept a bit later. I come in, I read all of my emails, I’ll go down and check in on the kitchen and now we’re doing a bit of R&D so I give some instructions to make sure that things are prepared. I start doing versions of the recipes so that we reach a point where we are happy with the product. I’ll taste with the rest of the team because I like to be collaborative. There will be a good hour of R&D and cooking. Then meetings – with the management team. We have a lot of managers so we have to spread them over a period of time. We go over financials, mentoring, creating transformative moments, and I’m usually done around 6/6:30 sometimes 7 – sometimes I leave at 5. Then I start all over again the next day!

AM: Oh wow!

How do you take time for yourself just so that you can relax?

CHEF PM: I meditate. I like sound therapy. I find it to be really beneficial and wonderful. I like to cook. Cooking at home in my apartment is my way of calming down and relaxing. My team is very surprised because this year I have cooked in my apartment more than I have cooked in a very long time. I don’t know what’s happening to me, but I’m feeling very creative! So, cooking, meditating, walks – I love going on walks and going out around town with friends celebrating!

AM: That’s amazing.

If we were having brunch at your home, what would you cook?

CHEF PM: Well, I like to make a mean Benedict, I’m not going to lie to you. So if you were that kind of crowd, I would do that. Otherwise, I usually make olive oil poached eggs. The secret to these delicious eggs is very easy and I encourage your readers to try it. I usually do 3 eggs Sunnyside Up, I put them in a pan in olive oil – enough olive oil for the egg to sit on the olive oil, but not so much that it’s like drowning in it. You want to have an 1/8th of an inch in the pan. You crack your eggs and then you put your burners on the minimum. So if you have a gas burner, you put it on the absolute minimum where the flames are very light. You put a timer anywhere between 8-10mins, and you let the eggs and the whole pan all come up to temperature together. That will create the creamiest, most delicious egg that you have ever had. Of course, a bit of salt and pepper, I like to toast some sourdough and put that on there. So there would be eggs, there would be Labne, there would be mixed olives, sliced tomatoes, probably some fresh mint and there will of course be bagels or homemade bagels and home-cured salmon depending on the crowd! Whether it’s going to be beet cured salmon or fennel cured salmon. Let's see what else, I'm not going to lie to you, I'm a sucker for really good Almond Croissants from the neighborhood baker and maybe some berries!

AM: You come from such a great legacy and you’re continuing that here, what do you want your entire legacy to be known as?

CHEF PM: That I did the best that I could to touch the people that I work with and the people that eat my food in a positive way! Simple as that.

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 64, 69 - 82 Courtesy ilili | PG 66 + 84 Scott Morris |

Read the JUL ISSUE #91 of Athleisure Mag and see BEAUTIFUL CUISINE | Chef Philippe Massoud in mag.

THE DESCENT | LAURA MCGANN

Prior to the release of Netflix's The Deepest Breath, we had the pleasure of watching the screener for this documentary film that not only brings us into the world of freediving, the relationships between freedivers as well as safety divers, but the dedication and the complete use of the athlete's body when they are competing. We are introduced to Alessia Zecchini who is known as the Deepest Women on Earth at 123 meters, 38X Freediving World Record, and 17X World Champ. We also meet her safety, Stephen "Steve" Keenan who was passionate about this sport as well as protecting the freedivers who continue to trailblaze in this sport.

For those that may not be aware, we wanted to give a bit of background on the sport as well as some terminology. Freediving is the practice of holding your breath when diving underwater without the use of breathing equipment, such as a scuba tank. This takes on more meaning when you realize that prior to Alessia winning the 2023 AIDA Oceanquest Philippines in Camotes Island, she broke a world record in the Bifins discipline during the 2023 Secret Blue International Depth Competition in the Philippines by achieving a 109 meter dive in 3 mins and 38 seconds. She broke her own 2-day old record of 107 meters set on a 3 min 26 sec dive in March and surpassed the previous AIDA record by a 10meter margin. Her world and Italian records are definitely astounding and even more so when you realize that this is done by simply holding your breath as depths are being navigated!

In this sport, there are blue holes which are a large marine cavern or inkhole, which is open to the surface and has developed in a bank or island composed of a carbonate bedrock. They can be an oasis in an otherwise barren seafloor. Blue holes are diverse biological communities full of marine life, including corals, sponges, mollusks, sea turtles, sharks, and more.

If you have yet to see this documentary film, you can stream this now on Netflix, but this interview may have spoilers. We sat down with the film's director, Laura McGann to find out about why she wanted to share this true story, bring this sport to life, show how one trains to do it, and to transport us to phenomenal locales around the world.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What drew you to want to direct The Deepest Breath and how did you find out about this story?

LAURA MCGANN: Look, I love the sea and we moved to live by the sea because we love swimming all year around and it gives me a lot. I’m a better person for the sea for sure!

So I suppose, that I would be attracted to anything about it and I remember seeing it in the Irish Times and I didn’t know what freediving was and I had to Google it. I was met by these incredible images of humans behaving more like dolphins and holding their breath for what felt like forever. It was kind of like learning that there was a group of people who had cracked the code on flying and that they had just learned how to fly! I was like, what? So it started there and then I learned more about Steve and Alessia, that’s when I really felt like, oh God this could be an incredible story, an incredibly cinematic documentary and if I were possibly able to tell it in the moment, and go on their journey with them – Alessia the World Champion freediver and Stephen Keenan an expert safety diver and their lives are just so incredibly dramatic and also just really inspirational. Just seeing that if you just live your life a little bit differently, follow your dreams – what it is that you can end up doing!

AM: When we first heard about the movie, there was a general sense of what freediving was but the first 5 or 10 minutes of actually watching your film, you get the depth of the intensity of what the film as well as what the sport is about! It really puts you in awe about all the things that have to come together to compete in this with holding that breath and really using your body as an instrument.

How did you immerse yourself in being able to really know about what the sport is and to get those moments so that as a viewer, you’re able to translate those anxiety filled moments as you’re watching it?

LM: Well, I suppose I came to this not knowing anything. It was really a long time before I would see a freediver with my own 2 eyes! It would actually be years, about 3 years and so the free divers from all over the world, held my hand and spent many an hour explaining to me over Zoom on what they did, why they did it, how they did it and how it all was. Then eventually, the first place that we went to where I saw Alessia dive was in fact the Blue Hole in Dahab, Egypt. One of our participants in the film, Kristof Coenen, he describes it as like putting his head in the water for the first time and holding his breath and all the shit from daily life just vanishes. I was at the Blue Hole and I looked in the water and I saw all of the little fish and the coral and I was only up to about my hip, but then I swam about 5 meters out and then all of a sudden, it just drops like a cliff for about 100 meters deep from 1 meter to 100 meters – just like that! It was an incredible blue, the kind of blue that calls you down and so getting to see that for myself, experience it for myself, I think it was really important as the filmmaker that I could kind of grasp something from it and try to bring that onto the screen.

AM: From an organizational standpoint, the way that the film reveals itself is really interesting and it tells a deeper story. You have so many people that talk throughout this film. How did you coordinate it all as it must have been massive?

LM: I suppose that part of it was that we had the pandemic which stopped us from doing a lot, but it also allowed us to do a lot as well in terms of the research and being able to spend so much time talking to them. It allowed us the time to really sit with the story and I would use our Zoom transcripts to piece together, kind of as a script to see what people were saying and to figure out the best way to tell this story in the most compelling way and to try to figure that out. And really, just to do it justice.

AM: What’s the big story that you want people to walk away from in terms of having the freediver and having the safety diver, what is it that we should be getting from that?

LM: I suppose that one of the things is to open people’s eyes up to what humans can actually do as that’s just fascinating! To watch that play out in someone’s life, to see them develop the skill, but it’s also like, 2 people that had this wild streak, this curiosity for the life and this world and just living their life in a way that was different from the way that it was expected or would have liked from their parents. Going on that journey with them is a bit like living vicariously through Steve and Alessia and doing something that maybe a lot of us would not be brave enough to do, but perhaps should be!

AM: We’re taken on a journey of a number of locations in this film. What were all of the locations?

LM: Oh my God, it was incredible! Freedivers know how to choose locations and they were more like that of a Bond film! So we started in the Blue Hole in Dahab and we went to Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island in the Bahamas – it’s a 200m sinkhole. It’s just stunning. We went to a number of cenotes (Editor’s Note: Cenotes are a natural pit, or sinkhole resulting from the collapse of limestone bed rock that exposes groundwater. This term originated in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, where cenotes were commonly used for water supplies by the ancient Maya.) in Mexico. I didn’t even know what a cenote was and looking at some of the footage from Daan Verhoeven, he’s a freediving cinematographer – I had seen these incredible images. Our main image is of Alessia swimming up towards the light in a cenote and I remember seeing images like this from Daan and asking him, “Daan, what’s this?” He explained that it was a cenote in Mexico. So it was just such an incredible learning curve for me. Then, filming off of the Caribbean Sea off of Mexico as well with the freedivers along with incredible freediving cinematographer Julie Gautier, she would with the safety and the divers, dive down to 30m, pop back up, show me the shot, I would be holding onto a noodle on the surface and I’d say, “that’s great Julie, could we just do that one more time, slightly different?” She’d say yes and pop back down to 30m and then come back up again. It was like having a fleet of dolphins on our crew. That’s what it was like!

AM: What was your favorite moment of this production?

LM: Oh God, there has been many really! Many moving moments. I would struggle now to name 1. It was in the Blue Hole in Dahab and as I said, it was our first shoot and it was my first opportunity to see what it was all about and it was swimming out over that cliff like I was saying to you. There was that moment when I was looking down at the fish and then it broke down and away into 100m. It was just this blue that went on for forever! It looked more like you were looking into the sky or something and you could see for 30 or 40m. You could see fish and that was just a moment that I will never be able to forget for my entire life! There were core memories made there in that moment.

AM: What was the most difficult part of this production?

LM: For me, I would say, getting it right. It was really important to me, not just as a filmmaker, and as a film that people would be able to get something from and enjoy. But for the people that are in it. It was just really important to me that Peter, Steven’s dad and his family, Alessia and her family were happy and felt like it reflected their memories of what happened and that it was true and it was fair. That was something that was always at the forefront of my mind and it was really important.

I wouldn’t say that it was a difficult thing, I would say that it was extremely important that we would have to look after.

IG @netflix

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Netflix/The Deepest Breath

Read the JUL ISSUE #91 of Athleisure Mag and see THE DESCENT | Laura McGann in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG #91 | CHEF MICHAEL VOLTAGGIO

In this month’s issue, our front and back cover story is with Bravo's Top Chef Season 6 Winner, Titan Chef on Food Network's Bobby's Triple Threat, countless appearances as a judge on Beat Bobby Flay, Guy's Grocery Games, and trailblazing Chef/Restaurateur, Michael Voltaggio. We have been a fan of his since he appeared on Top Chef and we love seeing his passion for food, guest experience and hospitality as well as he continues to increase his brand and portfolio by working his brother, Chef Bryan Voltaggio as well as their partnerships with Live Nation and MGM Resorts. We wanted to know what he was working on now, the upcoming 2nd season of Bobby's Triple Threat and how he navigated the industry. We also caught up with Chef/Founder Philippe Massoud of ilili here in NY as well as its DC location.We have attended this Lebanese restaurant since 2008 and we have a number of dishes that we enjoy there. We wanted to know more about how he brought the cuisine of his home in Lebanon to NY and elevated it! He gave us his culinary story that is filled with passion, memories, and the need to continue storytelling with each guest that comes to his restaurant. He also talks about how he got into the industry as well as an the importance of connection through his food. We sat down with decorated Team USA Swimming Olympic Medalist, Nathan Adrian. We enjoyed watching him as he participated in the Summer Games of Beijing, London, and Rio. He talked about being a freestyle swimmer, having teammates that included: Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Matt Grever, Cal Dressel and more! He also told us what he has been up to since then as well as the importance of safe sun! When it comes to haircare, Chaz Dean, Hairstylist, Colorist, and Founder/Creator of WEN which is a hair system that revolutionized the industry by removing lather from your hair routine. He talked about how he became a hairstylist, how creating products became part of his role, the fundamentals of Chaz Dean Studio, and his line, WEN. If you have yet to watch Netflix's The Deepest Breath, we highly suggest that you do. In our conversation with its director, Laura McGann, she talked about creating this documentary that focuses on a world champion free diver and her safety diver. In this story we learn about the sport, the incredible kind of training that takes place when competing and participating in this sport, the beautiful locales around the world, and the relationship of these roles and this duo specifically. You can stream this now.

This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from DJ Mia Moretti which we have seen perform a number of times here in NY and EDM DJ's Kris Kross Amsterdam. This month's 9DRIP comes from Chaz Dean. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from FAST X's Jordana Brewster and The Bachelorette contestant, Jason Tartick. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from Chef Michael Voltaggio, and EDM DJ/Producer John Newman.

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack shares a must-visit to Jiwa Singapura in Tyson’s Corner. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Ritz Carlton, Bacara Santa Barbara and Ichibantei. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the JUL ISSUE #91 of Athleisure Mag now.

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME AND FAMILY | GLEYBER TORRES

There's nothing like a summer day whether you're at Yankee Stadium or you're watching it from home. Watching a baseball game, hearing the stories and of course eating all of our favorites is the best way to enjoy America's Pastime! We still have a lot of the season ahead of us and we were excited to sit down with New York Yankees shortstop and second baseman, 2X All-Star player, Gleyber Torres! His debut in the MLB and on this team began in 2018.

He talked with us about his journey from playing baseball in Venezuela, joining the team, what it means to be on this team with its known heritage, how he approaches his games, what he does prior to and after, his recent collaboration with Kings Bred, and navigating fatherhood.

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

GLEYBER TORRES: I remember when I was 4 years old, my parents took me to the field, one day a weekend and after that, I played every day. I would go to school and I would practice in the afternoon and I would play on the weekends as well. I don’t really remember too much when I was really young but I know that when it was raining or when they would cancel the games, I would start crying. I just really wanted to play a lot and when I started growing up, I would watch it every day on the TV and would watch Omar Vizquel and I just knew that it was a sport that I really wanted to be able to play.

AM: When did you realize that it was something that you wanted to do as a profession?

GT: When I was 12 or 13 the academies started noticing me and they gave me the opportunity to practice with them. My dad and myself, we realized that maybe I wouldn’t just play this sport as a hobby or something I enjoyed doing, but that I could be a professional baseball player. It was a long conversation with my dad and my mom. From the beginning, my mom didn’t want me to do this as I would have to move from where I was from to another city so that I could practice every day. I really wanted to focus on this and my dad wanted to give me every opportunity that he could to see what I could do to play baseball. So, after a couple of hours, we decided that I would have to go there and to see what my future would be there and how it would all change.

AM: As I mentioned at the top, I have been a Yankees fan since I was 6 years old. You’re the first Venezuelan player to join the team. What does it mean to you to be on the Yankees?

GT: First of all, it’s an honor! I mean, the history of the Yankees, many championships, many good players, many really good numbers. Just playing here is amazing, the city, the fans, all the history is just really inspirational. It’s just something that’s really special and I feel like, as a player, everyone wants to play with the Yankees. I got that opportunity from the beginning and I’m just grateful to be with all of the boys on the team. Of course, I want to try and bring another championship to the Yankees!

AM: Absolutely and the season is well under way, what are you focused on and looking forward to this season?

GT: We don’t start like we did last year. We’re playing really good right now and everybody is healthy and we can play better. We’re going to try to win the most games possible. I think that we’re in the 3rd place right now, but we still have a lot of games right now and I think that everybody is on the same page and we’re staying focused on doing really good this year and if everyone stays healthy, we can do really good things.

AM: We always like knowing what our favorite athletes and celebrities do when they hit the gym. So, obviously, in addition to playing, what are 3 workouts that you do in the gym?

GT: I have a special thing that I like to do when I’m just working out. I like to do heavy weights, and I do a lot of stretching with yoga. I stretch my legs, my hammys, my quads because I don’t want to get injuries during the game and I also like to use the medicine ball as well. Then I just go to the cage and go through my routine. I go to the field as well to be out there. Then about 30 minutes before the game, I go back to stretching again, back to the cage – back to the routine. I’m that guy that believes that if I do my routine, I will play better.

AM: When you look at your workouts for in season versus off season, is it different or do you do the same things?

GT: Oh yeah, it’s different. During the off season, I get like heavy weights, I run a lot, I do a lot of bicycle, cardio, and those kinds of things. I’m just trying to get more muscular. When I start the season, I’m just trying to get healthy. So I’ll workout on legs and I’ll workout really well and I do the same routine, but not too much heavy weights because that would be bad for the shoulder and I don’t want to get tired from the workout.

AM: You know, you were talking a little bit specifically on Game Day, are there things that you do and they don’t necessarily have to be fitness or athletic oriented that you do to get your head ready to play? Are there things that you do once the game is over that you can come down from all of that energy?

GT: Sometimes after the game, I go to workout just to rest, we have a sauna and I just go in there for 10 or 20 minutes to try to relax myself. Of course, I also rest. So much during the game is stressful and there is so much anticipation so after the game, many times, I’m just so excited I try to have cold water or sometimes hot water in the sauna to relax myself so that I can come down from the game.

AM: How do you take time for yourself when you have a day off so that you can check in with yourself and be ready for when you do have to be back out there?

GT: Sometimes, I’ll just have a lunch or a dinner with my family. I’m the guy who’s a huge movie guy. I spend most of my time at the movies. I love doing that. I like to check who the guy is that I will be playing with the next day. I’m always ready to head back to the field so that when I get there, I know that I’m rested and I’m ready to play.

“First of all, it’s an honor! I mean, the history of the Yankees, many championships, many good players, many really good numbers. Just playing here is amazing, the city, the fans, all the history is just really inspirational. It’s just something that’s really special and I feel like, as a player, everyone wants to play with the Yankees. I got that opportunity from the beginning and I’m just grateful to be with all of the boys on the team. Of course, I want to try and bring another championship to the Yankees!”

— Gleyber Torres

AM: You have the collaboration with Kings Bred x Gleyber Torres collection which has 2 hats with your signature colorway of beige and brown as well as the iconic Yankees colors. How did this project come about and what was the creative process like for you?

GT: I used to wear the hats when I was 19. I really loved the hats and the style and also the inspiration from the guys that made the hats. After I was 19, I got in touch with the guys who make Kings Bred and we got a really good connection, we figured out a way to get a collab and it’s really amazing because we’re using this as a way to inspire the people from Venezuela and we know how hard it is for baseball players to come to the big city! The colors of the hats are amazing with the dark color and then of course the white and navy that matches with the Yankees. I think that this collab is really amazing for the people. We’re showing some love for the fans.

AM: The hats look amazing and I know that in launching this collab, you had a pop-up store event as well where fans of the brand, will be able to meet you and to see the collection. What are you looking forward to in this event?

GT: Basically, I want the fans that are coming to enjoy themselves and for me to be able to talk with them! I want to show them the hats for sure and to explain to them about the collab and for the people to buy the hats. For those that buy the hats, I want them to be able to go out in NY and share that inspiration and to be able to show everybody this!

AM: In addition, your bat sponsor, Marucci is also part of the collaboration, so you have Kings Bred x Gleyber Torres x Marucci – what was it like to work on this part of the project and to have this available as well?

GT: I mean, Marucci supported us on that part of the collab. I have really loved Marucci from the beginning, I have never used another bat – I have always used Marucci. So it’s huge for me and also for the company of the brand to get that opportunity for us and for sure it’s going to be awesome. I'll also get to wear the hat as well as the special edition of the bat.

AM: Are there any other projects that you have coming up that we should keep an eye out for? Obviously, in addition to watching you play for the rest of the season!

GT: Not yet! We’re in the midst of conversations and maybe later, we’ll bring another hat. We’re waiting to see how this will go and after that, we will figure it out!

AM: You’re also a dad and being an amazing athlete as well, what do you want your legacy to be seen as from an athlete standpoint or just as a dad with a family?

GT: That I tried to do the right thing. Now, everything is different. I have a child and I have a lot to learn about everything with that! I just want to try to be a good dad which is a new experience for me. I enjoy everything from that to playing with my son to my son being able to watch me play after the game. He’s always waiting for me and he gives me the motivation to be able to play better and better. I want to show my baby everything that is possible.

IG @gleyberdavid

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | PG 25, 26 + PG 172 for 63MIX ROUTIN3S Kings Bred | PG 28 Justin Berl/Incon Sportswire | PG 31 Clif Welch/Icon Sportswire | PG 32 with Gleyber Torres and Aaron Judge Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire |

Read the JUN ISSUE #90 of Athleisure Mag and see FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME AND FAMILY | Gleyber Torres in mag.

WEEKEND VIBES ONLY EDITORIAL

This month, our editorial takes us to a hotel group that has been our favorites as we have stayed at their properties in Seattle, DC, and Philadelphia. In addition, we have gone to their hotels here to attend a number of functions there from launches, editor events, and more. Kimpton Hotels are always a great place to go to as the vibe always feels so comfortable and has a boutique essence to it. When you stay as a guest, you can enjoy their complimentary wine hours that take place in their lobby, they have yoga mats in their rooms, and they always have great restaurants on their properties as well.

Kimpton Hotel Eventi has always been a lot of fun whether we're attending a preview or meeting up with friends to grab a quick bite which turns into an epic night out! Because we've frequented it so much, for this month's editorial, we thought it would be perfect to take our readers inside one of their suites known as Veranda which has a large L shaped balcony, a living/sitting room, large bedroom, and 2 bathrooms. Whether you're having a weekend in with friends, enjoying it with your significant other, planning a wedding event, or anything of that nature - this is a great suite to make memories!

Our shoot looks at our models enjoying a weekend in by taking in the city and taking a moment for themselves. They're rocking a new line that we excited to share that is created by us known as ATHLEISUREVERSE! With pieces that are soft, various colors, and styles - there is something for everyone! In addition, this shoot includes a number of our favorite accessories that you should pair with your favorite looks as well as some treats that we've been fans of from our issues! Following the credits, you'll also find out more about Kimpton Hotel Eventi and why this should be a place that you stay at when you're visiting NY for vacation, business or as a staycation! Not only do they share more information about the property, but they also gave us insight on how you can get the most out of the neighborhood when you're staying here as well!

WEEKEND VIBES ONLY | CREDITS

LOOK I PG 38 | Emma Young - ATHLEISUREVERSE Zipped White Hoodie, Flowy Black Jersey Muscle T with Rolled Sleeve, White/Black Tipped Shorts | Tim Park - ATHLEISUREVERSE Classic Fleece Hooded Black Sweat Set Jogger | WHOOP 4.0 Health and Fitness Tracker | APPLE Watch |

LOOK II PG 40-49 (additional images in this photoset included here that are not in the JUN ISSUE #90) | Emma Young - ATHLEISUREVERSE Cropped Fleece Hoodie Off-White Sweat Set Short | BEIS The Sport Pack | CARRERA Superchampion | CARMEN SOL Red Aviator Sunglasses | Tim Park - ATHLEISUREVERSE Jersey White Muscle T, Fleece Off-White Jogger | CARRERA 302/S | APPLE Watch | DRINK SIMPLE Raspberry Lemon Sparkling Maple Water | JAMBAR Organic Energy Bars | SOUNDCORE Motion+ | BALA Bala Bangles |

LOOK III PG 53-57 (additional image in this photoset included here that are not in the JUN ISSUE #90) | Emma Young - ATHLEISUREVERSE Jersey Hooded Olive Track Short Set | CARRERA 3006/S | SPRAYGROUND Lasers Blazin' Backpack Sling | Tim Park - ATHLEISUREVERSE Olive Bomber, Fleece Cream Short | CARRERA Superchampion | WHOOP 4.0 Health and Fitness Tracker | APPLE Watch | NIKE Air Jordan 1 Retro |

LOOK IV PG 58-63 (additional images in this photoset included here that are not in the JUN ISSUE #90) | Emma Young - ATHLEISUREVERSE - Classic Fleece Hooded Hot Pink Sweat Set Jogger | CARMEN SOL Racquel Jelly Bucket Hat in Fuschia, Lisa Small Crossbody Bag in Fuschia + Tonino Wedge | CARRERA Flaglab 14 | Tim Park - ATHLEISUREVERSE Classic Fleece Hooded Neon Lime Sweat Set Jogger | CARMEN SOL Racquel Jelly Bucket Hat in White | CARRERA Flaglab 14 | NIKE Air Jordan 1 Retro |

LOOK V PG 64 | Emma Young - ATHLEISUREVERSE Cropped Fleece Hooded Peach Sweat Set Jogger | Tim Park - ATHLEISUREVERSE Classic Fleece Hooded Peach Sweat Set Jogger | DRINK SIMPLE Raspberry Lemon Sparkling Maple Water |

PHOTOGRAPHY | Paul Farkas

STYLIST | Kimmie Smith

MODELS | Tim Park/Prestigious Models + Emma Young

Now that you have seen a number of the features of Kimpton Hotel Eventi's Veranda Suite which is quite spacious! We wanted to know more about the property as well as the neighborhood so that you can plan accordingly for your next visit!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did Kimpton Hotel Eventi open?

KIMPTON EVENTI HOTEL: Kimpton Hotel Eventi debuted in 2010.

AM: Before we talk about Eventi specifically, we have had the pleasure to stay at several Kimpton hotels as well as to attend events that are held there, including this property. For those that aren't familiar with Kimpton Hotels, can you tell us about what a guest can expect when they are staying at these properties in general?

KHE: The Kimpton brand is known for its unique, design-driven properties with warm, genuine service. Our hotels have exciting restaurants and aim to create moments of connection with guests.

AM: Tell us about the art at Eventi?

KHE: Kimpton Hotel Eventi features a variety of works sourced and installed under the creative direction of Reunion Goods & Services by Art Consultant Kyle DeWoody, Associate Art Consultant Laura DVorkin, and design team We Came in Peace. Extending from the hotel's original design rich in texture and depth with a variety of fine art pieces from renowned artist Barbara Nessim, the new collection introduces a mix of both established, younger artists and emerging artists with visibly promising talents.

Moving beyond the traditional decorative intention, this collection attempts far more conceptual approach by showcasing edgy and thought-provoking works including Kwangho Lee's hanging light installation made entirely out of electrical wire, and a Tony Matelli mirror - which is made to look dusty through a technique using layers of urethane. The dynamic collection also features stunning works by artists including Lorna Simpson, Alex Katz, and Ernesto Leal that flow throughout the lobby and fill spaces within The Vine and L'Amico.

AM: Our editorial shoot took place at the Eventi which is in Chelsea. What can you tell us about the property in general and how it connects to the neighborhood?

KHE: Kimpton Hotel Eventi’s location in the heart of Chelsea – on 6th Avenue between 29th St. and 30th St. – places guests conveniently in the midst from some of the city’s most prominent art galleries, boutiques, nightclubs and restaurants. Being located near Chelsea Market and the High Line allows easy access to popular attractions, and travelers are also within a few blocks of the nearby NoMad and Flatiron neighborhoods and landmarks including Times Square and the Empire State Building.

AM: Tell us about the 3 restaurants, L’Amico, The Vine, and Skirt Steak that are at Eventi which can be enjoyed by those on vacation, staycations or just hanging out in the neighborhood.

KHE: The three on-site restaurants, all helmed by Chef Laurent Tourondel, offer visitors a variety of dining experiences. L’Amico serves Italian-influenced American cuisine inspired by the simplicity of a countryside stroll and a wood-fired meal; The Vine’s welcoming environment complements locally sourced, vegetable-centric French dishes; and Skirt Steak harkens back to old-school steakhouses, serving only grilled skirt steak (or a cauliflower steak), salad and fries, followed by a rolling dessert cart.

AM: We like that regardless of the Kimpton properties that you’re staying at, hotel guests can enjoy complimentary morning coffee and tea to start your day as well as the hosted evening wine hour that’s in the Lobby Living Room. Can you tell us about this and why these have been an amenity for guests?

KHE: We aim to provide opportunities for connection, and this often happens over food and drinks. Beyond giving guests a morning or evening beverage, we’re creating space where visitors can relax, get to know one another and build a sense of community. Our wine hour, a core part of our programming, was started by Bill Kimpton and is practiced at every Kimpton property worldwide.

AM: We enjoyed having our shoot in one of your suites. For guests that are staying at the hotel, what guestrooms and suites are available?

KHE: Our guestrooms range from standard King and Queen/Queen rooms to our specialty suites featuring balconies, Jacuzzi tubs or pool tables. Each room in the hotel offers a spacious respite amid the city, floor-to-ceiling windows to take in the cityscapes, and design emphasizing brightness and clean lines.

AM: What amenities are offered in these rooms?

KHE: All guests receive complimentary morning coffee and tea and a hosted evening wine hour. In addition, there is a yoga mat in every room, mini-bar service, valet laundry service, and access to public bikes to explore the city.

AM: For those looking to maintain their fitness routines, how can they do so at Eventi?

KHE: In addition to our onsite 1,000 square foot 24-hour fitness center that includes Peloton bikes and other workout equipment, we also offer custom designed PUBLIC bikes and yoga mats in every room, free of charge.

AM: For those traveling with their four-legged friends, tell us how this hotel is pet-friendly as well as Wag! Premium.

KHE: Kimpton Hotel Eventi welcomes dogs and provides them with in-room water bowls, pet beds and courtesy bags for walks. We don’t charge a deposit or cleaning fee for bringing in dogs, and have no size or weight restrictions, nor a limit on the number of pets allowed. Our concierge keeps a list of pet-friendly restaurants, parks and groomers as well.

Guests receive complimentary access to Wag! Premium, meaning they receive 10% off of services, no booking fees, and round-the-clock access to licensed veterinary professionals. If a walk is arranged, travelers can leave a key at the front desk to be handed over to the dog walker upon their arrival.

AM: In addition to complimentary Wi-Fi, you keep guests connected with access to Press Reader (which Athleisure Mag is on this platform), are there other digital amenities that you offer?

KHE: Press Reader provides access to a vast library of local, regional and national newspapers and magazines, allowing guests to keep up with the news during their stay. Each guestroom also includes a Crave tablet that guests can use to set wake up calls, request housekeeping items, get information about local attractions, use as a TV control and channel guide and more. All TVs include Chromecast, allowing guests to stream from their personal devices.

AM: Tell us about the Kimpton Library.

KHE: The Kimpton Library allows guests to borrow from a curated collection of books on property, so they can pack light and still enjoy some of the most popular literary titles.

AM: For those that may be getting in a bit of work whether they’re there for business or simply need to do a few things, what is available at your business center?

KHE: We do not have a formal business center, but our team is happy to assist with small printing requests. Our concierge can also guide guests to nearby storefronts and libraries with extensive offerings.

AM: Tell us about the Public Bikes that are available.

KHE: Our PUBLIC bikes are custom-made. Guests are invited to take them on a spin at leisure and can use our Manhattan Waterfront Greenway map as a guide.

AM: NYC is always great to visit regardless of the time of year; however, the summer is always a lot of fun. What packages are you offering for those that are looking to book?

KHE: This month we are bringing the fictional world to life with a new Dream Blades offering. Taking inspiration from retro neon sportswear and summers in Malibu, we are launching a limited-time complimentary roller blade lending program for hotel guests looking for a fun outdoor activity. Hotel guests will be gifted neon retro skating accessories, including candy-colored sun visors, sweatbands and fanny packs, as well as the option to rent rollerblades.

We also have our Celebrate Summer offer, allowing travelers to make the most of their time to the city by enjoying a picnic in the park or taking surf lessons at one of the city’s beaches.

AM: For residents who are looking to enjoy a staycation, why should they book at Eventi?

KHE: So often, New Yorkers forget to be tourists in their own city. Kimpton Hotel Eventi is located in a central spot allowing guests to take in some of the city’s most popular attractions, whether they’re visiting for the first time or the twentieth. Our rooms also offer a peaceful escape above the hustle and bustle of Manhattan, making it a great spot to stay in the city while getting spot to stay in the city while getting out of a mundane routine.

AM: The hotel’s location is in the heart of several neighborhoods that are a must visit!

Although the hotel is great for those that may really want to stay in, there are a number of things to do outside of it!

For the solo traveler: where should they grab a bite for people watching, where should they shop, and what's an attraction/gallery/park they they should visit?

KHE: L’Amico on-property is the perfect place for a solo traveler to sit at the bar and people watch the world around them. We are centrally located, close to the shops in Chelsea, Flatiron District, and Herald Square areas. We are minutes away from Broadway and the theater district - perfect for a solo traveler to take in a show.

AM: Our shoot focuses on our models enjoying a getaway so for those booking their girl’s trips whether a staycation or traveling to the city: where should they go out for brunch, where should they go for a spa session, and where should they go for a bit of nightlife?

KHE: La Pecora Bianca and Oscar Wilde offer great brunches nearby. We are located near Juvenex Spa, a day spa on West 32nd known for their Korean-style Salt Glow Scrub. The Vine has a great wine and cocktail list for guests.

AM: For the business traveler who will be with a group of their colleagues: where should they go for a drink to decompress after a day of sessions, what’s a great spot for sightseeing and to take in the city, and what’s a great place for a group exercise?

KHE: The Vine’s cocktails are expertly curated and perfect to decompress after a long day. We’re in the heart of Manhattan, blocks from the Empire State Building, Chelsea Market, The High Line, Times Square and more. All are great for sightseers. We are located minutes away from a variety of boutique fitness studios from yoga to boxing, and more.

AM: For those that are booking Sales Meetings, conferences, editor events, etc. Why is Eventi a great place to host this?

KHE: Our meeting spaces are spacious and clean, and meeting attendees get all of the perks of our central location: great for those living in the city or anyone visiting for the day or overnight. These spaces are also filled with natural light, fitted with large screens, and our catering offerings are restaurant quality courtesy of Laurent Tourondel. Our caring staff, many of whom have been with the hotel for years, take wonderful care of our meetings guests.

AM: Are there events that Eventi participates in such as Pride, Summer Solstice, or NYC specific initiatives to support the community/neighborhood?

KHE: We just hosted a special Pride wine hour in collaboration with Absolut, benefiting the Trevor Project. The hotel often leans into major events to tie the guest experience into major happenings in the city.

IG @hoteleventi

KIMPTON EVENTI HOTEL VERANDA SUITE

Read the JUN ISSUE #90 of Athleisure Mag and see WEEKEND VIBES ONLY Editorial in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG #90 | OVY ON THE DRUMS

In this month’s issue, our front and back cover story is with 4X Latin Grammy Award Nominated, 2X Billboard Latin Music Awards Nominated, Premios Juventud Winner, Producer, Composer, and Singer/Songwriter, Ovy on the Drums! We talk about how he got into the industry, being the producer for Karol G, and working with an array of artists from Steve Aoki, Becky G, Shakira, Future, and more! We also interview singer/songwriter and entertainer, INNA who has a number of songs that are known for feel-good vibes. We talk about how she got into the industry, how she approaches her songs, her collaborations with SOFI TUKKER, Alok, and many more.

We also took some time to talk with New York Yankees shortstop and second baseman, 2X All-Star player Gleyber Torres! We talk about how he took his passion for the game in Venezuela to join one of the most iconic MLB teams in the country. In addition, we talk about how he stays in shape, his passion for his family, and his collaboration with Kings Bred.

We caught up with Chef/Partner Charlie Mitchell of Clover Hill in Brooklyn. Recently, he received a Michelin 2022 NYC Young Chef Award - he is the first Black chef in NYC to receive Michelin recognition and only the second in the US! He was also a James Beard finalist this year as well. We talked about how he got into the industry, his passion for cooking, his approach to food and he gives us an inside scoop into the mind of a chef!

This month, our editorial was shot at Kimpton Eventi Hotel here in NYC. Because we live for a great weekend, our editorial WEEKEND VIBES ONLY is focused on a number of fun accessories and trends and we’re excited to introduce to you our new line, ATHLEISUREVERSE which is all about pieces that you can wear when you're out and about from various sweat sets that are paired with joggers and shorts. We're all about a number of colors, styles, having pieces that are genderful, matchy matchy when you want to wear them with your friends, family, and significant other, and more! We also talked with the property to find out more about the hotel, their location, and what we can enjoy there whether we're on vacation, staycation, traveling for business, etc.

We're fans of our favorites that are within Bachelor Nation and if you're like us, you're watching the current season with Charity Lawson for The Bachelorette! This month, we caught up with Jason Tartick who is engaged to Kaitlyn Bristowe to find out about his partnership with Wyndham Rewards and their Cubicle Caddie for those that want to stay connected and optimize their time on the golf course! He talks about this as well as his thoughts on Charity, hitting the course with Kaitlyn, and his upcoming projects with his podcast and book.

We chatted with Samuel Arnold who plays Julien in Netflix's Emily in Paris. We talk about how he connects with his roles, we ask him about the upcoming season and also being an ambassador for Jovē water and why hydration is so important to him.

We've been fans of Sepideh Moafi for years as she has been in a number of our favorite shows. This month, we find out about how she approaches her roles, her latest limited series, FX's Class of 09 with all episodes streaming now, and we talk about her upcoming projects.

Jordana Brewster of Fast X talks about her latest movie in the Fast and Furious franchise, her new movie Simulant, and how she approaches being a mom with kids in sports!

We have been fans of FX's Mayans MC which is the spinoff to Sons of Anarchy which is another favorite show of ours! As we are watching the final season of this series, we caught up with Sarah Bolger to talk about how she got into this industry, her roles previous to the show, what we can look forward to this season, and upcoming projects!

Last month, we had the pleasure of interviewing the founder of Governors Ball, Tom Russell who prepared us for what we could expect as they inaugurated their new home at Flushing Meadows Corona Park Queens. This month, we have a recap of our favorite moments from Governors Ball which took place Jun 9 - 11th.

This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from singer/songwriter/entertainer INNA. This month's 9DRIP comes from EDM DJ producer/songwriter Ferry Corsten. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from Sepideh Moafi of Class of 09 as well as Samuel Arnold of Emily in Paris. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from New York Yankees' Gleyber Torres and Mayans MC's Sarah Bolger.

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack shares our new drool-worthy restaurant, Goa New York. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Hakkasan Las Vegas and Restaurant Yuu in Brooklyn. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the JUN ISSUE #90 of Athleisure Mag.

AT THE CENTER OF THE PLATE | CHEF MATTHEW KENNEY

We are always up for a very flavorful plant-based meal and we're truly excited about this interview from a superstar chef that is known for elevating the vegan, raw vegan and plant-based space, Chef Matthew Kenney! We had the pleasure of being introduced to raw vegan at his restaurant Pure Food and Wine here in NYC which was a culinary experience. We also attended an editor event where he was in attendance at Ladurée Soho to launch the inclusion of their vegan menu back in 2019. It was a pleasure to hear him share his partnership with them and unveiling his vegan menu!

As someone who has used his fine dining, classical French training to elevate this cuisine, we couldn't wait to talk about how he got into culinary, his background, how he entered the plant-based space, his journey to creating restaurants that are all over the world and how Matthew Kenney Cuisine as a business model allows him to focus on his passion for staying engaged and creative! We also talk about one of his newest ventures, Ntidote and well as upcoming projects.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with food?

CHEF MATTHEW KENNEY: Well, my entire life, I’ve loved food. I grew up in Maine and it was all about seasonality and the ingredients. It was all about wild blueberries in the summer and wild strawberries that grew across the street in our garden. We made our own honey, maple syrup and apple cider. I always loved food and I didn’t realize that I had an affinity for cooking per se until probably after college when I moved to NYC. I just fell in love with the diversity of so many amazing restaurants, different cultures, and melting pots that you could see through food. So this was probably in 1989.

AM: That’s amazing!

It’s interesting that you decided later on that you wanted to be a chef. I’m based in NY as well, the first vegan restaurant I went to was your restaurant Pure Food & Wine.

CHEF MK: Oh wow!

AM: Yes, so it’s exciting to talk to you as your food was my first experience in that area. I'm not vegan myself, but when introduduced to it and getting to taste the flavor profile it was a great experience. Tell me about your culinary journey from where you went to school and kitchens that you started in.

CHEF MK: I basically moved to NYC right after college because I knew that I had friends there and I knew that that was where I wanted to be. I had planned to go to law school and instead, I took my first job at Christie’s when it was on 5th Ave. That was great and I realized that I wanted something social in my life. I was taken out to dinners and it was always so exciting going out to restaurants. I went to Hawaii for a little while and I did some hiking to decide on what I was most passionate about and I just had this idea that I wanted to open a restaurant in NYC. I had no skills or training whatsoever. So I enrolled in the French Culinary Institute (editor’s note: now called the International Culinary Center) and studied there and in the evening, I worked for about a year at a really amazing Southern Italian restaurant that was on 60th street I think called Malvasia and it was a chef from the island of Lipari and I just fell in love with the Mediterranean diet and flavors, the non use of butter for the most part, wild fennel and all of the exotic but clean flavors. That really resonated with me because that’s how I like to eat and live, but I had never seen it in that fashion. That had a really big impact on me, even though it wasn’t a 4 star restaurant or anything, it was really nice. The chef was kind of a known chef at that time. Gael Greene and all of the food critics from the NY Times, New York Magazine came through there so I got a real education at school, but also at this restaurant because I was there when it opened and I was able to see the whole thing come together and what was important in NY. I just got a massive education in one year.

When I graduated from the French Culinary Institute, some of my friends had gone to work at La Caravelle, which I think was a 3 star restaurant in those days. It was one of the top French restaurants like La Grenouille and so forth, but La Caravelle had a new American chef and he was hiring a new team and I went there and worked – it was very classic French. I then got a call from the manager of the Sicilian restaurant that I had worked at and I had only been out of cooking school for a year maybe. He said that he was hired to resurrect a restaurant that had been doing great, but the chef left and it had come apart. It was really struggling and it was a very high profile location and expensive restaurant. He said that he told the owners that he would only take the job if he could hire me to be the chef! I had no management experience, I had never been a chef, but I knew that I could do it. I took that job and I think that that was in 1991 and we got great reviews. Somehow, I worked around the clock and the owners were Brazilian and they asked me to open a second restaurant with them and then in 1993, a taxi cab went through the window of the first restaurant. Nobody was hurt, but it was full, but somehow, no one was hurt. It didn’t go through the dining room, but it smashed through the window and ruined the store front.

I said to them that this was a good time to change the concept. I wanted to do something North African inspired, Mediterranean, but not strictly Italian and they said that they would do it if I put my name on it. So, I did, we opened a Matthew’s in 1993 and that was my first restaurant. It was really an intense, well my whole career has been intense! It was very fast moving. My life was all about food and whatever exercise that I could get in. I would go home after 10 or 12 hour days and I would cook for my wife at that time. It was really a love affair with food.

AM: That is an amazing story of how you know, you got to have your name on the restaurant and opening it! Did you think at that time that you would be who you are now in terms of writing 12 cookbooks and all of these restaurants, concepts, and partnerships that you have?

CHEF MK: Well, that was before it was common for chefs to be able to do that. Daniel Boulud at that time was the chef at Le Cirque and Jean-Georges Vongerichten was the chef at Lafayette and then he opened JoJo his first restaurant right around the corner from me at the same time that I opened. So it was something hard to visualize in those days because it wasn’t very common for restaurant owners. There was a guy called Tony May who had a bunch of Italian restaurants – he had 3 or 4 places, he was like the king, but it just wasn't common in it just wasn't common in those days for chefs to be licensing and franchising. Wolfgang Puck did it a little bit, but that was mostly relegated to California, Vegas, and San Francisco. But there weren’t any chefs that were doing it on a global scale at that time. There may have been 1 or 2, but it wasn’t a thing like it is now.

AM: You are known as a super star chef who focuses on vegan and plant-based. Why did you want to go into this area? For those readers and listeners who may not be familiar, what is the difference between raw, vegan and plant-based?

CHEF MK: Sure! Well first, I’ll answer the last question first if that’s ok. Raw vegan which is what I got into first, it’s an entirely plant-based diet where nothing is heated over 110˚ F/120˚ F which is where enzymes are more active below that threshold and so you have to get creative with raw vegan because a lot of things aren’t good raw. It prohibits certain things that aren’t great for you. So it’s a really good diet for the digestion and great for so many things – elasticity of skin, hydration, but it’s tough to do it all year around.

Whereas, vegan, you can make anything – pizza, muffins, scones, anything! Raw vegan is more limited, but at the same time, that limitation encourages creativity. So they’re quite different although we create raw components to our non-raw food restaurants all the time.

AM: Very interesting and tell me about Matthew Kenney Cuisine which seems to be the umbrella that houses your restaurants, partnerships, products, innovations and concepts.

CHEF MK: Well as time evolved, even after Matthew’s, we had a really successful place and then the neighboring restaurant that was a block away wasn’t doing well so he said to me, “you’re always full and I have this great space and it’s not working, why don’t we do something together?” So I opened a second place, a casual place a block away. It did really well, but the partnership didn’t do so well and I left that. Matthew’s was just a really hot place for the first few years and I had a lot of offers and I couldn’t help but say yes too many times. I opened Mezze in Midtown next to the offices of Conde Nast at that time. Then, I opened a restaurant in Soho across from the Mercer Hotel and another one on 22nd street and one in Atlanta and in Maine. These were pre vegan days. That kind of got in my blood not just creating menus, but creating experiences through design. Whether it’s through music or uniforms, I just really fell in love with the idea of building restaurants. Running them is a different kind of challenge! Up until 1999 and 2001, I was running this decent sized company from my late 20’s to my mid 30’s.

You also asked me about vegan! I had gotten more and more into longevity and I have always been interested in fitness and exercise. In college, I made my own meals that were really healthy. They weren’t vegan because it wasn’t a thing then. It was in NY when I started to get more into yoga and more aware of how I felt and I started talking out loud to friends saying that I thought that I could be a vegetarian. In Maine, I grew up hunting by the way and fishing. But I just felt drawn to it – I liked foods that were clean, less stimulating, earthy and balanced cuisine. I felt that, but I didn’t know how to translate that into my career. I was also at a point where I was doing food that was more comfortable American like Truffle Mac & Cheese – these things that were trendy then. I didn’t really enjoy that because it wasn’t creative enough and it also wasn’t what I wanted in my body. I was disconnected a little bit, there wasn’t an alignment between my profession and my personal life. So, my old girlfriend at that time, made a reservation to go to a trendy restaurant at that time in Tribeca with a friend of ours. He called us after we made the reservation and said, that he had only been eating raw food which I had never heard of as a type of cuisine and he wanted to take us to a place called Quintessence which happened to be a block from our home – we didn’t know about it. We went there and the food was kind of weird and it wasn’t particularly exciting and it had strange names, there was no music, no wine, but everyone in there was so passionate about their diet and their lifestyle. They were just glowing with health! I had not seen people like that and it was full! It was just a lightbulb moment where I thought, that if somebody could actually make plant-based cuisine or raw cuisine sexy and fashionble and contemporary by applying classical culinary training to it, that could really change the way that we eat. So that was the moment where I pretty much went vegan right away!

AM: Wow!

You have a number of restaurants around the world. What goes into your thought process when it comes to deciding where you want to locate next, a partner that you want to have, the kind of concept and aesthetic that you want to bring forward?

CHEF MK: Well, we’re changing that model a lot. Basically, I always felt that focusing on the brand, the mission, the narrative and forming a team that can enhance that vision and keep creating. Just keep innovating because this space has so much runway and so much opportunity to make a difference by adding new styles, new recipes, formulas and new science. I really wanted to create a brand that would be attractive to the outside world that was looking for solutions and was looking to transform their business or their real estate property or to bring plant-based into their schools. So really, it’s all about the innovation aspect and the content and it stems from there. We’ve been fortunate to have opportunities that approached us for the last 5 years constantly from all over the world. But I’m making a shift.

I’ve been opening a lot of restaurants and have sold or closed a few restaurants over the pandemic because I want to be able to reach a larger audience and really expedite the shift in the global food dynamic and having plant-based be the center of the plate. That’s why we launched education during COVID, we had over 4,000 students in over 80 countries online at the Food Future Institute. It’s why we’re doing media projects and a bunch of partnerships with different brands and companies that serve food or products in different ways and experiences. Lastly, with restaurants we’re shifting towards more of a licensing model because it’s very hard to run restaurants in multiple states much less other countries and so pretty much at this point, we’re partnering with larger groups, developers, hotels, and brands that we think can grow a relationship at scale.

For example, we work with Kushner International, they’re based in Duabi. They have 15 or 20 properties and we work with them, we have a full service restaurant at one of them and we’re opening a second and then we’re working with them on 8 or 10 of their properties to do enterprise training by providing their chefs with tools and content to add plant-based to their existing menu. So those are the kinds of situations where we develop relationships where we can grow with them and we don’t have to do things that we’re not good at such as dealing with construction and all of that. So we’re really shifting to be entirely of that model within the next year.

AM: Which I think is really smart. Like you said, it allows you to focus on the things that you’re good at and that you want to be able to spend more time on.

CHEF MK: Yeah, it’s not our skill set. I grew up and my dad was a contractor, but I can’t be on a construction site and running a company doing a lot of things. The people that are really best at culinary for example, they don’t have experience with this type of thing. It’s just not practical for us and when we have the opportunity to do it through the licensing platform, that’s best.

AM: I actually met you back in 2019 in the fall at Ladurée’s event here in NY when they released their vegan menu at an editor event at their Soho restaurant. It was a fun event and it was inspiring to hear you talk about that at the luncheon. What does it mean to you when you are instituting plant-based menus in restaurants that still have non-plant-based dishes on the menu? People such as myself who eat plant-based half of the week or certain meals are able to be exposed to these innovations.

CHEF MK: Well, that’s where I see it going. That’s why I use the term “shift the global food paradigm,” because really what I’m looking at realistically is that the whole world will not go vegan. But I do believe that there will be a major shift to plant-based being 70-80% of what we consume. Therefore, we’re in a world where we’re all connected one way or another. So, I don’t have a problem with that as long as we’re not promoting or serving the non-plant-based. I’m not an activist per se. I'm not an activist per se. I'm an activist through art and that’s how I do it.

“I want to be able to reach a larger audience and really expedite the shift in the global food dynamic and having plant-based be the center of the plate.”

— Chef Matthew Kenney

AM: We’ve been enjoying some of the new items from your brand, Ntidote which you launched at Expo West. The Pizzalmonds are amazing. Why did you want to launch this company which focuses on nutrient dense, functional foods, and supplement powders?

CHEF MK: Well, I just like Dr. Amir Marashi. He’s passionate, we have the same taste and he’s wonderful to work with! I know that whatever we do is going to be aesthetically pleasing, he’s committed to quality and I like where he is coming from as a doctor. He’s a very passionate person and that’s a big part of it. That’s the thing about Ntidote, I had the Trail Mix for breakfast and they’re very functional foods and also foods that really help us eliminate toxins that go into our bodies. It’s a big market segment and I felt that we had a perspective on where to get the best ingredients and how to activate them through the sprouting process and it’s really quite straight forward, but it’s meant to be very high quality, straight forward, non challenging for people to understand and I think that it can grow in a lot of different ways. I love the brand itself. It started off as an idea in doing a bar.

AM: Oh!

CHEF MK: We did a Ntidote Bar. It had ingredients that no other bar had like pine pollen and some really cool things and it was hard to produce them for a reasonable cost. So then it was higher to sell them at the right cost. We pivoted and then this is where we are now. I’m really happy with it and we did a nice job I feel. I love the branding and I’m just really pleased that it’s simple.

AM: I like that you were talking about that. I love the packaging. I’m a huge fan of almonds myself, so having these different flavors was really great to enjoy. I also received Golden Magic Powder, and I have found that to be lovely as well.

What’s your process like in terms of onboarding the different assortments that you'll eventually have and are there new things that you’re looking to add later in the year?

CHEF MK: We’re launching with a pretty large portfolio of products, so I think that a lot went into that and the branding and now, a lot will go into developing relationships with retail outlets or whoever will be carrying it. We want to nurture those relationships first and then once that part is stable, we’ll certainly look at other ideas as I have too many ideas and I have to learn to shut them down a bit because I really want to be able to do it right. So I want to be able to do this first phase in the right way.

AM: That’s exciting and I will definitely keep my eye out for it. I like how clean it tastes and then you begin to think about how you can incorporate it into things like my salads and other dishes. I think you guys did an amazing job with that.

How did the two of you come together to decide to do this? Had you worked together previously?

CHEF MK: No, I had a restaurant at the 1 Hotel in Miami and Amir came to a talk that I was doing. It was just a sunny weekend day and I gave a talk and maybe there was a demo. He approached me after and we just started talking and he asked me if I wanted to do something. We talked about what we wanted to do and he mentioned that we could do a bar because he’s a doctor and he really wanted to add value to his patients health by focusing on food. We decided to collaborate to do it together.

AM: Are there upcoming projects outside of this brand specifically or anything that’s coming up that we should keep an eye out for?

CHEF MK: Yes, we have a lot. We’re involved in a new company called Mates Brands and Jamison Ernest is the founder and he’s a very talented entrepreneur, he has a great eye and a really great style a great way of bringing people together. Mates is a company that will take experts in their fields and celebrities and pair them with a producer of a certain kind of product or service that they co-develop that will fall under that umbrella. The initial group is Venus Williams, Kate Hudson, Vanessa Hudgens and somehow, I got in there.

So that’s really exciting and we’re working on a few TV projects and I’m excited about both of them at production studios here in California. We just recently opened our restaurant in Doha it’s beautiful! They created this gorgeous green restaurant for us and that just opened. The next opening is in Palm Beach and then in the fall in Monaco. These are all licensing and strategic partnerships and we’re working on a sort of bespoke alcohol line where we just partnered with an influencer Sean Wotherspoon and then Matt Fontana my friend that owns BESTIES, the best vegan convenient store in the country and we opened Vegan Coffee, but it’s actually a curated sneaker shop in East Hollywood. We’re partnering with a group that has a yacht it’s solar and electric sustainable beautiful yacht that will have charters with high end plant-based cuisine. We’re actually training the chefs here today that have been with us here all week and we’ll be on the boat. So, we do a lot of different things probably involving 70 or 80 different types of projects!

AM: That’s great! I was literally going to ask you if there was anything that you would want to do that’s on your list of things to do and in just hearing you, you’re covering so many different verticals. How do you take time for yourself because I’m sure you’re traveling a lot and you’re checking on projects. But what do you do to kind of center yourself and to get back to self-care?

CHEF MK: Good question! Well we look at the entire spectrum from food growing to when it’s served and actually beyond that. My partner Charlotte, she is also my Creative Director, she has 5 towers and some of them are in the ground and she grows more food then what wecan eat here at home and she starts everything from seed. So we look at that and we partner with different groups that are going to be sustainable growing methods and we get involved with them. But on the back end, we work with Lomi which is a really cool composting machine for the home and they’re developing one for the business. It’s really cool because you put all your waste in there, press 1 button and 12 hours later, you have your compost which goes back into the garden. So we look at the whole spectrum, anything that is sustainable and promoting longevity not just for humans, but for the planet that is pleasurable, well designed, and stylish, that’s when we really get engaged into that whole entire process.

It used to be strictly food and I used to stay in my lane on that, but then I realized that sometimes that’s not enough because a lot of people are environmentalist and other people only care about their health whether it’s vegan or they’re not. Some care about animals. So we really have to embrace the whole thing and that’s why we leaned out our model to the point where we’re not physically going to be running business because instead of us being 70% operational and 30% innovation – it’s going to be 90% innovation and maybe 10% supportive of the various partnerships. That’s why I made that change because the other way of doing it which is what I have been doing for the last many many years, it wasn’t sustainable for me. I’m 59 this summer, I’m healthy, but I don’t sleep enough and I don’t feel like I give or work to the best of my potential when I’m not rested and taking time for yoga and meditation and so forth. That’s why I’m taking this model so that we will remove the majority of that operational aspect and I feel like we’ll be much better and we’ll add more value to society that way. I can also take care of myself better!

“That’s why I use the term ‘shift the global paradigm,’ because really what I’m looking at realistically is that the whole world will not go vegan. But I do believe that there will be a major shift to plant-based being 70-80% of what we consume.”

— Chef Matthew Kenney

AM: You touched a little on TV projects that you’re working on. Do you envision doing a TV series or there are so many interesting culinary shows beyond the competition ones that are a travel meets cooking experience. Do you forsee or do you have plans for that?

CHEF MK: We do! I’ve been approached many times over the years for competitions and reality shows and it wasn’t really my thing. I’m more reserved. I’m comfortable on camera, but I don’t have the desire to be on camera. If I can tell a story and make a difference then I’m happy to do it and it’s also good for our company and for exposure. So, I get excited for that reason and the reason that we can make an impact, change habits, and inspire people hopefully. We’re working on 2 shows. 1 is more of a 1-on-1 type of solutions based talk show almost with celebrities and athletes that are looking to become plant-based. I don’t want to drop names, but I have names but I have had experiences with quite a few in the past and we want to do a show like that, because we believe that will be entertaining and the known figures will draw an audience, and people are interested in them, and also they will be influential in changing habits because watchers, viewers will see that and see them taking that initiative and then we’ll support it. I have a really large global network and one of my really good friends is an expert in hydration. It’s simple, but it’s not. So we have a lot of contacts like that that we will bring into the show.

The other one will be more travel. I always loved No Reservations.

AM: Same!

CHEF MK: It would be around food travel and food technology. The innovations in the food space globally. We might go to Finland where someone is creating an alternative protein with air or whatever! But it’s not about running into a laboratory it’s more about another person, what inspires them, what their background is, their local culture and the team that they built. So it will be great. I could drink a bottle of wine with them and who knows. So that will be the 2 shows that I’ll be working on.

It's not out of a desire to be on television. When I was young, Bobby Flay and I used to share a summer home in the Hamptons for 2 or 3 years in a row. He really wanted to be on TV and I really wanted to be behind the scenes. But now that I’m closer to 60, I feel like that I have a story to tell about longevity. It’s not just about people who are older, it’s about preparing for longevity when you’re young. So I think that there is something to tell in this show and to share. There will be cooking involved, but it’s not just that.

AM: I think that is awesome and I would definitely watch something like that.

When you’re cooking for yourself, what are 3 ingredients that you tend to have on hand and feel is so versatile to the dishes that you cook?

CHEF MK: Lemons, good olive oil, and sea salt. It’s not just that, I love Fuji apples, broccoli and greens but Charlotte grows them here so they’re always here. I love having a nice pantry. I love oils and seasoning. I love yuzu. I could give you a really long list but the first things that come to mind is great sea salt, lemons, and olive oil.

AM: As someone who has done so much in this space, have received a number of accolades and you have such a passion for it, what do you want your legacy to be seen as when people look back to the work that you have done?

CHEF MK: It’s not really about me. I don’t care about the legacy of me. But, I do want the work that I have done for so many years, because there are much easier things that I could have done, and I really want that to be able to carry on and to see plant-based to where it should end up. Having it at the center of the plate. I want people to be able to understand it and hopefully, it’s part of our education to kids. We learn the capitals of states, names of countries, algebra, and so forth, but we don’t understand our own bodies where food comes from and I don’t want to see a society that’s ill unnecessarily. I want people to be able to enjoy their lives much longer into their later years and to feel better while they’re young to have more of a productive society and hopefully one that’s also more emotionally balanced because of what foods can do for our well-being. So, I want to do everything that I can to put that momentum out there and to be part of it. That’s my goal. I don’t have any personal aspirations.

AM: As a personal question and one that we have talked about throughout our issues - so many people are talking about gut health and some eat gummies, take supplements, drink tonics etc. From your point of view, what are ingredients or items that people should be eating for their positive gut health.

CHEF MK: I think that most people are dehydrated, including myself because water can get boring and even when we do drink enough water, it’s not always assimilated in the right way – certain types of water, certain types of pH balances. Supplements we can do to kind of cover that. I think that's probably #1. I would say that #2 is chewing food because our digestive system doesn’t have teeth and it’s really critical. Those 2 things, can make such a difference to our digestive system. But then also, some things digest more quickly. We’re not animals so that’s why plants are so valuable. But understanding food combining, and what to layer and not to layer, eating watermelon on top of a big meal for example is not a good idea. Digestion is everything. Removing toxins and potential toxins from our body is everything and it’s critically important. I never thought about it. As young people, we don’t think about it. But when I got into plant-based, I did a cleanse with this really quirky doctor and it just changed my entire digestive system. I felt like I was flying! Ever since then, I have been acutely aware of how my digestion is, what I eat and how it will impact my digestive system. I love sweets, I love ice cream and I indulge. I eat whatever I want. But I’ve trained myself to eat what’s good for me without much effort, because I already like these foods anyway. I’m always excited to walk into a health foods store, but I think that it’s a big subject and it’s definitely everything. Because you can be on the most beautiful place on the planet, gorgeous sunny day, and be on vacation and if you’re digestion is not working properly, you cannot enjoy it!

IG @matthewkenneycuisine

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | This feature + PG 150 63MIX ROUTIN3S - Chef Matthew Kenney

Read the MAY ISSUE #89 of Athleisure Mag and see AT THE CENTER OF THE PLATE | Chef Matthew Kenney in mag.

WITH LOVE AND ATTENTION | CARISSA MOORE

Earlier this year, our FEB ISSUE #86 was covered by Team USA Olympic Gold Medalist and 5X Women's World Surf League Champion, Carissa Moore! Since we spoke to her, she's halfway through the season and at the time of the release of this issue is #2 in the World Surf League, won the Billabong Pro Pipeline as well as most recently, winning the Margaret River Pro in late April!

She is a force on the water and we also enjoy how she gives back to women by empowering them to be who they want to be as they navigate their lives and take on wherever their goals lead them! In the midst of training and making her own goals, we caught up with her to find out about her recent win, the second half of the season and her latest collaboration with Hurley for her May Moore Aloha collection by Hurley.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What did your recent win at Margaret River mean to you?

CARISSA MOORE: It was a very validating and empowering win. It had come after a string of average results that had me questioning my process and formula. I feel like things start to fall into place when I reconnect with what’s most meaningful to me and let go of everyone else’s expectations. It’s very easy to get distracted on the journey and this win was a nice reminder to trust in my preparation, process and believe in my purpose. I love Margaret River and winning with my team there made it really special.

AM: Why do you enjoy being at Margaret River?

CM: It feels like things are more simple in Margaret River. There isn’t a lot of fuss, bells and whistles. People are kind, the towns are small and there is a ton of open space. The nature is raw, the waves are wild, you can still find an empty beach or watch the sunset all by yourself. That is rare. It is a place that brings you back to yourself and the present moment.

AM: What tournaments are you looking forward to this year?

CM: The second half of the WSL Championship Tour season, I am truly looking foward to all of the events but especially Teahupo’o, Tahiti (SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro).

AM: What’s your routine on the morning of your competition?

CM: I wake up around 5am, kiss my husband good morning, make myself a warm drink, activate my body for about 45 mins and then head to the beach for a surf before the first horn blows usually around 8am.

AM: When you finish competing, how do you switch gears into relaxing mode?

CM: I like to relax after competing by taking a hot shower, eating a healthy meal, going for a nice beach walk, reading a book, journaling or putting on a good tv show.

AM: Tell us about your May Moore Aloha collection by Hurley!

CM: This Moore Aloha X Hurley collection is my favorite one yet! Created from start to finish with love and attention to all the details, this collection celebrates Hawaii, femininity and combined woman power. So grateful for the opportunity to work closely with local Hawaiian artist, Aloha de Mele, on all the prints and the incredible team at Hurley Women to create a line that combines function with fashion. It is my goal with every collection to create pieces that spark joy, empower females to feel comfortable and confident while chasing their dreams. To add, one of the things I’m most excited about is this is the first of our collections available in girl sizes!

AM: What does it feel like for your collaboration between Moore Aloha and Hurley to come together like it has?

CM: It is so cool to see my favorite pieces come to life, displayed at my hometown stores and being worn!

AM: What is your process of designing your collection?

CM: I’ll start by sending the Hurley Women’s team “inspo” pics and they’ll create a mood board, pick a variety of prints and colors for me to choose from. Once we nail that down, they’ll create a line up of silhouettes for me to look at. There is a bit of back and forth refining the selection and giving feedback. Then, they will make samples and I get to product test! I’ll send some suggestions until we get the fits just right.

AM: Tell us about your next Moore Aloha event.

CM: I am planning the next Moore Aloha event for this fall on the island of Oahu. Our work focuses on Mental Health, Education, Community Relations, Culture, and Environmental Conservation. Our main goal is to share valuable tools and resources with girls and women to create a positive life driven by passion, fueled by purpose. We integrate the Hawaiian culture to promote mindfulness and community. The ocean and surfing is a tool to empower girls to step outside their comfort zone and live fearlessly. Our welcoming atmosphere allows for open, honest conversation and soulful connections. Some of the activities we include are a tag team event, lei making, yoga, journaling, hula, a beach clean up and surfing. Depending on our group and our focus we will sometimes include a goal setting workshop, CPR and water safety courses, work in the lo’i (taro patches), plant trees, and invite other empowering females to talk and share their inspirational stories.

IG @rissmoore10

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | This feature + 9PLAYLIST PG 118 Hurley

Read the MAY ISSUE #89 of Athleisure Mag and see WITH LOVE AND ATTENTION | Carissa Moore in mag.j

ATHLEISURE MAG #89 | KAI LENNY

In this month’s issue, our front and back cover story is with 8X SUP World Champion, Professional Big Wave Surfer and Waterman, Kai Lenny. We talk with him while he is in Bali to hear about his passion for watersports, his phenomenal career, how he approaches it, his partnerships with Hurley, Red Bull and Go Pro and upcoming projects. We also have a fun interview with 5X World Surf League Women's Champion + Team USA Surfing Gold Medalist, Carissa Moore who was previously a cover earlier this year for the FEB ISSUE #86. We catch up with as she hits the back half of her season coming off her recent win of Margaret River! We talk about the season, how she takes time for herself and her latest collection, Hurley X Moore Aloha. We also caught up with Chef Matthew Kenney who is known as a superstar who has elevated raw vegan, vegan and plant-based meals through restaurants that he has around the world. We talk about how he got into culinary, being a classically trained French chef, how he has applied this to plant-based cuisines, his company Ntidote and a number of his projects that he has coming up! You can also listen to this episode now on Athleisure Kitchen wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. We love this time of year as it's all about festival season and catching your favorite artists. We sat down with EDM DJ/Producer Ferry Corsten who's preparing to drop his album later this year and recently released his single, Connect. We talk about his passion for music, how he creates his music, his music aliases and more. Continuing with music, we took some time to talk to Tom Russell, founder of Governors Ball. We talk about how he got into the festival industry, what led to this NY festival, the move to their new home at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, food/beverage available at this year's event, and After Dark! We will also have a recap in next month's issue and interviews from artists from this festival. We're back for our 7th year as media sponsors for NYC Pride! This month, we talked with Sandra Perez, Executive Director of Heritage of Pride who puts on NYC Pride. We talk about the history behind Pride in NY, how she came to it, highlighting events that are in schedule for this year from Pride Island headlined by Christina Aguilera to The March, how they support the community, Pride Give Back program, and their focus on extending their events throughout the year! Next month, we will recap events that took place during Pride!

This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from last month's APR ISSUE #88 EDM DJ/Producer John Newman and Carissa Moore. This month's 9DRIP comes from guitarist, rapper, singer/songwriter Jesse McFaddin. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise contestant, Danielle Lombard. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from Chef Matthew Kenney as well as Kai Lenny.

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack shares a must-visit to Archer & Goat in NYC. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Filthy Flats and ROOF at Park South. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the MAY ISSUE #89 with Kai Lenny.

BEING THE ECHO | CHEF YIA VANG

There is something about a great meal that allows you to enjoy the flavors, the ambiance and so much more. When the food becomes a gateway to a deeper understanding about the people and culture, it's truly an immersive experience that leaves you with a bigger takeaway.

This month, we're pleased to sit down and chat with Chef Yia Vang, who infuses his passion for food by sharing his love for Hmong food, his parents as well as the people that it comes from. This multi-nominated James Beard Award chef whose restaurant is up for Best Chef: Midwest for a 2nd year in a row, has two restaurants in Minnesota, Union Hmong Kitchen and Vinai. He is also the host of Feral, competed on Iron Chef: Quest for An Iron Legend, hosts his podcast Hmonglish and more. He tells us about the food, his philosphy and the importance of representation.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with food?

CHEF YIA VANG: You know, food and I have a really weird relationship. If you say food in terms of kitchen cooking, I would say that kind of for me, it’s kind of like that high school sweetheart that you started dating and then said, “I don’t know man, I’m going to college and we’re kind of like different people right now.” So I did some other things and then we went through this really weird break up thing where we were together, broke up, and got back together and then like 15 years into it, I said, “I think that I kind of love you!” I might as well put a ring on it! Then, when I got into that mode where it’s like, “hey man, we’re each other’s kind of ride or die right now, huh?”

I always say that about 10 years ago, what happened for me was that I re-fell in love with my first love. I always knew that there was something about working in kitchens. It made sense to me and there was this thing inside of me that it made sense, I just didn’t know why. It took me awhile to figure out my why and once I figured out my why, everything connected and through the hard, the bad, the good, the ugly, and whatever, I knew that this thing made sense.

AM: At what point did you realize that you wanted to be a chef?

CHEF YV: I never – I don’t think that, see I was the dude that grew up saying, I don’t want to do this. I’m not trying to be you the guy who says, don’t give me that title. I really believe that titles are something that you earn and it’s something that is given to you, so I never went out claiming that I wanted to be a chef you know? I knew that I loved to cook, but again, it had to be more than just food and cooking for me. So for me, it was this idea of storytelling. My father is a great storyteller. We always as kids growing up – when he put us to bed or you know, when we would sit down, he would tell us Hmong legends and myths and he was really good at telling stories. So, I found myself as a kid, have you ever seen the movie Big Fish?

AM: I have!

CHEF YV: Yeah, you know how the whole movie, Billy Crudup’s (Jackie, Watchman, Almost Famous) character has weird issues with his father because of the stories that he tells and he doesn’t understand him. That was me growing up because I didn’t understand my father. As I got older, I realized that I am my father and as much as he is a primal storyteller, he can captivate an audience, that was also a part of me. Instead of using pen and paper, a typewriter or a computer, we get to use food as a canvas to tell stories.

AM: What was your journey in terms of where you trained or kitchens that you came up in to get to where you are today?

CHEF YV: I never knew that culinary school was a thing. I didn’t do that and I’m so glad that I didn’t do that. For some people it works! We have chefs that work with us who came from culinary school and they’re incredible you know? I’m one of those people that if my hand touches it, then I can understand it. If I understand how the concept works, then I will be able to do it. My dad, he doesn’t understand English but if you give him a table, he can look at it and reverse engineer it in his brain and he can build it. So for me, that's how I work also. It was just me working in kitchens and I was so young when I started that I was too dumb to realize that what I was doing here, that was very hard. I was just working on my feet for 12 hours and felt that that was what everyone did. I know that I had a sense of what was “kitchen culture,” when I first started, 20 years ago it was like, “hey kid, you just go and you just earn your spot.” Because, that’s just what you do. Don’t try to talk about how you feel. I worked in a lot of kitchens and again, while I was doing it, I never thought that I would actually be doing this. I felt that that was a job, I was doing it at that point to get to the next bigger and better thing.

AM: In preparation in speaking with you, I like reading that you said, that for you, cooking is about intention and interpretation and that that came from your background as a communications major at University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. That struck a chord with me as I was a Telecommunications major at Indiana University and I got that! Can you tell me what you meant by that?

CHEF YV: Again, my first goal in college when I got in, all I cared about and I was kind of a gym rat. I wanted to play football and I wanted to play college football. That meant that you had to be an Exercise & Sports major or you had to be a Science Teacher. Right when I got into Biochem, I was like, “dang this is too hard!” So, I literally changed majors a couple of times and I ended up with communications. In my first class, the professor asked, “what is more important? The interpretation of the message or the intention of the message?” We had this big discussion and she gave us this study and we read that 70% of the people based on this qualitative and quantitative study said that the interpretation of the message is more important than the intention of the message. So as cooks, when we’re cooking food, I can say, “oh yeah, this is what my intention is and this and this.” I want to do it this way, because it should be eaten this way. But if the interpretation of the message isn’t interpreted like that, I think that as cooks, we need to readjust ourselves. That doesn’t mean that we’re changing our values and beliefs in what we’re doing, but we have to say, how do we get the message across? In communication, communication is not a monologue. It's a dialogue between 2 people. So, if I am trying to explain something to someone and they’re not getting it. I have to ask myself, “what do I need to adjust on my end?” I think that we live now and the pendulum swings right? It started with the customer is always right. I think that the pendulum swung to that side and then there’s a whole group of chefs who are like, “F- you! The customer is not always right, and we need to explain our intentionality.” Now, it has swung to the other side and what we’re doing is we’re having guests who are dining with us and they don’t get the food. They pretend that they do because you have to look good in social media. So that’s why for us, that’s why I say, “hey, there’s a happy medium over here.” I want to talk about Hmong food. What makes Hmong food, Hmong food? Even Hmong people, we can’t make a decision and be consistent on what is Hmong food. If our own people can’t figure out what it is, how are cultures from the outside going to be able to figure it out? So for the last 7 years, we have had the pleasure – I call it the pleasure, the pain, and the everything to try to say how do we create guard rails, not rules and guidelines around Hmong food. So yeah, it’s been a pleasure in being able to do that.

AM: It’s great that you said it like that because when I interview chefs that are known for Mediterranean cuisine, Italian, French etc. I will ask questions that focus on foods, ingredients and tastes that are indicative of those culinary styles. But again, in watching your videos and hearing you talk about this food and how you see it, you say that Hmong food is a philosophy, and it involves the people that are woven into the food. That is such a great concept. How important are the people to the food in your opinion?

CHEF YV: It is the most important thing. Our food is our people and our people is our food! When you get a group of people that doesn’t have a home and doesn’t have a country of their own, and they don’t have any kind of “marks of identity,” what they do is gather around food.

Because if you think about food, food is so core to survival right? It’s that thing that keeps us alive. Well of course what keeps us alive and is so core to our survival is the closest things to our hearts. It is for us, the way that we think about food, it’s the same way that some people think about their family. They think about the people that are the closest to them.

You know, when my parents came to America, they had to change the way that they cooked because cooking in the mountains of Laos over woodfire, pots and pans in huts made out of tree barks and bamboo, is different than cooking in a duplex apartment in Wisconsin, you know?

AM: Right!

CHEF YV: They had to change and they had to adapt and to survive the way they did things. The reason why is that they had to raise and take care of their kids! As a kid who’s 5 years old who comes to America and then I eat the food that my mom and dad cooks here in the United States and of course it’s going to be different than where they’re from and have a different flavor and taste! But the heart of it is still the same! What we love talking about is the food that we grew up with is Hmong food because it’s made by Hmong people. It’s Hmong food because it’s touched by Hmong hands. Our people if you can see back from generation to generation, it’s about survival and for the first time, my generation, my group of people as I’m 38, those of us that are here now, all the millennials that are the Hmong kids, this is the first time in a long long time in our history, that we don’t have to worry about uprooting and constantly having to move. We don’t have to worry about war and we don’t have to worry about death. When you have a civilization that doesn’t have to worry about that, they have the ability to grow, to dream and to imagine. They have the ability to wonder. I was just joking with a friend this morning and I told him that I felt like Moana from Disney! I can wonder beyond the reef! I feel like I can ask those questions like mom and dad, what’s beyond the reef? Because everything that I have known is in the reef, but now we’re one of the first generations like myself and my nieces and nephews and those that are younger, they can wonder and talk to themselves and think about this idea of wanting to be an architect – what’s an architect? I want to go into finance, what's finance? All of these things are completely different and it's a whole new world! The reason that we can do that is off the backs of mom and dad who cooked this food for us. I’ll be damned if I look at that and say, “well, I’m going to make a twist on it.” How dare I make a twist on anything? I get to add on to what they do. So that’s the way that I think of Hmong food and that’s the way that we can challenge the way that people think of it. We get a lot of push back here and there. But the truth of the matter is, I think that that is food generally. Isn’t that what it’s about?

We have a big family! So there is that thing of wanting to have something better and being able to sacrifice for it. It’s the same thing that our parents did for us. It’s great that we pay an homage to the old school stuff. I think it’s amazing and I do that all of the time. But to say that this is how we have to be – no, that’s how a civilization or a group of people remain stagnant. We live in a world of advancing forward. For our food company, we always say that our core DNA, our core functional values are 3 words are “moving forward together.”

We got those words and are inspired by them because of my mom and dad’s journey escaping Laos after the war.

My dad always said that as a group of people that lived in the jungle for months and months to escape the murders, the genocide as a group, we always had to keep moving forward together. Move forward together.

The question of why are there melting pots all through the Midwest?

AM: Yup!

CHEF YV: Like go to Dearborn, Michigan. There is a huge Muslim population there. Like Dearborn? Dude, they didn’t go to Dearborn, Michigan because of the weather. St. Paul, Minneapolis, has the largest Hmong population. We didn’t come here because we love the winter. We’re from the hills where it’s sunny and muggy, here it’s -30˚ for 5 months!

We didn’t do that, it was survival! In that connection of survival, especially with food, it connects our humanity together. As much as we are different, we’re not that different. That’s what we choose to tap into. In a society and a world that’s all about the pendulum’s swing where it’s let’s all the be the same or we can’t all be the same – that pendulum continues to swing back and forth to create that dichotomy in this country. I say, “hey, we are different, but we’re not that different.” We can share that with Hmong food. We don’t have to wait for a culture to dub us worthy or to hear our stories. No, we have our stories and if you allow us a little corner of the stage, allow us a little corner of a soapbox, we want to tell you that story.

AM: We have spent the last 2 years trying to get an interview with you because of everything we've seen about you on TV and although we have yet to go to your corner of the world to eat at your restaurants personally, We love the messaging and awareness that you do through your food. It’s an honor to be talking with you right now.

CHEF YV: Thank you so much! That means so much! At the end of the day, I have these college buddies of mine and we’re so tight and they always ask, how do you keep it together and I’m like, “I don’t know, I hang out with you idiots!” I tell them that they keep reminding me that I’m just a Wisconsin boy that still doesn’t really know what he’s doing. I love that you know? I love going home and my mom – I remember the first year that we got our first James Beard Award nomination and I was so excited and told her. She was like, “that’s nice honey. Just take the trash out when you leave.”

AM: Haha well that’s the Midwest in us!

CHEF YV: Oh yeah, that is! I remember last year when we were finalists and I was explaining to my mom what it is and she was like, “oh, does everyone in Minnesota get one of these?” And I’m like, yeah, yeah mom sure haha! It’s like bless her heart you know? I feel very very honored to be here and to be able to do all of these things, the TV and it’s such an honor to be part of all of these things.

AM: You’re the chef/owner of Union Hmong Kitchen. Like you said, it was a James Beard Award nominated semifinalist, tell me about this restaurant and what are 3 dishes that we should try on our next visit?

CHEF YV: For sure, we have all of these things going on and we’re very blessed that Union Hmong Kitchen started as this tiny little pop up tent thing at Farmer’s Markets. We always say that Hmong food consists of 4 elements. We don’t say that Union Hmong Kitchen is authentic Hmong food. We don’t say that. It’s a gateway to understanding our people and our food. So we always have the following. Think of meats and three. We always talk about that. It’s the best way to communicate with people especially Southerners when you’re talking about meats and three.

So Hmong food consists of 4 elements. There’s a protein, there’s some kind of rice – it’s either jasmine rice, sticky rice and then you have some kind of vegetable. Sometimes our vegetable is in a broth or sometimes it’s just a vegetable. The 4th element is a hot sauce and there has to be a hot sauce. So when you come to Union Hmong Kitchen, that’s what you’re going to get. You get to pick your meat – your protein and you have your sticky rice – we have purple sticky rice which is historically connected to Hmong people and then you pick a vegetable side. Sometimes it’s a noodle or straight up right now it’s Brussel Sprouts or something and we’ll change it up since Spring is coming. Then we have a couple of different hot sauces that we traditionally grew up eating. So it’s meat and threes, it’s dealers choice.

What we’re very proud of is the Hmong sausage that we created. It is a recipe that my dad showed me growing up. It wasn’t like he taught it to me. He made it and I watched. As I grew older, I would say, “hey dad, can we try that?” We won a couple of awards with it and it’s funny. Again, I told my dad, I mean we’re from the Midwest so you have all of these sausages since it’s sausage central and I said we won it with the Hmong sausage that he created. I brought the trophy to my dad and he was like, “really they liked that silly recipe?” I was like, well this is in your honor I guess! To me, that’s a very very special thing. It’s part of dad’s legacy. We’re to the point with that where a really great Eastern European sausage company, they now make this for us with our recipe. It’s the coolest thing ever to see a Hmong recipe being made in a Ukrainian family which is almost a 70 years old company here.

AM: Oh wow!

CHEF YV: Yeah, you know what I’m saying? How amazing is that?

Nick, the son who is the owner, he’s just like, this is one of our best sellers here. A Ukrainian family making a Hmong sausage which they love themselves using and now it’s in Twin Stadium and now we’re trying to get it out to local shops and stuff like that.

AM: That’s really cool.

CHEF YV: Exactly, so me and Nick are talking together and with everything going on in Ukraine – all the refugees in Ukraine and all the war in Ukraine. I’m talking to him and I understand that as a kid who is a refugee and comes from war too. It’s different parts of the world and yet again, we’re very different, but we’re not different.

That was a tangent but yes, we have Hmong sausage and we worked very hard on our pork belly. Obviously, we have the chicken, and our tofu is good as well! Again, I don’t want to say, these are our 3 dishes, just come in – but we do have what we call the Graze Feast! For me, it came from when we were very poor in college. But when all of the dudes scraped all of our money together, we would pitch in and we would go to Famous Dave’s and we would get the Trash Can Lid BBQ. Do you know what I’m talking about?

AM: Yeah I have had friends who went there!

CHEF YV: Yeah so basically, you get the highlights of the menu on a trash can lid and Famous Dave’s still has that. So this is an homage to that and we call it the Graze Feast. It’s served on a bamboo rice basket. We lay it out on a banana leaf and we put everything on it and it’s like the best of both worlds. If you’re 4 people, I tell them to get it because it is the bang for the buck. You get the whole tour and secondly, you also get a whole fried fish on there too. We have a fried Bronzino fish that we throw on there and that’s another mom and dad classic. My mom loves cooking a whole fish and deep frying and grilling it for dad. Dad just sits there and lives his best life now. His favorite thing that he loves to do when he has the whole fish and all of the sauces on it, if his grandkids are around, he likes to pick off all the meat and to put it on their plates so that they don’t have to fuss with it.

AM: That’s really cute!

CHEF YV: It is. Apparently for King Crab as my nieces and nephews love it, he takes them out of their shell and for shrimp, he peels it for them. I look at them and I stare at them in their eyes and I say, “you don’t know what struggle is kid!” We used to have to pick our own meat and now they’re living it up, those Gen Z kids!

AM: True, but that’s a food memory! They’ll be 20/30 years old and every time they eat that, they will remember what their grandfather would do for them.

CHEF YV: Yup and Kimmie, they’re going to all be soft! They’ll complain that they have to pick it off themselves.

AM: You also opened up Vinai. What does that name mean and I love this residency concept and we’d love to know more about it.

CHEF YV: Over the last summer, we had the chance to run this residency. Vinai again has been that problem child. I love it so much, but they don’t sleep and it cries all of the time. We struggled a lot with the financing to get that building going. So the last 6 months has been an exciting time for us as we can now visually see that this is coming together the way that we thought. My parents always taught me this idea. You don’t just sit there and sulk when there is a problem. My dad always says that you work the problem and you keep moving forward. My mom said that when they were in the refugee camp, it wasn't with us. They had to live everyday and just continue to move forward.

So we said that Vinai wasn’t really about a building. It’s about the people, it’s about the food. So what we have been able to do with Vinai, is to do this residency. After COVID, there were spaces that were open and they were looking for partnerships – a lot of bars, cocktail rooms, etc. They were like, frick, we have to figure something out to get people back and to get butts in seats. So we connected with some of our friends that had these places and partnered up. So we started these residencies so that we could give people a glimmer of what Vinai would be.

Vinai Is the name of the refugee camp that my parents met in ’77, they got married in ’78, I was born in ’84 and as a family, we left there in ’88.

AM: Oh wow!

CHEF YV: Oh yeah, they were there for 10 years. So Vinai from 1975 to 1992, hosted about 90,000 refugees. Out of those 90,000 refugees, 90% of them were Hmong people. And all of those Hmong people who came through Vinai, ended up in the Midwest – all over from Ohio to Wisconsin, Kansas City and Minnesota. So mom said to us, Vinai is not where our story ended, but is where our story started.

So Vinai, the current brick and mortar that we are working on right now, is a love letter to my mom and dad. It is their legacy captivated in a menu, in a building that has a specific design. Vinai is also one of those things that as we were growing up, as Hmong kids, we would talk to each other and ask which camp you were in. It was a way that we would identify with each other. To the white kids that heard us, they didn’t get it that we were born in a camp somewhere that was a summer camp. We’re like, “yeah it’s a summer camp, but not really – you don’t know when you’re going and you don’t get letters.” I just wanted to be able to make these names that we grew up with to become very normal just like if someone says Washington, D.C., Seattle, and NYC. In American culture, we know those names. I wanted to take the name Vinai outside of the Hmong vernacular and conversation so that it becomes part of majority culture. So when people talk about Vinai, I get to talk about mom and dad. I get to talk about the war and how they suffered for 10 years and not knowing as it was a stop gap for all of these Hmong people – 90,000 refugees. The Thai government didn’t want anything to do with them. The US government didn’t want them to come in because of issues regarding refugees. To claim these refugees would be claiming that the US was at war and there was a secret war in Laos that the US had won, but people didn’t know and there was a deal that was made with all of the people that fought. Fought like my father that regardless of what happened, that he would be able to come to America and get free citizenship because he fought for the US government. Then that conversation became one that people said that that didn't happen.

So there was denial in that. So all of that was going on during those years and just a little name, we can talk about that.

So that’s what it means and the dishes that we get to do in there, it comes from mom and dad’s table. Now is it going to be exactly like there’s? Absolutely not. I don’t think that our mom and dad would want us to do that. I know that they don’t want us to do that. My mom has said don’t make it like this, add your touch to it, but this will always be a part of you. We get to showcase our chefs and we have some incredible chefs. The majority of our chefs aren’t Hmong. We always talk about that and I’m very clear. Hilltribe, our mother company, is not about Hmong people just for Hmong people. If you look at the history of the word Hilltribe, those were the tribes of the people that lived in the mountains. It was the people that nobody wanted, the people that they said were the low people and they were not wanted by others. I couldn’t imagine living off of the mountains. I told all of our staff that we were the people that when people said that we were cooks or working in kitchens that we weren’t going to amount to much. It’s where a lot of the troubled kids go to right? It’s that culture mentality, the never will – so I tell them, we need to prove them wrong. What happens when a group of people come together and say we’re going to change the way that we live. We're going to deal with mental health issues, we’re going to deal with substance abuse and deal with all of this stuff. We’re not going to run away anymore from this. That’s why our company is called Hilltribe and we always say, cook from who you are. I don't expect you to be a Hmong cook. But I do want you to love your background, your culture and to love all of that as much as I love being Hmong. To my Mexican brothers and sisters who work with us, I want them to dig into that. To my Ecuadorian brothers and sisters, I want you to dig into that. To Tony who is Chinese, I want you to dig into that Tony. So Hilltribe isn’t just Hmong for everyone, it’s a place where the people can come – the outcasts and the broken can come in and show people what a group of broken people as they come together can go and reach out for more broken people and to create a place of refuge.

That’s why at Hilltribe, our restaurants have to be out more than just the food. If we're only all about food, then all we're going to do is just have pats on the back and accolades so that magazines can write about us. But it has to be more than just that.

So that’s the culture of what we’re driving, but everything comes from mom and dad. Our kitchen table was always open to anybody. If mom was making dinner, she didn’t care what color you were, what you were socioeconomically, or your background. You always had a place at that table. I learned that watching them. I want to be able to continue to do that for all of our restaurants.

AM: That sounds amazing and just doing that is a lot. Yet, you are constantly on so many different TV shows. You have Relish the PBS show which is a great look at the culinary cultural heritage of a number of people who are in the Twin Cities. Such a great concept and are you working on another season of this?

CHEF YV: Yeah we actually are next week! This time instead of doing these 10mins vignettes where we stitch together all of those 10 mins to create an entire show, we’re going to do full episodes. So we’re starting on Mon and it’s Relish but they call it a Relish 2.0. I think that the show is so much fun especially being in the Twin Cities. It's great to engage with people and the show is so much fun. We’ve been super blessed to be on so many different media outlets and many different shows.

I can always tell because I will get stopped you know in public once in awhile and they’ll say, “I love your show!” I can always tell by the age of the person who’s saying it, what show they are talking about. It’s like, are you talking about the Outdoor one, are you talking about Netflix or our feature on Bon Appetit or whatever? It’s always that age group that’s at 62 or above you know it – it’s PBS, public television. Prime time on public television is Sun at 2pm. So when they’re saying it, I know you’re talking about Relish. They’re so funny. They always think that we filmed it last week and we just put it on. So they’ll say, that I was talking about a certain restaurant and they’ll describe it to me and I know it was 2 years ago. They'll say that it sounds good and they should go visit it and I have to tell them that with the pandemic, they had to close.

AM: Right!

CHEF YV: Yeah and they’re like, “but the episode was last week!” So I have to explain to them how TV works and how production works. It’s always fun and that one I really love. My agent is always really funny about it. She’s LA and she’s always focused on getting the best deal. I love her and I get what her job is. She’s like, there’s no pay in that and she doesn’t want me to do things where she feels that I am not getting my worth. I’m like, Lauren, I love this and the producers Amy and Brittany they’re always great to work with and initially the concept was that my mom and I would cook together, but when the idea was pitched, they let me know that they wanted me to host this show for 6 episodes. People ask me where I went for my media training and I tell them that I learned at PBS. I was very blessed and the producers and directors are amazing. I love them and now with this other season coming up, we’re growing it and it’s going to be really big.

AM: That’s awesome! Last summer I enjoyed seeing you on Netflix’s Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend. I’m a huge Iron Chef fan so seeing you on Quest, I was like, what?

CHEF YV: That show was incredible!

You know, first of all, I was just dumbfounded that Gabriela Cámara was standing next to me. Dude, in my mind, I was like, don’t fanboy man. Act like you have been here before, be professional. In my head, I was like, “I love you!” She’s the sweetest lady ever. Very small and petit, but huge personality! She gives me a big hug and after we were done, she hugs me and whispers in my ear, “yeah, I didn’t want to cook against you, I wanted to cook with you.”

AM: Nice!

CHEF YV: I thought oh wow, could we record that for everyone so that everyone can understand that she said that to me and I didn’t make it up? It was amazing and it was a great time! We filmed it in the midst of the pandemic.

So as a group, and as a restaurant, we were like, we need this win. Not like to actually win it, but to be there and to do this for fun and to celebrate together. It was incredible and the response from it globally, was incredible. Hmong people from all over the country and there’s a group of Hmong people that ended up in France because of French colonization in Southeast Asia. One of my favorite things is that I got a DM from a young Hmong lady who lives outside of Paris.

She said, “hi I want you to know that I’m Hmong. We watched the show because my boyfriend is a huge Dominique Crenn fan and she was on there. When I was scrolling through there, I saw you and your name and I thought to myself, I think he’s Hmong. When I watched that episode and that first introduction, by no means of me doing anything, I cried because it was the first time that I saw our people on this global level.” She continued by saying, “my boyfriend’s French, I’m disconnected from my culture and I felt so proud being Hmong at that time. I looked at my boyfriend and I said to him that’s our people, that’s our story. She told me that being in France, they don’t talk about Hmong people.”

It was a global thing. There were Hmong people in Australia that DM’d us letting us know that they loved sharing the episode with their friends to let them know about our people. That to me, I’m not a huge competition TV person. I knew that when Netflix came and they had that offer, we had to do it and we were doing it, we would do it the Hmong way. We were going to do Hmong food on there. Even though some of the producers wanted us to be more global, we told them that we were sticking with Hmong food. I knew going in that we probably wouldn’t win. I didn’t care, just being on there was a win for us! As chefs, we were like, “dude, if we beat Gabriela Cámara then we know that this was rigged!” That was amazing and it was fun to be part of that and to be in that Iron Chef family.

AM: You also have Feral! Congratulations on the 1st season and I know you’re renewed for the 2nd season as well which drops later this year.

CHEF YV: I don’t mean to interject, but we’re actually just shooting season 3.

AM: What?

CHEF YV: Yeah, I leave in 10 days to start shooting season 3!

Season 2 was all filmed this fall right before the beginning of winter. But I’m leaving in a couple of weeks here to shoot season 3. The 3rd season was renewed about a month and a half ago. I think that they have all the creatures down and the locations down. They just need to clear up a couple of them. I’m really excited about that.

I tell my team that filming wise, I need about 8 weeks a year to do filming projects. 10 months out of the year, I’m there, I’m a restaurant guy. We train and we have an incredible team that takes care of business. They take care of everything while I’m gone which is the equivalent of 8 or 9 weeks.

There are some creatures coming up where I’m like, ok holy crap. I have no idea how I’m going to handle that, but I will just have to get it done. There’s some freaky stuff where I’m like – frick!!! Season 2 was pretty crazy, we had some freaky moments where I was like, what the hell am I doing here? It was amazing and season 1 was awesome. I learned a lot from season 1 to season 2 and heading into season 3. Sometimes you learn that nature doesn’t go along with filming production crews. You just have to say, ok, I'm trapping a beaver right now. The beaver literally looks like an overgrown rat and I have to skin and cook it up. It has some weird teeth looking at me, it’s 40lbs and it’s heavy, and it smells like wet dog. You gotta do it!

AM: What drew you to the show? It’s an interesting concept, you have these animals that are invasive in the environments that they are in. You learn how to trap them and then you cook them. What was it about this that made you want to host this show for all these seasons?

CHEF YV: So, here’s a couple of things. Before I get into anything, I always ask myself, what am I doing? First of all, I will be very very honest. I have been very honest about this. When you think of Outdoor, you think of white dudes, hillbilly hicks, hunters that lean towards the right. When you think of the Outdoor Channel, you know the persons that you’re thinking of, right?

AM: Yes.

CHEF YV: I get that. To be completely honest, some of the media stuff that we did for Outdoor - this is a media outlet. We live in a world and a country where it’s ok to have different perspectives. Right away I knew that this was different. Most of them have never heard of Hmong people. They have never heard of the Hmong story. They never heard about the fact that if you want to talk about patriotism, the Hmong people like my dad at a young age, was contracted out by the US government and trained by the CIA and Special Forces to fight in the mountains of Laos for American interests. They were patriots before ever being guaranteed any citizenship to the US. So when you have people who are saying, true citizenship and patriotism, my father is one of those. He loved America so much that he risked his life to fight for America not even knowing if he would ever come to America. I get to talk about that, the whole intro of our show is about that.

At the end of the day, the idea that going out into the woods, the jungle to some waterway and finding whatever invasive creature is out there to harvest and to hunt them, and cooking them – that is what they do in the mountains of Laos. Lizards, bats, sparrows, weird looking eels, and fish. That’s what my parents did. That’s what my dad did as a boy. I get to do what our people have been doing for thousands and thousands of years. I get to do that and there is a show about it. While others might think that it’s weird or gross, eating an iguana or a lizard for Hmong people in the mountains of Laos, it’s not eww or gross, it’s actually a Tuesday. That’s the protein that they can get. Having pork and beef, that’s a luxury. Saying you have pork to us, that’s amazing that’s a celebration!

AM: Like you said, it’s about survival and what you have that is in abundance to you. There are dishes that can support this if this is what you have in order to nourish your body. It’s important to juxtapose that and let people know that this is not just something that happens in other parts of the world, but in various parts of the US as well. Either by necessity or people simply enjoying it.

CHEF YV: I also think that what I am trying to say to the audience is this, look at home, you may make Chicken Dumpling Soup, but now, we’re making Squirrel Dumpling Soup. You’re just changing the protein out. Again, we’re different, but we’re not that different. Because the base to both of these things is still the base. The reason why you use chicken is because it’s easier to get chicken at your store. Why is Darrel from Southern Illinois using squirrels? Because that is in his backyard and the closest grocery store is an hour away. This isn’t him trying to be cool and to use it as a shock factor, he’s using that squirrel because there are plenty of squirrels that have been gnawing on those frickin’ acorns and they have that extra thick hind quarters, you know what I’m talking about? Like 3c’s kind of thick.

AM: Squirrels are vicious!

CHEF YV: Yeah like if that squirrel had yoga pants on its ass would be turning heads kind of thing. That’s delicious! We’re still talking about squirrels right?

AM: So in addition to your work in TV, you also have your podcast Hmonglish. It focuses on people, culture and Asian excellence. How does it feel to use your platform in this way, but also to talk about people that you also want to highlight?

CHEF YV: Prior to Hmonglish, we had this little podcast called White on Rice. We were interviewing all these people from Minneapolis and it was kind of our way to counter not being able to hang out and be with people during COVID. So, we thought, we’d bring people in a room that were 6' away from us so that people could hear what they were doing. It was cool because people enjoyed and felt that they were getting to meet all all of these people because of our longform podcast. We weren’t really smart about anything. But then when we really started thinking about it, Hmonglish came from when we were growing up, we would speak to our parents in Hmong but then there would be these English words. So if I was asking for a computer, I would say it in Hmong but then would say computer in English. So the Hmong kids, we just started calling in Hmonglish. I noticed that what Hmonglish really meant was this beautiful collision of 2 cultures. When you have 2 cultures collide, you’ve created a 3rd culture and in that culture, you’re trying to make sense of what it means. When you create a new culture, you’re trying to figure out what the norms are. You’re trying to figure out how to speak another language like for example you do fashion and all of that stuff, so when like Hip-Hop culture struck mainstream culture, there was this 3rd culture that was created right? Because mainstream had this culture where everything was formal and you enunciate very clearly and then you have Hip-Hop culture that hit it and that was more of a go with the flow and you had this different flowage and then it’s like does mainstream culture become Hip-Hop culture? Is Hip-Hop culture mainstream culture? Or how does mainstream culture affect Hip-Hop culture or does Hip-Hop culture become more diluted? There’s all these questions and all of these conversations.

The same thing with Hmong people or Hmong Millennials who either came to this country really young like I did or was born in this country. The Hmong Gen Z. I was born, I’m an American, but man, I’m still Hmong. How does this work? So we just had all of these Hmong guests come in who straddle these different cultures and who talk about their experiences.

Like Xee Reiter is a good friend of mine and is an incredible, incredible artist. Water painting, water color – all of that stuff. Her husband is white and they have been married for 15 years and she’s talking through that. We’re talking to another friend of mine, Pahoua Yang Hoffman who is the Senior Vice President of Government & Community Relations of one of the largest healthcare provider here. She’s an executive and she's Hmong. What does it mean to be an executive and you're rolling with all of the big boys that make the decisions that are billions of dollars. How do you do that not only as a woman but as Hmong? There are all of these expectations like Hmong women are docile and submissive – how do you navigate that? It’s such an incredible podcast and we dig deep into that.

We have these incredible guests such as Lee Pao Xiong who is the foremost and knowledgeable Hmong historian of our people. He traced our people back to 7,000 years in China. So, talking to him and listening to what he has to talk about in the Hmong stories and in our culture. It helped me understand that this is where we come from. We get to share that with a huge audience group. And again, we have gotten some really incredible responses. People DM our producer and it’s one of those things that I want to be able to put some really good production value on it so we spent a few good pennies on it to make the production value really well. We believe that in doing something beautiful, we want to make it great. We also know that for Hmong people sometimes, it’s just about getting the product out there, it’ll be good. We were like, no, we’re in a world where looks matter, the way it sounds and how it’s put together strategically – it’s been really cool!

AM: That is amazing and just looking at the accolades, the restaurants, the awards, being a TV personality, being a host, having your podcast and I’m sure you have a ton of other things that you have coming up as well, what do you want your legacy to be seen as?

CHEF YV: Honestly and I mean this with all of my heart, I actually don’t want to be seen in terms of a legacy. There is no legacy here. It’s mom and dad’s legacy. I am merely a mirror that reflects them. I want people to look at what we do and then I want them to be driven by these 2 people. My mom and my dad who are in their 70s, who are grandparents, who live in the suburbs, they have a little plot of land where they have a small farm where all of their produce comes to our restaurant – no money asked, no money put down.

AM: Wow!

CHEF YV: All they want to do is that they want us to live a life where they knew that they could never have. But they want us want us to live it. So that’s all it is. I want people to look at what we do and I want to direct them back to my mom and dad.

So the reason why is this. Last year I won when I was a nominee and then a finalist, my sister is a therapist. She’s the family therapist. But she always therapizes the whole family and I don’t even know if that’s a real word, but I always say that. I’m pretty sure she called my mom and explained to her what the James Beard is and what that honor meant. Because my mom wouldn’t know that by herself. When mom called me randomly that night after it was announced, to say that I was so proud of you, I was like, oh my sister called you.

I’m driving home from work and I’m pretty drained and tired. She congratulated me and said that she was so proud of me. She told me that she wanted to tell me a story that she felt a little ashamed to tell me. She said her plan was not to tell us kids about it until she was on her death bed as she felt ashamed about it. She said that when she was younger, she was caught and put in this war prison. She said that they were in there for a year. It was the worst time ever. There was no food. Communist propaganda would come in and say, just leave your family and marry a Communist man and forget your life. There was not enough food for the children, kids were dying and her first husband was killed. Her babies were all taken away and she said that it was the worst thing possible. We grew up in a Christian household, so when she was there, she told me that every morning she woke up in that camp and she would pray to God that he would let her die as an act of mercy. She felt that life was so tough, that the only way that she thought that she could escape is to die. She wanted to die, every morning she wanted to die. She said that one morning she woke up and she had that same prayer asking for God to let her die that day. She said that what was different in that morning was that there was a voice inside her heart and that that little voice said to her that, “I’m not going to let you die, because I have great plans for your children. They are going to change the world. They will do big things so I’m going to need you to survive a little longer and I’m going to need you to push forward a little longer.” She said that when she heard that my name is among the names of all of these great people in the country and you were one of the best, and they were looking to you for leadership, “I knew in that moment that it made sense. That moment 50 years ago made sense. That’s why God didn’t let me die in that camp and I can hear that today.”

I don’t know Kimmie, when you hear things like that, for me, everything changed. For me, it was no longer about this legacy that I was going to leave, it’s them. Somebody suffered, somebody went through pain, somebody went through a war camp – talk about trauma. To live on a glimmer of a hope that one day your children, to know that there is a special plan for your children and I need you to go through all of this to take all of this and one day you’re going to see it.

AM: Wow.

CHEF YV: That’s it, I don’t give a shit about my legacy. I don’t want to be known. I love these interviews. I get to talk about them. Do you know why I do this TV stuff? I don’t want to be a TV star, it’s too much bullshit in it. I do that so that people can look at it and say wow, we have to go to this restaurant, wow we want to know more about his mom and dad, we want to know more about their story. I’m just an echo. If there is a word about legacy, I want to be an echo of them. That’s it, hands down. The rest of the stuff is just little details.

AM: I have never talked to someone where in every facet of everything that you do, is paying homage to your parents, your people and how it is ingrained in every single thing. I’ve never talked to someone who has just been so authentically that.

“That’s it, I don’t give a shit about my legacy. I don’t want to be known. I love these interviews. I do that so that people can look at it and say wow, we have to go to this restaurant, wow we want to know more about his mom and dad, we want to know more about their story. I’m just an echo. If there is a word about legacy, I want to be an echo of them.”

— Chef Yia Vang

CHEF YV: We were interviewing PR groups and one of them said, “yeah the whole family thing and culture – that’s your schtick.” I was very angry and I wanted to say F- you dude. If you think that this is a schtick, I don’t think that you're the right people for me to work with. This isn’t a schtick man, this is life. There’s going to be chefs that come out and out cook us, great - awesome - good for you. But they’re not going to tell our story better then us. I live this and I will die this, you know? I don’t give a crap. I will live in the basement of wherever to keep everything at low cost so that we can put all of our funding into making this work. I want you to know that I am the first to make all of the sacrifices. I’m the first to inject my own personal money when we can’t get payroll going for last month. We’re going to do that and there’s no amount of cost that I wouldn’t do and we’re going to do this.

That’s the thing that I want to be able to teach our chefs on our team. Find something in your life that you’re that passionate about. I don’t care what it is. Find it and work for it, fight for it in the same way just like mom and dad. To this day, they still do that. They’re retired, we’re all adults. They don’t have to do that. We have our own lives and we do our own thing. They still on my frickin’ birthday gives me $100 and he’s like, this is for gas. I’m like, what and he tells me that he wants to make sure I have enough in my car. They’re still warring for us! It never stops and I think that they’re heart has this go go nature. I look at my father and I don’t give a crap, I had a great example of what a man is, what a good father is, what a good man is and I tell people.

How do you know what it means to be a good man? Look at my father. If I can be quarter of who he is, how he takes care of us, how he loves us, how he fought a war to get us here – if I can be a quarter of that, if I can be a good husband one day and hopefully to be a good dad one day – that’s who I’m looking to!

My mom ferociously loves us. She never gives up on us. When I visit her, she always tells me that she’s praying for me and the restaurant. She says it constantly and even when I want to give up on myself and say that I’m done, she’ll pull me aside and say, “hey, this too shall pass. It’s ok.” This is coming from someone who sat in a war camp as prisoners and tells me that it will pass. She has seen it all, she has seen hell, she has seen evil. She still says that it will will pass. In COVID, they looked at us and said it was ok and it would pass. She said that they had been through things like this before. They never panicked about COVID. I love it, that’s my parents. Like I said before, the food is just the tip of the iceberg. There is something deeper and richer here.

I really appreciate media outlets like yours that want to dig into that. Like we have the easy and low hanging fruit like culture, being all about family and if you want to do a 500 word piece on that, that’s great and we can do that too. But for those that sit there and say that they’re going to sit down for 2 hours and hear about this, I’ll go deep man! I’ll go deep deep into this!

AM: We have a lot of stories and we love sharing them!

CHEF YV: It’s awesome to see the different kinds of groups of people that are there. There’s also people there that I admire myself and I’m like oh that’s awesome! So I felt all fanboy like yeah!

IG @yiavang70

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 30, 52, 55, 56 + PG 132 63MIX ROUTIN3S Eliesa Johnson | PG 33 - 34 + PG 132 3MIX ROUTIN3S Courtesy of Chef Yia Vang | PG 38 - 44 Netflix | PG 48 Outdoor Channel/Feral | PG 51 TJ Turner Photograpahy PG 58 Emilie Ann Szabo |

Read the APR ISSUE #88 of Athleisure Mag and see BEING THE ECHO | Chef Yia Vang in mag.

SUSTAINABILITY IS KEY | DANIELLE LOMBARD

It's always great to enjoy something that has added benefits to help others! With Earth Day being this month and an ongoing focus on sustainability, we connected with Danielle Lombard who we were first introduced to on the 21st season of The Bachelor and again when she was on season 4 and 5 of Bachelor in Paradise. In addition to being on the show, Danielle is focused on sustainability and doing what is necessary to benefit the Earth in a number of ways. We talk about how we can be sustainable in a number of ways as well as her partnership with Astral Tequila through their This Round's For The House which supports the Adobe Brick Project. She shares how we can participate and how it benefits Jalisco, Mexico.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You’re very passionate about sustainability. How have you incorporated that into your life and why is that so important to you?

DANIELLE LOMBARD: I’m really passionate about sustainability just because, I have a very deep appreciation for nature and I think that over the last few years, I have become really aware of the negative impact that we have on it. Especially during the lockdown and COVID, I bought a National Park pass and I was driving around to all of the National Parks. I just realized that this is something that I love so much and that I don’t want to lose it. So what are the things that I could do at home to help diminish my footprint. I think that I do that because I compost all my food waste now, I shop consignment and vintage as much as possible, I upcycle when I can and I just try to join a lot of neighborhood recycling programs – recycling my empty beauty products and supporting sustainable brands such as Astral.

AM: We love that. For someone who has not started their journey and maybe overwhelmed as there are so many things to do and ways to go about it, they may be looking for easy or simple ways that they can get to the starting line. What would you suggest to them?

DL: I mean I always tell my friends just "re" as much as you can in recycle as possible – as much as you can! I mean, I bring my reusable bags to the grocery store as opposed to getting a plastic bag. I can just use my reusable shopping totes. I always carry around my refillable water bottle instead of buying a plastic water bottle. And if you’re out and about, you can always ask for your bartender to make you a cocktail with Astral so that you’re supporting a good cause.

AM: Tell us about the Adobe Brick Project. I think that it’s really interesting and that they are building homes in Jalisco, Mexico. In addition to tell us about this, why did you want to partner on this with them?

DL: As you know, I love sustainability and I try to implement those practices as much as possible. Astral asked me to be part of their Earth Day initiative which is promoting the This Round's For The House, which is all the bottles that are being purchased are going towards the Adobe Brick Project. With that, they are using all of the upcycled adobe bricks to create homes is Jalisco, Mexico which is where their tequila is produced. So, I like that they are giving back to their community. This Earth Day, Astral is going to announce that they have 10 homes being built right now.

AM: That’s amazing and it’s really cool to see that by enjoying your favorite tequila shot or cocktail you can assist in this initiative. I’m assuming that you have a favorite recipe as well!

DL: I do! I did a trip with them in Joshua Tree which was wonderful! We had a mixologist help us create cocktails based on our signs. So, I’m a Capricorn and I’ve been addicted to this cocktail ever since. It’s called the Saturn Moon. It’s with Astral Tequila Blanco, fresh lime juice, agave, ginger beer which is one of my favorite mixers and then we also muddled a handful of fresh blueberries!

AM: That sounds really refreshing!

DL: It’s amazing and one of the favorite drinks that we had!

AM: I’m a Virgo and even I would want to drink that one!

DL: Ok, I’m a Virgo Moon! The blueberries were really a nice touch.

AM: We enjoyed seeing you on The Bachelor and The Bachelor in Paradise. What was your biggest takeaway from your time on the show?

DL: Oh wow, I think that for me, going into it, I had recently gotten out of a very unhealthy relationship where I was very codependent on this person and spent several years building up their career and life. When I left, it was just this process of rediscovering myself. I validated the fact that I was glad to leave the relationship and that it was a good decision. I left with a new sense of independence and who I was as a person and what my values were. I also left with some of the most amazing friends that I now talk to every single day!

AM: That’s amazing. We always love when we interview people whether they were competing or they were The Bachelor/Bachelorette, we just had Michelle Young a few months ago and we always like talking about the group chats and who’s in it. Who are the people you talk to?

DL: Oh yeah! It’s pretty wild because after you get off this show, it’s such a unique experience. It’s really nice to have those group chats to share what you’re going through right now, because no one else really knows. Even in past seasons, everything from each house there is always some tea that happens, but I talk to Raven, Alexis and Jasmine. Those are my core girls that I’m still friends with every day. I just had a canceled flight in Dallas and I went over to Alexis’ house and spent the night.

We're always on a mission to find our next favorite cocktail and Danielle's Saturn Moon, sounded refreshing. We're going to share with you the recipe for Saturn Moon and whatever your horiscope is, Astral has a series of Astralogical recipes for you that's in line with your sign or your tastebuds.

SATURN MOON

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

1.5oz Astral Tequila Blanco

.5oz Fresh Lime Juice

.5oz Agave Nectar

A Handful of Blueberries

Ginger Beer

HOW TO MAKE IT

Combine first three ingredients into a cocktail shaker and muddle lightly. Add ice, shake and strain into an ice filled glass and top with Ginger Beer.

IG @daniellellombard

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Andrew Ho

Read the APR ISSUE #88 of Athleisure Mag and see SUSTAINABILITY IS KEY | Danielle Lombard in mag,

ATHLEISURE MAG #88 | JOHN NEWMAN

In this month’s issue, our front and back cover story is with EDM DJ/Producer, singer/songwriter, and composer, John Newman. We talk with him after the release of his latest single, Hold On To My Love which he released at Tomorrowland Winter as a Tomorrowland artist. We talk about how he got into the industry, how he stays creative and his upcoming Tomorrowland Brazil performance later on this year! From a DJ/Producer, we go to Jesse McFaddin of RIZE and The Bonez. Jesse is a singer/songwriter, composer, guitarist, rapper, philanthropist, and fashion designer in Japan. We talk with him about his passion for music, his creative process, and upcoming projects that he is involved in. We love gaining various perspectives through food and this month, we sit down with Chef Yia Vang who shares his love of Hmong food, is a chef/owner of Union Hmong Kitchen and Vinai, is a TV Personality and host of Feral and is a multi-nominated James Beard Award winner. We talk about his success and trailblazing is an homage to his parents legacy, creating a safe space for his team to be able to add themselves into the landscape and the importance of identity. We love a good comfort meal and one that we can order ahead so that we can always have it is even better! We talk with the founders of MiLa who are known for their soup dumplings that ship nationwide. We talk about how this brick-and-mortar business included shipping their dumplings across the nation during the pandemic, their growing assortment and bringing Marvel's and upcoming Barbie star, Simu Liu onto their team as their Chief Creative Officer.

We also catch up with Case Walker who starts in HBO's The Other Two. We talk about the parallels between himself and his character as well as how he takes time for himself when he is bouldering and rock climbing. We always enjoy catching up with those in Bachelor Nation and this month we talk with season 21's Danielle Lombard. We talk about sustainability and the role it plays in her life as well as her partnership with Astral Tequila. She also talks with us about what her experience was as a contestant on the show, the group chats and who are her girls in Bachelor Nation.

This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from guitarist, rapper, singer/songwriter Jesse McFaddin. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from Celebrity Fashion Stylist and Founder/designer` of Aliette Jason Rembert. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from Leah Van Dale who wrestles under the name Carmella in WWE as well as Chef Yia Vang. Our 9DRIP comes from EDM/DJ John Newman.

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack shares a must-visit to Luthun in NYC. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure Experience and Mimi Cheng's. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the APR ISSUE #88 with John Newman.

RESPECT THE PROCESS | CHEF KRISTEN KISH

Over the past few months, we have caught up with Chef Kristen Kish to talk about TRU TV's Fast Foodies as well as her partnership with Jongga Kimchi. We love how she enjoys exploring food and the stories that it tells for those that also have taken care to share their experiences through it.

This month, she hosts National Geographic's Restaurants At the End of the World that takes her to exotic locales and showcases how people bring their visions to life, creating meals that pull from items that are local to their area and learning about how she can apply these lessons to her personal life; how she navigates her kitchen; and how she approaches food.

In this interview, we are talking about the 4 episodes that will drop each week on Nat Geo as well as streaming on Disney+. We talk about how the show took place, the process of selecting those that are featured and her feedback on dishes that were created during the episodes.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We had the pleasure of chatting with you a few months ago so we got to hear about your latest show and I just saw the 4 screeners in prep for chatting with you and I really enjoyed it! Why did you want to be part of this show and how did you get attached to it?

CHEF KRISTEN KISH: It started back in 2019 with conversations of this idea from a woman named Julia, and it was a scene of food, self-exploration and journey kind of show. Then 2020 happened and things went to a screeching halt and then we were able to pick it up back again. As we started to develop this treatment, the pitches come and when it got pitched, Nat Geo was like, we like this, but also, we’re Nat Geo and we can do something like this! I was like, yes whatever this is I’m totally in for it too! So although they’re very different, it started with this original idea that the core and the heart of this show is very similar to the 2 projects. I love Nat Geo.

AM: It was so good! Watching you immerse yourself in so many different situations, I had anxiety for you!

I saw the 4 screeners, but how many episodes will there be in total?

CHEF KK: We did the 4 and we filmed them over the summer. With any new series, we have a trial and error to see what works and what doesn’t and I can only just hope that we can continue exploring parts of the world.

AM: What was the criteria in terms of the locales you went to and the people that you featured? Everyone was so different and yet there was a common throughline as well.

CHEF KK: We have Missy, who is one of our Executive Producers and she was part of the creative and Nat Geo of course, has their resources obviously. As you can imagine, there are a lot of moving pieces. There were 100s of locations and subjects that were a potential. You know, it’s coming down to scheduling with them, especially with this first 4 and how we develop them, that we are able to communicate with them in English. I wish that I was able to speak another language and that I could speak all of their languages, but I can’t. It also came down to whether they had a real life thing that they were working towards. Like Chef Rolando wanted to cook for Charlie. Chef Gisela had these important guests that were coming into town – things like that were real. So they needed to have the story already happening in order for us to come in. There were so many that were a possibility and I just hope that we will be able to tap into them one day.

AM: What was your favorite dish to create? I know you didn’t create this, but I loved the Kimchi Sorbet, that blew my mind.

CHEF KK: Same! That blew my mind and I wish that I could take the credit for that one but I mean, he just dreamed that up in his head and I was just like, how is this going to work? I said, it’s not going to work, there’s no way that this is frickin’ going to happen and then I tasted it and I was like, “oh my God!” It makes sense, it’s actually, a really well balanced dish! I think that the best part of this series for me was that I got to go in, especially for this first 4 and some I created dishes on my own and others I didn’t. I got to go in with a place and to say, I’m your sous chef and I’m so happy doing that! I gave my 2 cents when they asked for it or asked my advice for things – no judgment or hard feelings. If they didn’t take it, I didn’t care, it was about the bigger experience not what I could give to them and what they could give to me in return. It was like this overall experience that we were working towards.

I think that the feeding bag cocktail challenged –

AM: I was going to ask you about that!

CHEF KK: Mind over matter on that one because it didn’t taste great, but it wasn’t awful. It was the color, the idea of what it was and it kind of throws your brain for a loop. Sometimes, you have to work your way through these. But I did find it incredibly impressive because I thought, who thinks of something like that?

AM: Yeah seeing it –

CHEF KK: Oh I know! The brown on the bottom – I was like, oh God!

AM: Just watching your face I thought, nope!

CHEF KK: But I will say that all of them as adventurous as it all was and as different as they each were, they had this care about what they were cooking. They genuinely wanted to show you and they cared for the product and they were excited about it. So that’s all you can really ask for when it comes to food!

AM: Yeah and I actually liked what you just spoke to, that you were happy being the sous chef. In other circumstances, I can see someone wanting to jump in and I could see the thrill that you had taking on something new and seeing through your eyes the sweet scallops! I would totally want to try that as it looked so amazing.

CHEF KK: Those! It was a wave of sugar! Normally, you’re judging scallops on their brininess and the sweet, salty, salinity and all of that good stuff. These were pure sugar and they were crazy!

AM: That is insane!

CHEF KK: It was absolutely wild! We got to go and I don’t know if it showed in the episode as there’s so much that happens in a week’s time to film this episode. Not everything can make it in. We go to go down and I went diving into it and I swam in between all of the scallops nests and oh my God, it was amazing!

AM: That sounds insane!

What is your biggest takeaway from doing this experience?

CHEF KK: There’s a lot! Professionally, I need to leave more room for experimentation and play without judgment. Whether I’m judging myself or having to serve it to someone that is going to judge me. I think personally, it was continuously layering in this empathy! I cared so much for these people. I cried in every episode for their kindness because these people were so nice to me! We’re often jaded and I think that the state of the world often jades us because reality sucks sometimes. There are a lot of things that are wrong. But when I got to meet these people and to spend so much time with them on camera and off camera with them and they were exactly the same kind of person – they were just so excited to show you who they are. That shit got me and I cried every time!

AM: That is beautiful! What would be the next places that you would like to go to should this continue? I hope it does because it is so beautifully done and I love the format.

CHEF KK: There are so many places that I know of and I don’t know of! There are pockets in this world that I don’t even know the name of! Things that were being tossed around during these first few episodes in trying to figure out where we could go, Mongolia was a place, different parts of Peru, there were places in Africa and I was like yes! Get me there! I want to go and I want to feel all of this stuff. There’s countless places that we can go, I just have to find the time and all the things need to align!

AM: Exactly! Well it was amazing to see it come together and of course, it always takes a community for things to thrive. In these stories, you really saw how those with different roles in the culinary community come together for sourcing, transportation etc and I feel like you really brought that out. I’m sure we’ll be talking soon about whatever amazing project you have going on whether it’s additional seasons/episodes of this show or something else!

CHEF KK: Oh yes! I’ll be talking to you soon and I appreciate you watching it!

IG @kristenlkish

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 56 + 62 National Geographic/Autumn Sonichsen | PG 59 + 60 National Geographic/Missy Bania |

Read the MAR ISSUE #87 of Athleisure Mag and see RESPECT THE PROCESS | Chef Kristen Kish in mag.

WEEKEND MUSE

We're officially in Spring and while the weather settles itself over the next few weekends, we're dreaming about all the activities and looks that we'll wear to enjoy it! Our Spring 2023 Weekend Style Editorial featuring models from STATE Management, wore looks that we'd wear for a lowkey weekend that allows us to take some time for ourselves, workout, enjoy our favorite sport, have a date night in and to WFH or to lounge enjoying our favorite shows! This shoot took place at The Muse New York Hotel which is in Times Square.

SPRING WEEKEND STYLE CREDITS

CREDITS | PHOTOGRAPHY Paul Farkas @pvfarkas | STYLIST Kimmie Smith @shes.kimmie | MUA Hannah Lauren @hannahlaurenmua | HAIR STYLIST Brooke Bogle @brooke_bogle | MODELS via STATE Management @statemgmt - Tora Rozario @torarozario + Christopher Aldea @christopherjaldea | LOCATION The Muse New York Hotel @musehotelnyc |

FITNESS LOOK PG 68 + 70 | Tora - MPG SPORT Tangent Strappy Medium Support 3D Geo Sports Bra + High Waisted 26" Side Pocket 3D Geo Legging, LAGOS Ceramic Diamond Circle Bracelet + Citrine Caviar Bracelet | Christopher - FABLETICS Fundamental Shorts II + ATHLETIC PROPULSION LABS TechLoom Chelsea |

ATHLETIC LOOK PG 73 - 77 | Tora - TRACKSMITH Run Cannonball Run Bra, Run Cannonball Run Shorts, Fells Shorts Tights + Inverno Arm Warmers, ATHLETIC PROPULSION LABS TechLoom Bliss + LAGOS Silver Station Statement Ceramic Caviar Bracelet | Christopher - TRACKSMITH Van Cortland Singlet, ATHLEISUREVERSE Jogger + Bomber |

WFH LOOK PG 78- 82 | Tora - ATHLEISUREVERSE Tie Dye Hoodie Set + DAGNE DOVER Jemi Cargo Tote | Christopher - ATHLEISUREVERSE Sweat Pant + LAGOS Compass Pendant Necklace |

DATE NIGHT IN LOOK PG 85 - 87 | Tora - COLMAR Lightweight Jacket, ATHLEISUREVERSE Rolled Tee, MAVI JEANS Paloma Wide Leg Jeans, LAGOS Turquoise Necklace, + Medium Caviar Ball Hoop Earrings, SEQUIN JEWELRY Cleopatra Evil Eye Necklace | Christopher - PSYCHO BUNNY Polo |

We enjoyed our set for the day which allows us to be in one of the hotels suite's that had a large balcony. We wanted to know more about this property which is in the heart of it all. Whether you're staying here for a vacation, traveling for work or are enjoying a staycation, we wanted to find out more about the history of this property which goes back to 1912 and how the hotel supports the community. Nicole Hendrix, the General Manager of The Muse New York gives us the inside scoop on this property as well as the portfilio that it has joined.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did The Muse New York Hotel launch?

NICOLE HENDRIX: The history of The Muse New York Hotel dates to 1912 when the Leavitt Building was constructed by Nast & Springsteen as a home for jewelry manufacturing and warehousing.

For almost a century, the building served its original purpose until 2000 when it was transformed into The Muse Hotel, an independent hotel that offered luxurious accommodations and exceptional service to its guests.

In 2006, The Muse Hotel joined the Kimpton family of hotels and continued to provide its guests with an unforgettable experience. The hotel's unique blend of historic charm and modern amenities made it a popular destination for travelers from all over the world.

In 2022, the Muse New York returned to its independent roots, continuing to provide its guests with the same level of luxury and personalized service that has made it a beloved fixture in the New York City hospitality scene for over two decades. Despite the changes over the years, The Muse New York remains a symbol of timeless elegance and sophistication, honoring its past while continuing to look towards the future.

AM: The Muse New York is located in Times Square. What can you tell us about the property in general?

NH: The Muse New York is a boutique hotel that prides itself on offering its guests authentic and personalized service in a chic and timeless setting. Located in the heart of Midtown and Times Square, the hotel is ideally situated for travelers looking to immerse themselves in all that New York City has to offer. Guests of the hotel can easily access world-famous shopping, iconic landmarks, museums, theaters, and vibrant nightlife.

The guest rooms and suites at The Muse New York are designed to provide the ultimate in comfort and luxury. Guests can choose from a variety of room types, including some with balconies, that offer stunning views of the city. The hotel also features several amenities to ensure a memorable stay, including a fitness center and business lounge. Whether you

are in town for business or leisure, The Muse New York offers the perfect blend of convenience and luxury. With its prime location, personalized service, and elegant design, the hotel is sure to exceed your expectations and make your stay in New York City unforgettable.

AM: Working out is always key whether we’re traveling for fun, business or a staycation – tell us about your fitness center.

NH: The fitness center at our hotel is a haven for fitness enthusiasts and wellness seekers alike. Boasting state-of-the-art equipment and a modern layout, it provides the perfect space to elevate your fitness routine. Our facility features a variety of cutting-edge equipment, including Peloton bikes, Life Fitness treadmills, and Precor Ellipticals, so you can tailor your workout to your preferences. You can also indulge in some stress-relieving exercises like yoga or meditation, making the fitness center the perfect place to unwind after a long day. And with 24/7 access, you can squeeze in a workout no matter how busy your schedule.

AM: For those that are traveling for business, what is available at your business center?

NH: The hotel's business lounge is the perfect place for guests to stay connected, catch up on work, or prepare for a meeting. The complimentary business lounge is conveniently located on the lower level of the hotel, providing a quiet and productive space for guests to work in comfort. The lounge is equipped with high-speed internet access and features a variety of seating options to suit your needs. Guests can use the in-house iMac to catch up on emails, create presentations, or print important documents, ensuring that they have everything they need to stay on top of their work while on the road. Whether you are traveling for business or leisure, the hotel's business lounge is the perfect place to stay connected and productive.

AM: Is your hotel pet friendly and do you offer amenities that are specifically for our four-legged friends?

NH: Yes, we are a pet-friendly hotel and we do not charge any fees for pets! We understand that your furry friends are part of your family, and we welcome them with open arms. We offer a range of pet-friendly rooms and a special welcome package that is designed specifically for our four-legged guests. Our Pampered Pet package includes bedding, a cat tree, water bowls, and small treats to make your pet feel comfortable and at home during their stay. We take pride in providing a comfortable and convenient experience for our guests and their pets.

AM: For those staying at the hotel, can you tell us about the amenities that guests can enjoy in their room?

NH: At The Muse New York, we delight in providing our guests with exceptional amenities to make their stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. Our rooms are outfitted with high-quality amenities such as fine Frette linens, spa-inspired bath amenities from Atelier Bloem, plush bathrobes, and luxurious showers. In addition, we provide ample workspace with a desk and chair for those who need to work during their stay. We also offer a hair dryer and in-room safe for added convenience. We strive to ensure that our guests have everything they need for a comfortable and memorable stay with us.

AM: Our Weekend Muse Spring Style Editorial showcased key looks that one would wear when optimizing their weekend with all the activities that could take place. We had the pleasure of shooting this editorial in your Muse Suite with Balcony. Can you tell us about the amenities that are in this room?

NH: Certainly! The Muse Suite is one of our most luxurious accommodations, offering guests a king-size bed fitted with high-quality Italian Frette linens for a comfortable night's sleep. The suite's spa-inspired bathroom features a soaking tub, walk-in shower with luxurious amenities from Atelier Bloem, and guests can indulge in plush bathrobes during their stay. We were mindful of all the little details when designing these spaces. Making sure to provide good lighting and make-up mirrors for application. The suite also includes a spacious balcony, perfect for enjoying a cup of coffee or glass of wine while taking in the view. And for those who need to stay connected while traveling, the suite also features ample workspace.

AM There are other suites available at The Muse New York. Can you tell us about them?

NH: In addition to the Muse Suite, The Muse New York also offers other suite options for guests. Our King Suite features one king bed with Italian Frette linens, a separate living area with a pull-out sofa bed, a walk-in shower, spa-inspired bath amenities from Atelier Bloem, plush bathrobes, ample workspace, and upscale interiors. Our King Suite with Balcony includes all the same features as the King Suite but also features a spacious balcony with outdoor seating. We also have Accessible King Suites that include one king bed with Italian Frette linens, a roll-in shower, spa-inspired bath amenities from Atelier Bloem, plush bathrobes, spacious workspace, and upscale interiors.

AM: As we’re getting closer to the Spring and Summer, what kinds of packages are offered for those that are making travel plans to come to the city?

NH: We are excited to offer a range of packages that cater to all types of travelers visiting the city in the Spring and Summer. Some of our upcoming packages include a Mother's Day offer, Broadway packages, as well as others. We are thrilled to offer a PRIDE package this coming June, which celebrates the LGBTQ+ community with exclusive events and experiences. Please stay tuned to our website for the latest packages and offers that we have available for our guests.

AM: For those that may be looking to book the property for sales meetings or other corporate events, what does The Muse New York offer for these guests?

NH: Great question! For those looking to book the property for sales meetings or other corporate events, The Muse New York offers a partnership with Convene, a premium business space located across the street from the hotel. This is one of the largest event venues in Midtown Manhattan and is an ideal space for a range of events, including summits, awards dinners, town halls, and galas. The partnership with Convene ensures that we can provide a range of flexible and modern event spaces, and state-of-the-art technology and amenities to ensure your event is a success.

AM: There are a number of events coming up in the city whether it’s a Broadway show, parade or even those that are seasonal from the kick off of the solstice, PRIDE and summer tourism.

Does The Muse Hotel NY do anything in tandem with those events or the city?

NH: Yes, The Muse New York is always looking to engage with the city and events that are happening in the area. We have some exciting activations planned for the summer season, including events for the solstice, PRIDE, and more. We encourage you to stay tuned by subscribing on our website or follow us on Instagram (@musehotelnyc) for the latest updates and offers. We look forward to welcoming our guests and helping you make the most of your stay during these exciting times!

AM: How does The Muse Hotel NY give back to the community whether it’s initiatives with the neighborhood or the city at large?

NH: At The Muse New York, we believe in giving back to our community and supporting local businesses. We often partner with neighborhood businesses and initiatives to promote local events and support our neighborhood. We have several sustainability initiatives in place to reduce our environmental impact and support our community's health. We are committed to making a positive impact in our community and are always looking for ways to contribute and give back.

AM: The Muse New York was formerly part of Kimpton and is now part of Crescent Hotels & Resorts'Latitude: Lifestyles by Crescent Collection. What does being part of this portfolio mean for this property?

NH: Being part of Crescent Hotels & Resorts’ Latitude: Lifestyles by Crescent Collection is a wonderful opportunity for The Muse New York. As an independent hotel, we can now focus on providing a unique guest experience that is tailored to the needs of our guests.

The Latitude: Lifestyles by Crescent Collection is known for managing a portfolio of distinctive hotels that are designed to connect with travelers who want elevated experiences. This means that we have more flexibility in offering personalized services and amenities that reflect the character of our property and the surrounding community. Additionally, Crescent Hotels & Resorts’ expertise in hotel management and operations can help us continue to improve our service standards and enhance our guests' experience.

IG @musehotelnyc

Read the MAR ISSUE #87 of Athleisure Mag and see WEEKEND MUSE in mag,

ATHLEISURE MAG #87 | Chef Todd English

In this month’s issue, our front and back cover story is with 4X James Beard Award Winner, Restaurateur, Hotelier, Entrepreneur, Best-Selling Author, TV Host/Personality, Food Advocate, and Philanthropist Chef Todd English. We talked about how he got into the industry, his passion for food and upcoming projects that we should keep an eye out for. We also chatted with Chef Kristen Kish to talk about her latest show which is available on National Geographic and streams on Disney+ Restaurants at the End of the World. In our interview last fall, we heard a bit about this show, but now we're able to find out how this project came together, where she traveled to, who she cooked with and what she learned from this experience. With the final season of NBC's The Blacklist currently airing, we caught up with Hisham Tawfiq to talk about how a career in the Marines, being a Firefighter for the FDNY as well as a Correctional Officer in Sing Sing led to him being one of our favorite actors on this show. We also talked with Tetiana Gaidar a choreographer, dancer and tactical trainer who recently appeared as the antagonist in BOSCH: Legacy as well as a trainer for Keanu Reeves in John Wick 4. She tells us how she got into the industry, how she navigates between her skillsets and her upcoming projects.

We also have our editorial Weekend Muse which highlights looks from WFH, fitness, active and date night that we'll be wearing this spring. This shoot took place at The Muse New York Hotel in Times Square and includes some of our favorite items (MPG Sport, Dagne Dover, Tracksmith, Mavi Jeans, Athleisureverse, Sequin Jewelry, Fabletics, Athletic Propulsion Labs, Psycho Bunny and Lagos. We also interviewed the General Manager of The Muse New York to talk about the buildings history in the city, how it serves its guest and what amenities it offers. Our team for this shoot includes PHOTOGRAPHER Paul Farkas | STYLIST Kimmie Smith | MUA Hannah Lauren | HAIR STYLIST Brooke Bogle | MODELS/STATE MANAGEMENT Tora Rozario + Christopher Aldea.

This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from EDM DJ/Producer Marshmello. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from Leah Van Dale, a WWE Superstar who wrestles under Carmella. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from Tetiana Gaidar. We share our favorite looks from Awards Season in THE 9LIST R3DCARP3T where actors and their glam team share how they created the looks for their big night.

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack shares a must visit to A Fish Called Avalon in Miami’s Art Deco district. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Escape and Döner Haus in the East Village. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the MAR ISSUE #87 with Chef Todd English.

CHEF'S PLAYBOOK | CHEF TOM COLICCHIO

We've enjoyed eating at Tom Colicchio's restaurants in NY as well as hearing his wisdom as the Executive Producer, host and judge of BRAVO's Top Chef. Our favorite episodes are when he creates a dish to share with the chefs. Right before the Big Game, we took some time to talk about how you can prepare your dishes, how we can include sustainable brands within our menu and getting the scoop on Season 20 of Top Chef: World All-Stars that premiers on Mar 9th!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we get into the Big Game and all of the good food that we’re going to talk about. When did you realize that you wanted to be a chef?

CHEF TOM COLICCHIO: Oh, when I was about 15, I always cooked at home and my dad suggested that I become a chef. Actually, if you look in my yearbook, circa 1980, on the bottom of my photo, it says, “plan to be a chef.”

AM: Love that!

Clearly we’re all excited for the Big Game coming up on Sunday. It’s all about people coming together and the foods that we’re all going to eat. What are you excited about when it comes to watching the game and who are you cheering for?

CHEF TC: I’m an NFC guy so I guess I’m cheering for the Eagles. Also, the owner of the Eagles, Jeffrey Lurie, did us a great favor, he and his ex-wife at the time, they were our first investors in a film that my wife made about hunger in America, so I have a soft spot for the Lurie family.

AM: Noted!

CHEF TC: Yeah, we’re just going to enjoy the day with kids, some family and maybe some friends will pop by. We keep it pretty simple around our house and you know, it's the typical stuff that you would want to find around game day – nachos. There is this little steak dish that I do that’s almost like a salad and of course, there's wings. They're a favorite in my household almost every night and not just reserved for game day.

AM: Same!

CHEF TC: This particular recipe has a barbecue sauce that’s a little bit different which has sour cherries. So there is some garlic and some ginger, there’s onion, serrano chilies for some spice, lime juice and a little bit of vinegar for some acid and then the sour cherries provide a little bit of sweetness. Since it’s sour cherries, there’s a little bit of tartness as well. So it’s really well balanced.

More importantly, is the chicken that we’re actually using. This is a new company called, Do Good Chicken and it’s in your market, you can find it. What we do is that we take food from supermarkets that would normally go in the garbage and end up in a landfill and create methane, which then creates greenhouse gases and hurts our environment, we take all that surplus food on a massive scale, process it and turn it into an odorless, flavorless powder that we then turn into pellets and in turn, feed our chickens. We give them to our growers who are growing our chickens for us. So you can actually help save the environment by simply just buying a different chicken. So when you’re in the supermarket, you have a lot of different choices that you can make in chickens. You can just buy Do Good Chicken knowing that you can help the environment. So people, I think that they want to be able to do things whether they’re buying electric cars or maybe something else. But this is very simple, buy a different chicken! You can help save the environment! In fact, every chicken that you purchase from Do Good Chicken, takes about 4 pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere.

AM: Oh wow!

So obviously, you just shared with us this chicken recipe that looks amazing. What tips do you have for people that are entertaining their friends or family for the Big Game and how they can make it easy for them and enjoyable as well.

CHEF TC: Yeah, you have to start a couple of days in advance. Make sure that your shopping is done by Thursday. Make sure that your prep, you’ve started on Sat at least! Don’t wait until Sunday morning where you’re running around. Get all of that chopping out of the way. So if you’re doing this sauce, you can make it on Thursday or on Friday – it’s going to hold. Get your chicken wings. This is really important when you’re making chicken, you want it to be really really dry. So buy it a couple of days in advance, take it out of the package, keep it open, do not cover it in your refrigerator so it dries out. That’s how you get crispy crispy chicken. So that’s really important. But anything that you’re chopping, if you’re making salsas and things like that, just do it ahead of time. You don’t have to wait until the last second. Typically, when I’m cooking, if I’m making a dinner party at home, I want to get all of the chopping, the cutting and the prepping out of the way early. When I’m cooking, I’m not using a knife anymore, I’m just cooking and you can really just focus on that. Also, you want to keep this really simple because you want to spend time with your friends. The worst thing that you can do is have a bunch of people at your house and you’re stuck in the kitchen the entire time. You want to get out there and to enjoy the game as well.

AM: We couldn’t agree more and those are great tips! It’s kind of like Thanksgiving – prepping in advance!

CHEF TC: Absolutely! You’ve got to prep in advance and sometimes, a couple of days in advance! I think the other thing is that too often, I don’t think that we think about what we’re doing ahead of time. By now you should have your plays written out, you should know what your moves are going to be. You don’t want to call an audible the day of!

AM: Well, we’re sure that you have an awesome playbook coach!

CHEF TC: Haha you’ve got to read the defense too!

AM: Without a doubt!

We’re so excited for Top Chef to come out next month! It’s always exciting and we love when we get to talk to people that have been part of that universe. We’ve talked with Gail Simmons, Chef Justin Sutherland, Chef Kristen Kish and other people that have been cheftestants and Chef Nyesha Arrington is our cover for the JAN ISSUE #85.

CHEF TC: Oh yeah, she’s great!

AM: We love her to pieces!

So what can we expect for the All Stars, next month in London?

CHEF TC: Well, what’s really cool about this one is that it’s International All Stars. So, there are Top Chef productions all over the globe and so we’re taking the best over those regions – either winners or runners ups and bringing them all together. So we have contestants from Poland, Germany, Thailand, France, Brazil, Mexico, Canada and of course, the United States. It’s a great competition, it was a lot of fun shooting in London and it’s going to be fantastic!

AM: We’re definitely looking forward to that! Are there any other things that we should keep an eye out for because you’re always doing so many positive things and using your platform to let people know what you think about the state of things.

CHEF TC: Yes, I will continue to work on things for issues that revolve around hunger. There is the Farm Bill which is where all the hunger policies are contained. That’s happening and every 5 years, it’s debated so that’s coming up and I’m focusing on that and I am working on a new restaurant in Washington, D.C. that will hopefully open around Nov.

AM: That’s exciting, I always love when I go by Craft as we’re based here in NY. It’s amazing to be able to connect with you and to see what you’re doing and to watch Top Chef as well as to try out this chicken recipe.

SOUR CHERRY BBQ WINGS

• 4 lbs Do Good Chicken Party Wings

• 2 tablespoons salted butter

• ½ yellow onion, finely chopped

• 1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed

• ¾ cup sour cherry preserves

• 1/3 cup lime juice about 2 limes

• 1 lime, zested

• 1 tablespoon ketchup

• Salt and Pepper

• Flavorless oil, such as avocado or vegetable

Preheat the over to 450F and Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, toss the chicken wings in 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the wings to the baking sheets skin side up and bake for 45 minutes, until cooked through and crisp.

While the wings are baking, make your BBQ sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add half of the minced serrano pepper and smashed garlic and cook for 1 minute, until softened and garlic is fragrant.

Add the onion and pepper mixture to a blender along with the sour cherry preserves, lime juice, and ketchup. Blend until smooth.

Return the cherry BBQ sauce back and to the pan and stir in the remaining serrano pepper. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the BBQ sauce to a bowl.

Remove the wings from the oven when finishing baking and add them to a large bowl. Toss with one third of the cherry BBQ sauce.

Return the tossed wings back to the baking sheet and bake for an additional 5 minutes until sticky and caramelized.

Transfer the glazed wings to a serving dish, sprinkle with lime zest, and serve with the remaining glaze on the side.

If you’re looking for a sauce to cool you down, mix some cherry glaze with mayo for a cooler dipping sauce!

IG @tomcolicchio

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Tom Colicchio

Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see CHEF’S PLAYBOOK | Chef Tom Colicchio in mag.

CREATING SPACES | ELAINE WELTEROTH

When we hear the name Elaine Welteroth, we think of someone who continues to place herself in spaces where she leaves the door open for others that also want to have a presence in. When she took the position of Editor in Chief at Teen Vogue in 2016, she was the 2nd Black person to have held this position in the 107 years of Condé Nast's history! This journalist, editor, New York Times Bestselling Author of More Than Enough: Claiming Space For Who You Are (No Matter What They Say), BRAVO's Project Runway host continues to inspire others. We connected with her right after the Big Game to find out about hosting CÎROC Stands For Black Excellence which was held at the NFL House, the importance of representation and upcoming projects that she has coming up.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You just came off of a panel for CÎROC Stands For Black Excellence which took place during Super Bowl Weekend at the NFL House. Can you tell me about this event and why you wanted to be part of it?

ELAINE WELTEROTH: The event was amazing! For me, it was an easy yes! Being able to go and spend time with some influential Black women in sports media during Super Bowl Weekend in Phoenix where the sun was always shining – we were surrounded by the local chapter of National Association of Black Journalists. I just felt like I was around my people. I didn’t know any of the people prior to being there, but it felt like a homecoming in a sense because we have all walked similar paths professionally and we all in some way, shape or form understand what it means to be what I say in my book, first, only and different. So FOD which is a Shonda Rhimes term from her book, but I really felt this kinship and I think everyone did. It was really necessary because we’re all doing this work and in different spaces as journalists and it can be isolating to be the only one that looks like you and navigating those worlds. I think that it was very nourishing and energizing for everyone that was there. I have to give a lot of credit to the panelists because they brought it! I can bring my juicy and hard-hitting questions, but if I’m not met with openness, vulnerability, and transparency, it can just be a run of the mill event. This was anything but, I went really deep and there were tears. I joked that people came for the Super Bowl, but they got Super Soul conversations instead. It was like testimony time, it was incredible.

AM: You were also able to highlight the next generation of Black sports journalists, what was your biggest takeaway from the event as a whole?

EW: My biggest takeaway is that we all share so much in common no matter where we’re working or what side of the business we are in. There are some commonalities to our struggles and our triumphs. I think that the major takeaways were how important community is along the journey and I think that we definitely cultivated a deeper sense of community with at least 1 other person. My charge to them before they left, because the last question that came up from somebody in the audience which by the way I have to say, ain’t no Q+A session like a Q+A session with NABJ folks in the audience because every single question that came up was hard-hitting, thought provoking, complex or even beautifully simplistic! The last question was that – how is your heart? It left us in this really kind of reflective and heart filled space. My charge to everybody was to find somebody at that event that they did not know walking in and ask them, how is their heart?

We’re trained to ask the right questions and to be really buttoned up and to be focused on being very professional, but I think that when we’re with each other and in a safe space, we need to gear shift and learn how to ask the questions that open up our humanity and allow us the safe space to be just human and to show ourselves the softer side of each other. We need to cultivate that sense of community. That felt really good and I would say that that was a standout moment from the event.

AM: It’s great that this took place obviously during Black History Month, how can we continue to support and celebrate these objectives not only this month, but year around?

EW: Absolutely! Well one of the things that I loved about partnering with CÎROC is that they have made a financial commitment to NABJ to help fund the important work throughout the year. I know that NABJ is such a worthwhile organization that we rely on their work in terms of scholarship, mentorship, career advancement opportunities to keep the pipeline alive for the next generation of Black journalists. I just really love that CÎROC is taking a stand and making sure that they are supporting an organization like NABJ which is keeping Black journalists in the jobs. NABJ really does place young or emerging journalists in jobs. So we need them to stay funded, to stay supported and for me that was the most important connection. It’s not that Cîroc was just doing that one off event, they’re putting their support where their mouths are by really investing in NABJ in this way.

AM: What’s your go-to CÎROC cocktail?

EW: Ok so, I’m a terrible bartender, I don’t know how to make a cocktail myself, full transparency. I know how to do a lot of other things ok?

AM: You do all the things! But there is that one.

EW: Exactly! I wear a lot of hats, I do a lot of jobs – bartending ain’t one! But I will say that I do love a minty, cucumbery, light refreshing drink.

AM: Oh, the CÎROC Thyme Spritz.

EW: Yes, they had them at the event and it was so refreshing! It was perfect for a sweltering day in Phoenix right before the Super Bowl. I think most of us, but I definitely descended from a much colder climate so I was still thawing out and needed some refreshment! It was bomb and you should get the recipe because it was great.

AM: I have been a fan of yours of years. I remember when you became the Editor in Chief of Teen Vogue, my mouth literally dropped open and all the barriers that you have broken as a co-host on BRAVOS’s Project Runway, your best selling book and all of these accomplishments. What does it mean to you to not only be able to break barriers, but to unapologetically be you in these different spaces that we’re still making our presence known in those places?

EW: Well thank you first of all, I appreciate that so much. I think that it means nothing to break a barrier if you’re not doing so as your authentic self. I think that that’s what keeps the door open for the next Black woman to come through those doors as herself. We are not a monolith and I think that while we do represent for our community, we also represent the individuality of our community. I think that it’s important that we understand. You can feel the pressure as someone who is the first to blaze a certain trail. You might feel the pressure to be a certain way and to fit a mold or to break it in some kind of radical way. It’s important for you to be able to figure out how to be authentically you and how to tell the stories, those stories, if you’re journalist in only the way that you can tell. I think that by doing that, you are giving the permission to others to do the same.

AM: You are always so busy doing a number of projects. I know that you have an advice column with The Washington Post. What are things that we should keep an eye out for that you’re doing? I know that every time I see you taking on something that it will be amazing.

EW: That’s so nice! I am shooting a new show that I can’t fully talk about yet, but that’s why I’m in NY this month. But it’s going to be really good in terms of the conversations that it’s bringing to the table proverbial and literally. I’ll leave it at that, but I am excited about that. I feel that everything that I do, it may seem like I am doing a lot of things, but to me it is the same mission and the same spirit that I bring to everything. I always say that purpose can be multiplatform. You can find a way to work in your purpose across many mediums, especially as a journalist and storyteller in this era. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be able to explore different mediums and going deeper into television. Also, finding a way to use my skill set as a journalist to raise awareness to issues that matter to our community and to me a lot as well personally.

Recently, I have been getting very involved with raising awareness and working towards hopefully, reform around the Black Maternal Mortality Crisis and trying to recontextualize that conversation because it can be so heavy. It’s just hearing that term, Black Maternal Mortality Crisis sometimes people just turn off. There’s so much going on in the world and there’s so much trauma, I can’t handle one more thing. But I think that if we reframe the conversation around celebrating the joy around childbirth and reminding us that we deserve to have joyful, safe births, then it opens up the conversation to how we go about achieving that! What are the different options that we have that we didn’t even know about? I want to come at it with this kind of fix it spirit; with this optimistic lens that’s very much so solution oriented and it’s really about showcasing these choices that we have along this birth journey that we really don’t know about and sometimes when it’s too late. So before we become another sad statistic, how do we get the right information to the right people and especially to Black women who are disproportionally affected by this crisis in this country. So that's my passion project in the non-profit space. I think that because it’s Black History Month, it’s worth mentioning!

You can support NABJ as well as Black owned business in a number of ways!

• To stay informed on all NABJ related news you can register for their newsletter here.

• Making a habit of supporting Black owned businesses all the time.

• Share information online/engage in conversation surrounding pro-black efforts.

• Finding your local NABJ chapter online to become a mentor, get involved and more.

• Making a donation to NABJ through their website to help further their mission.

• Registering for the NABJ newsletter to stay informed on all NABJ related news and future events.

CÎROC THYME SPRITZ

INGREDIENTS

1.2 oz CÎROC Vodka

1 oz Fresh Lime Juice

.5 oz Thyme Syrup

1 oz Fresh-Pressed Cucumber Juice

GLASSWARE

Footed Spritz Glass

GARNISH

Cucumber Ribbon and Thyme Sprig

PREPARATION

Add CÎROC Vodka, fresh lime juice, thyme syrup, and fresh-pressed cucumber juice into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Serve in a footed spritz glass. Garnish with cucumber ribbon and thyme sprig.

IG @elainewelteroth

PHOTGRAPHY CREDITS | Bre Johnson

Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see CREATING SPACES | Elaine Welteroth in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG #86 | CARISSA MOORE

In this month’s issue, our cover story is 5 X World Surf League Women’s Champion and Team USA Surfing Olympic Gold Medalist, Carissa Moore. We talk about how she got into the sport, her passion for surfing, talks about the season, upcoming tournaments, traveling to exotic locals to do what she loves, her organization Moore Aloha and the importance of self-care. We also caught up with the first female snowboarder to win back-to-back Team USA Snowboarding Olympic Gold Medalist in Half-Pipe, 5 X Gold Medalist in of the Super Half Pipe in the X Games and ESPY Winner, Chloe Kim. We talk with her about her love for snowboarding, the importance of paying it forward to the next generation so they can have the thrill of competing her partnership with Mucinex Fast Max which supports YMCAs. We enjoyed having Leah Van Dale as our cover for our SEP ISSUE #45 in 2019 where we hung out with her during her cover shoot. This WWE star who wrestles under the name Carmella has won a number of accolades was on E! Total Divas and brings energy to the stage. We catch up with her to find out what she is up to as she is back to as she is back in the ring, how she prepares and comes down after her matches, upcoming tournaments, married Matt Polinsky/WWE’s Corey Graves, hearing how she navigates entrepreneurial opportunities as well as the importance of self-care in her life. We caught up with Restaurateur/Chef Tom Colicchio to find out we could focus on the Big Game in terms of creating dishes that we can all enjoy while also being sustainable with the use of Do Good Chicken. He also talked about when he realized he wanted to be a chef and of course he gave us the inside scoop on BRAVO’s Top Chef: World All-Stars which drops Mar 9th.

We are always excited to know more about our favorite DJs from how they started, their process and of course what we need to listen to next. We took a moment with DJ/Producer Martin Jensen to find out more about him and what we can look forward to. Elaine Welteroth is a trailblazer as the former Editor-in-Chief of Teen Vogue, Journalist, NY Times Bestselling Author, and Co-Host/Judge of BRAVO’s Project Runway, we talk about how she recently moderated an engaging panel for CIROC Stands For Black Excellence which was held at NFL House during the Super Bowl in Arizona. We talked about her takeaways from this event, how we continue to support Black journalists, the importance of NABJ and what she is working on. Whitney Cummings makes us laugh whether she is in front of the screen or behind it. She shared how her partnership with Baileys and comedy is a full circle moment, how she is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and her upcoming shows that we should keep an eye out. When you think about nutrition that we eat for energy, fitness and to get the essentials that we need, an energy bar is our go-to. In this month’s issue, we met the OG who created this category. Jennifer Maxwell and her late husband Brian created POWERBAR in 1985 and even after selling it in 2000, her passion for staying in this category and innovating it led to her creating her latest venture, JAMBAR. We talk about how she went about starting this category, what led her to come back and how this bar combines her love for fitness, nutrition, community and music!

This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from EDM DJ/Producer Martin Jensen. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from Chloe Kim. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes Founder of 8Greens which we have featured in a number of issues, Dawn Russell. Our 9DRIP, 9LIST STORI3S and 63MIX ROUTIN3S are 3 pages for each person’s spread.

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack shares a must visit to The Oval. This month’s Athleisure List comes from La Pulperia and The Juicy Lounge. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag.