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AWARDS SEASON | PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS 2021 WINNERS
Awards Season continues and today, the nominees for the People’s Choice Awards (you can vote at the link or on Twitter through Nov 17th) were announced over 40 categories across movies, television, music and pop culture. Make sure to watch on NBC or on E! as it will air simultaneously at 9EST and will be hosted by Kenan Thompson. As always, we’ll share who we think will win which will be in bold, the person who actually wins that we answered correctly will be in bold italicized and the winner who we did not identify correctly will be italicized.
THE MOVIE OF 2021
Black Widow
Coming 2 America
F9: The Fast Saga
Dune
No Time to Die
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The Tomorrow War
Venom: Let Their Be Carnage
THE COMEDY MOVIE OF 2021
Coming 2 America
Free Guy
He's All That
Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard
Jungle Cruise
Space Jam: A New Legacy
Thunder Force
Vacation Friends
THE ACTION MOVIE OF 2021
Black Widow
F9: The Fast Saga
Godzilla vs. Kong
No Time to Die
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The Suicide Squad
The Tomorrow War
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
THE DRAMA MOVIE OF 2021
A Quiet Place Part II
Cruella
Dune
Fatherhood
Halloween Kills
In the Heights
Old
Respect
THE FAMILY MOVIE OF 2021
Cinderella
Luca
Raya and the Last Dragon
The Boss Baby: Family Business
The Mitchells vs. the Machines
Tom and Jerry
Vivo
Yes Day
THE MALE MOVIE STAR OF 2021
Chris Pratt (The Tomorrow War)
Daniel Craig (No Time to Die)
Dwayne Johnson (Jungle Cruise)
Eddie Murphy (Coming 2 America)
John Cena (F9: The Fast Saga)
Ryan Reynolds (Free Guy)
Simi Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)
Vin Diesel (F9: The Fast Saga)
THE FEMALE MOVIE STAR OF 2021
Awkwafina (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)
Charlize Theron (F9: The Fast Saga)
Florence Pugh (Black Widow)
Jennifer Hudson (Respect)
Leslie Jones (Coming 2 America)
Margot Robbie (The Suicide Squad)
Salma Hayek (Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard)
Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow)
THE DRAMA MOVIE STAR OF 2021
Anthony Ramos (In the Heights)
Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place Part II)
Emma Stone (Cruella)
Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween Kills)
Jason Momoa (Dune)
Jennifer Hudson (Respect)
Kevin Hart (Fatherhood)
Timothée Chalamet (Dune)
THE COMEDY MOVIE STAR OF 2021
Dwayne Johnson (Jungle Cruise)
Eddie Murphy (Coming 2 America)
Emily Blunt (Jungle Cruise)
Leslie Jones (Coming 2 America)
Melissa McCarthy (Thunder Force)
Octavia Spencer (Thunder Force)
Ryan Reynolds (Free Guy)
Salma Hayek (Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard)
THE ACTION MOVIE STAR OF 2021
Charlize Theron (F9: The Fast Saga)
Chris Pratt (The Tomorrow War)
Daniel Craig (No Time to Die)
Florence Pugh (Black Widow)
John Cena (F9: The Fast Saga)
Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow)
Simi Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)
Vin Diesel (F9: The Fast Saga)
THE SHOW OF 2021
Cobra Kai
Grey's Anatomy
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Loki
Saturday Night Live
The Bachelor
This Is Us
WandaVision
THE DRAMA SHOW OF 2021
Outer Banks
9-1-1
Cobra Kai
Grey's Anatomy
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
The Equalizer
The Walking Dead
This Is Us
THE COMEDY SHOW OF 2021
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Grown-ish
Never Have I Ever
Only Murders in the Building
Saturday Night Live
Ted Lasso
The Upshaws
Young Rock
THE REALITY SHOW OF 2021
90 Day Fiancé
Bachelor in Paradise
Below Deck
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation
Keeping Up With the Kardashians
Love & Hip Hop Atlanta
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
The Real Housewives of Atlanta
THE COMPETITION SHOW OF 2021
America's Got Talent
American Idol
Dancing With The Stars
RuPaul's Drag Race
The Bachelor
The Bachelorette
The Masked Singer
The Voice
THE MALE TV STAR OF 2021
Anthony Mackie (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier)
Chase Stokes (Outer Banks)
Dwayne Johnson (Young Rock)
Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)
Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live)
Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead)
Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us)
Tom Hiddleston (Loki)
THE FEMALE TV STAR OF 2021
Angela Bassett (9-1-1)
Elizabeth Olsen (WandaVision)
Ellen Pompeo (Grey's Anatomy)
Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision)
Mandy Moore (This Is Us)
Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
Queen Latifah (The Equalizer)
Yara Shahidi (Grown-ish)
THE DRAMA TV STAR OF 2021
Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead)
Angela Bassett (9-1-1)
Chase Stokes (Outer Banks)
Ellen Pompeo (Grey's Anatomy)
Mandy Moore (This Is Us)
Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
Queen Latifah (The Equalizer)
Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us)
THE COMEDY TV STAR OF 2021
Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Dwayne Johnson (Young Rock)
Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)
Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live)
Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building)
Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building)
Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws)
Yara Shahidi (Grown-ish)
THE DAYTIME TALK SHOW OF 2021
Good Morning America
Live with Kelly and Ryan
Red Table Talk
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Kelly Clarkson Show
The View
The Wendy Williams Show
Today
THE NIGHTTIME TALK SHOW OF 2021
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
Late Night With Seth Meyers
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
The Late Late Show With James Corden
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
THE COMPETITION CONTESTANT OF 2021
Cody Rigsby (Dancing With the Stars)
Gottmik (RuPaul's Drag Race)
JoJo (The Masked Singer)
JoJo Siwa (Dancing With the Stars)
Katie Thurston (The Bachelorette)
Matt James (The Bachelor)
Symone (RuPaul's Drag Race)
Wiz Khalifa (The Masked Singer)
THE REALITY TV STAR OF 2021
Erica Mena (Love & Hip Hop Atlanta)
Joe Amabile (Bachelor in Paradise)
Kandi Burruss (The Real Housewives of Atlanta)
Khloé Kardashian (Keeping Up With the Kardashians)
Kim Kardashian West (Keeping Up With the Kardashians)
Lisa Rinna (The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills)
Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino (Jersey Shore: Family Vacation)
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi (Jersey Shore: Family Vacation)
THE BINGEWORTHY SHOW OF 2021
Cobra Kai
Loki
Mare of Easttown
Outer Banks
Sex/Life
Squid Game
Ted Lasso
The White Lotus
THE SCI-FI/FANTASY SHOW OF 2021
Loki
Lucifer
La Brea
Shadow and Bone
Superman and Lois
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
The Flash
WandaVision
THE MALE ARTIST OF 2021
Bad Bunny
Drake
Ed Sheeran
Justin Bieber
Lil Nas X
Luke Combs
Shawn Mendes
The Weeknd
THE FEMALE ARTIST OF 2021
Adele
Billie Eilish
Cardi B
Doja Cat
Halsey
Megan Thee Stallion
Olivia Rodrigo
Saweetie
THE GROUP OF 2021
BTS
Coldplay
Dan + Shay
Imagine Dragons
Jonas Brothers
Maroon 5
Migos
Twenty One Pilots
THE SONG OF 2021
"Butter" (BTS)
"Bad Habits" (Ed Sheeran)
"Easy on Me" (Adele)
"Good 4 U" (Olivia Rodrigo)
"Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" (Lil Nas X)
"Peaches" (Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon)
"Stay" (The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber)
"Up" (Cardi B)
THE ALBUM OF 2021
Certified Lover Boy (Drake)
Culture III (Migos)
Happier Than Ever (Billie Eilish)
Justice (Justine Bieber)
Montero (Lil Nas X)
Planet Her (Doja Cat)
Sour (Olivia Rodrigo)
Star-crossed (Kacey Musgraves)
THE COUNTRY ARTIST OF 2021
Blake Shelton
Carrie Underwood
Dan + Shay
Kacey Musgraves
Kane Brown
Luke Bryan
Luke Combs
Miranda Lambert
THE LATIN ARTIST OF 2021
Anuel AA
Bad Bunny
Becky G
Daddy Yankee
J Balvin
KAROL G
Maluma
Natti Natasha
THE NEW ARTIST OF 2021
24kGoldn
Bella Poarch
Giveon
Olivia Rodrigo
Rauw Alejandro
Tate McRae
The Kid Laroi
Tomorrow X Together
THE MUSIC VIDEO OF 2021
"Butter" (BTS)
"Easy on Me" (Adele)
"Good 4 U" (Olivia Rodrigo)
"Location" (Karol G, Anuel AA, J Balvin)
"Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" (Lil Nas X)
"My Universe" (Coldplay X BTS)
"Peaches" (Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon)
"Stay" (The Kid Laroi, Justin Bieber)
THE COLLABORATION SONG OF 2021
"Best Friend" (Saweetie feat. Doja Cat)
"Industry Baby"(Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow)
"Kiss Me More" (Doja Cat feat. SZA)
"Leave the Door Open" (Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak))
"Peaches" (Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon)
"Stay" (The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber)
"Way 2 Sexy" (Drake feat. Future & Young Thug)
"You Right" (Doja Cat, The Weeknd)
THE SOCIAL STAR OF 2021
Addison Rae
Britney Spears
Charli D'Amelio
Dwayne Johnson
Justin Bieber
Kim Kardashian West
Kylie Jenner
Lil Nas X
THE POP SPECIAL OF 2021
Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry
Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil
Friends: The Reunion
Justin Bieber: Our World
Olympic Highlights With Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg
Oprah with Meghan and Harry
Pink: All I Know So Far
Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3
THE COMEDY ACT OF 2021
Back to Abnormal Tour (Trevor Noah)
Bo Burnham: Inside (Bo Burnham)
From Scratch Tour (John Mulaney)
Sorry, Harriet Tubman (Phoebe Robisnon)
The King's Jester Tour (Hasan Minhaj)
The Milk & Money Tour (Ali Wong)
Vaccinated and Horny Tour (Chelsea Handler)
You Know What It Is (Marlon Wayans)
THE GAME CHANGER OF 2021
Alex Morgan
Bubba Wallace
Carl Nassib
Naomi Osaka
Patrick Mahomes
Serena Williams
Simone Biles
Sunisa Lee
THE POP PODCAST OF 2021
Anything Goes With Emma Chamberlain
Armchair Expert
Call Her Daddy
Chicks in the Office
Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend
Couple Things With Shawn and Andrew
SmartLess
Why Won't You Date Me? With Nicole Byer
PEOPLE’S CHAMPION AWARD
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
FASHION ICON AWARD
Kim Kardashian
MUSIC ICON AWARD
Christina Aguilera
PEOPLE’S ICON OF 2021
Halle Berry
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HOW TO DRESS | HYGGE STYLE IN THE HOLIDAYS
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PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette
THE BACHELORETTE S18. E8. | MEN TELL ALL
Tonight’s episode of ABC’s The Bachelorette is the Men Tell All. Tonight’s episode will be hosted by Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe. As always, this episode ties up various loose ends and airs grievances that have taken place over the season. The episode kicks off with some seriously cringey moments calling out Chris, Martin, Jamie, Peter and Ryan - reminds us all why they are were kicked off. They delve into each of the men’s inappropriate behaviors on the show. Jamie was not on the set with the men, but was brought on individually as he was a lightening rod for everyone else.
We even see guys who had an issue with one another talk about what took place over the season. Olu asks Chris to tell him to his face that he was uneducated, Will and Peter continue to argue with one another and the pizza entrepreneur “serves” him with paperwork - it’s not clear if this man was in fact actually serving him a defamation suit. Jamie continues the confusion game by going in circles about the rumor and never saying that he did it and that he was sorry.
Coming back from the break, we got to hear about Rick’s journey and it was nice to see how their relationship progressed until it didn’t. They gifted him his very own cake head on a platter - which he took a bite out of it. In between watching Rick and then talking to Rodney, Kaitlyn asked about Tayshia’s relationship. We know that she is no longer with Zac. Although she didn’t go into details, she did say that they are no longer engaged and that she doesn’t know what the future holds. She’s visibly shaken and as they bring Rodney on to talk with him, she gets up and leaves the segment. We see his relationship and his Hometowns. Kaitlyn let us know that he will be going to Bachelor in Paradise as she alludes to him being able to find his person on the beaches of Mexico.
They shared some bloopers and a sneak peek of The Bachelor with Clayton. We can’t wait to see this on Jan 3rd, next month and it looks like there are a lot of twists and turns. This season will be hosted by Jessie Palmer.
When we get back from break, Michelle Young is on the stage. Rodney is shouted out by her first as she says that she liked his genuine nature. She also sends love to Rick as well and likes that he was always all in for everything that process entailed. Jamie tells her how much he liked her and felt that she was authentic, Michelle asks him why did he not do the things that he claims he respected her for. She lets him know that he didn’t act like a coach and she didn’t appreciate the way he dealt with the people in the house. The guys get the chance to compliment as well as to ask her things that have been on their minds. Michelle admits that she sent Olu home to early! Peter and Will bury the hatchet after giving everyone a slice of the pizza.
Each night during this season, we tweet about The Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS
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AWARDS SEASON | 27TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS NOMINATIONS
The Critics Choice Awards TV nominations were provided today and the Film nominations will be shared on the 13th of this month. The Critics Choice Awards will take place on Sunday, January 9th on The CW and TBS from the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel. As always we’re weighing in on who we believe will win (bold) and in a future post will share who won that we didn’t answer correctly (italicized) and those that we correctly answered (bold italicized).
TELEVISION NOMINATIONS FOR THE 27TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS
BEST DRAMA SERIES
Evil (Paramount+)
For All Mankind (Apple TV+)
The Good Fight (Paramount+)
Pose (FX)
Squid Game (Netflix)
Succession (HBO)
This Is Us (NBC)
Yellowjackets (Showtime)
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)
Mike Colter – Evil (Paramount+)
Brian Cox – Succession (HBO)
Lee Jung-jae – Squid Game (Netflix)
Billy Porter – Pose (FX)
Jeremy Strong – Succession (HBO)
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Uzo Aduba – In Treatment (HBO)
Chiara Aurelia – Cruel Summer (Freeform)
Christine Baranski – The Good Fight (Paramount+)
Katja Herbers – Evil (Paramount+)
Melanie Lynskey – Yellowjackets (Showtime)
MJ Rodriguez – Pose (FX)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Nicholas Braun – Succession (HBO)
Billy Crudup – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Kieran Culkin – Succession (HBO)
Justin Hartley – This Is Us (NBC)
Matthew Macfadyen – Succession (HBO)
Mandy Patinkin – The Good Fight (Paramount+)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Andrea Martin – Evil (Paramount+)
Audra McDonald – The Good Fight (Paramount+)
Christine Lahti – Evil (Paramount+)
J. Smith-Cameron – Succession (HBO)
Sarah Snook – Succession (HBO)
Susan Kelechi Watson – This Is Us (NBC)
BEST COMEDY SERIES
The Great (Hulu)
Hacks (HBO Max)
Insecure (HBO)
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
The Other Two (HBO Max)
Reservation Dogs (FX on Hulu)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Iain Armitage – Young Sheldon (CBS)
Nicholas Hoult – The Great (Hulu)
Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Kayvan Novak – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Elle Fanning – The Great (Hulu)
Renée Elise Goldsberry – Girls5eva (Peacock)
Selena Gomez – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Sandra Oh – The Chair (Netflix)
Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO)
Jean Smart – Hacks (HBO Max)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Ncuti Gatwa – Sex Education (Netflix)
Brett Goldstein – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Harvey Guillén – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
Brandon Scott Jones – Ghosts (CBS)
Ray Romano – Made for Love (HBO Max)
Bowen Yang – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Hannah Einbinder – Hacks (HBO Max)
Kristin Chenoweth – Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+)
Molly Shannon – The Other Two (HBO Max)
Cecily Strong – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Josie Totah – Saved By the Bell (Peacock)
Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
BEST LIMITED SERIES
Dopesick (Hulu)
Dr. Death (Peacock)
It’s a Sin (HBO Max)
Maid (Netflix)
Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Midnight Mass (Netflix)
The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)
WandaVision (Disney+)
BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Come From Away (Apple TV+)
List of a Lifetime (Lifetime)
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (Amazon Prime Video)
Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)
Oslo (HBO)
Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas (The Roku Channel)
BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Olly Alexander – It’s a Sin (HBO Max)
Paul Bettany – WandaVision (Disney+)
William Jackson Harper – Love Life (HBO Max)
Joshua Jackson – Dr. Death (Peacock)
Michael Keaton – Dopesick (Hulu)
Hamish Linklater – Midnight Mass (Netflix)
BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Danielle Brooks – Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)
Cynthia Erivo – Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)
Thuso Mbedu – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)
Elizabeth Olsen – WandaVision (Disney+)
Margaret Qualley – Maid (Netflix)
Kate Winslet – Mare of Easttown (HBO)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Murray Bartlett – The White Lotus (HBO)
Zach Gilford – Midnight Mass (Netflix)
William Jackson Harper – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)
Evan Peters – Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Christian Slater – Dr. Death (Peacock)
Courtney B. Vance – Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus (HBO)
Kaitlyn Dever – Dopesick (Hulu)
Kathryn Hahn – WandaVision (Disney+)
Melissa McCarthy – Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu)
Julianne Nicholson – Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Jean Smart – Mare of Easttown (HBO)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES
Acapulco (Apple TV+)
Call My Agent! (Netflix)
Lupin (Netflix)
Money Heist (Netflix)
Narcos: Mexico (Netflix)
Squid Game (Netflix)
BEST ANIMATED SERIES
Big Mouth (Netflix)
Bluey (Disney Junior)
Bob’s Burgers (Fox)
The Great North (Fox)
Q-Force (Netflix)
What If…? (Disney+)
BEST TALK SHOW
The Amber Ruffin Show (Peacock)
Desus & Mero (Showtime)
The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (Bravo)
BEST COMEDY SPECIAL
Bo Burnham: Inside (Netflix)
Good Timing with Jo Firestone (Peacock)
James Acaster: Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999 (Vimeo)
Joyelle Nicole Johnson: Love Joy (Peacock)
Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American (Netflix)
Trixie Mattel: One Night Only (YouTube)
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THE PICK ME UP
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ATHLEISURE BEAUTY
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ROCK THIS WHEN YOU'RE INVITED TO A HOLIDAY DINNER
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#TRIBEGOALS
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S2. E1. | ATHLEISURE KITCHEN WITH CHEF DUFF GOLDMAN
On today’s episode of Athleisure Kitchen, we catch up with founder of Charm City Cakes and Food Network Host and Judge, Duff Goldman. A favorite of Athleisure Mag and in the NOV ISSUE #71, we talk about him hosting No Kid Hungry’s Thanksgiving Bake-A-Thon which took place this month! Viewers were able to watch Duff as well as noted bakers and celebrities create holiday dishes and answer questions that enthusiasts have when creating their own works of art! We explore why he is so passionate about working with No Kid Hungry and how he has been involved with them for well over a decade! We also talked about The Holiday Baking Championship and how important it is for him to provide feedback to contestants while also taking people through the culinary journey of enjoying a bite of your favorite treats! I promise you will never look at your Reese’s Cup in the same way! We also talk about 3 items that bakers should be gifted or gift themselves, upcoming projects, being a new father and he shares one of our favorite features that our readers enjoy in Athleisure Mag’s issue, 9LIST ROUTIN3S!
You can stay in the loop on who future guests are by visiting us at AthleisureStudio.com/AthleisureKitchen and on Instagram at @AthleisureKitchen and @AthleisureStudio. Athleisure Kitchen is hosted by Kimmie Smith and is Executive Produced by Paul Farkas and Kimmie Smith. It is mixed by the team at Athleisure Studio. Our theme music is "This Boy" performed by Ilya Truhanov.
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9LOOKS | TOM FORD
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VANILLA BEAUTY
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PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette
THE BACHELORETTE S18. E7. | IT'S HOMETOWNS!
Tonight’s episode of ABC’s The Bachelorette continues in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Michelle Young’s for the week that we all look forward to, Hometowns! Tayshia Adams and Michelle talk about what it will be like and the kinds of things that she should ask and look for. Kaitlyn Bristowe lets the guys know that their families are there and it’s time to get ready for everyone to meet.
Brandon is up first. He takes her to his hometown in “Portland” and they’re skateboarding! Although we were expecting some insane tricks, we can see that he’s trying to get the rust off. We also see Michelle get on the board too - shakily. But, it’s a cute date and we can see their connection. She meets his mom, dad and brother. Noah’s brother is the kind of brother that you would want to have. He’s honest and digs in asking Michelle about why she likes him. Seeing Michelle connecting with Brandon’s dad was sweet to see. She won her family over as his mom felt that they were so similar and his dad stated outright that he liked Michelle! Michelle lets him know that she also has strong feelings that she is falling for him as well.
Rodney is up next! Even she says that she didn’t expect that the man dressed like an apple would be here! Their date includes going to the place where an apple known as the First Kiss, only grows in her home state! Their apple date including picking them, throwing them into buckets and just having an easy time with one another. When she meets his family, they are nice to her, but they are hesitant as it’s a tough situation to be in.
Michelle brought Joe to her high school in an earlier episode. On this episode, Michelle is taken to his high school where he can show her his experience through his eyes. The date continues on to Prom! He didn’t go to his and he knows that she was picked last at hers. So it was nice to see them do all the Prom things and to make that memory. Seeing Joe’s family, we see that he gets his quiet nature from his dad, but it’s clear that his family likes her and they draw her in.
The final date for Hometowns is with Nayte. He shows her his love for walking in the park when he is in Austin - so that’s part of her date. But, he lets her know that 3-4 days a week, he likes to kayak. It’s a competitive and fun part of the date. He reminds us that he got the first impression date and he’s still here and they will continue to build on their chemistry.
It’s interesting that Michelle will be the first woman that Nayte has ever brought home to his family! That would make any woman nervous about what that experience will look like. Nayte seems excited, but he doesn’t really know what that means. Michelle feels that it’s a bit of red flag that no one has evermet his parents. She is meeting his mom and step father - who they recently divorced and both are skeptical as this is new territory for everyone. Even his step father says that he will call things out if he does or doesn’t see a fit. Even Nayte talks about how he and his parents never talked about feelings and relationships. His step father was very clear in saying that he doesn’t know the difference between being in love, being married and being engaged and that he questions whether he is ready to take those steps because it is so new. We see Nayte and his step dad connect and say that they love one another for the first time!
As Michelle debates what she should do, Serena and Brie who were on Matt James’ season with her pop by.
The men are at the rose ceremony. Michelle gives roses to Brandon, Nayte and Joe. Rodney is not given a rose and it’s heartbreaking to see him standing there without one. She wants him to know that he is enough and not an underdog, even though she sent him home because her feelings weren’t there in the same way that they were with others. He lets her know that he is still in love with her. The next dew days are going to be interesting. Next week, the Men’s Tell all takes place for The Bachelorette, Clayton will be the next The Bachelor and his season starts in Jan.
Each night during this season, we tweet about The Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS
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ATHLEISURE MAG | #71 NOV 2021
In this month’s issue, our cover story is with Lightweight Boxer 21-0 with 18 knockouts, Ryan Garcia. We talk with him about how he got into boxing, his career, brands he's partnered with and being the Co-Owner and Chief MARLOWE. Officer of skincare brand, MARLOWE. We talked with Chef Duff Goldman about his work with No Kid Hungry that he has been involved in for well over a decade, his passion for baking, how he approaches giving feedback to contestants by taking them on a culinary journey and more. LPGA golfer Lexi Thompson talks about her passion for golf, upcoming tournaments and her skincare line, Lexi Skin. We also sit down with 2X Team USA Olympic Bronze Foil Fencer and World Champion, Miles Chamley-Watson to talk about the sport, why he wants to increase its footprint, his partnership and documentary with Daring Foods and more. We also connect with Food Network Personality and Chef Aarti Sequeira who also tells us about she approaches judging Halloween Wars and Holiday Wars. She also talks about her her new book, My Family Recipe Journal and the importance of keeping recipes passed down from one generation to the next.
This month’s 9PLAYLIST is from one of our favorites, Idris Elba. BMX rider Matthias Dandois as well as Ryan Garcia, shares their 9LIST STORI3S with us. Our 9LIST ROUTIN3S comes from football Super Bowl Champion, Hall of Famer and broadcaster Troy Aikman, Chef Duff Goldman and LPGA golfer Lexi Thompson. We also have our Miles Chamley-Watson sharing his 9DRIP with us. This month’s 9LOOKS shares some of our favorite ensembles from Tom Ford's FW21 collections.
Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack focuses on Tusca in NY. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Pua Manu Club and Juicery Harlem. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.
Read the NOV ISSUE #71 of Athleisure Mag.
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PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette
THE BACHELORETTE S18. E6. | MICHELLE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR LOVE
Tonight’s episode of ABC’s The Bachelorette continues in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Michelle Young’s hometown. The remaining men talk amongst themselves as there are 8 left and whoever received a rose will be going to Hometowns!
We also see Michelle’s students. 4 of them will get to meet the prospective men. They share insights that they have on her as they see her through the lens of Ms. Young. Michelle feels that a child’s opinion says a lot.
The kids let the men know that they are taking over the week and planning all of the dates. They kick off with questions asking if they have been grounded, whether they have bad breath and if they can do handstands - essential skills. We have to admit that the kids feedback is pretty spot on. They like Olu and see that he’s sweet, but they feel Martin just shows off and they don’t think that he is a good fit. Clayton suggests that they should build a fort and he is hoping that by doing it, he may be able to get a 1-on-1 date.
The date card arrives and the 1-on-1 date goes to Clayton. Michelle’s students are in charge of who is on the group and 1-on-1 dates and they are also planning all the activities. They start off with a limo and they have pizza and candy waiting for them in the car. It’s pretty cute - but then again, they’re in 5th grade so we can imagine that that would be a great idea to them. They make their way to the museum and Michelle knows that she has been there with her students before. A night date at a museum is a pretty cool idea. They run through the museum with their socks on, they catch butterflies with scrolls to get to know more about one another and they go to the planetarium where the students put an audio-visual presentation together which includes facts on the solar system while encouraging the two to be together.
The next date card arrives Rick, Rodney, Nayte, Joe, Martin and Olu are on a group date. That means that Brandon will have a 1-on-1 date. Back on Clayton’s date, they’re not sitting down to dinner and it’s time for them to get to know more about one another. Although they have a great conversation, it seems like Michelle is a bit unsure although she feels that she’s getting to know him more. She lets him know that he checks the box on all of the qualities that she is looking for. But, she feels that something is holding her back and that she can’t give him the rose and take that step to get to know his family. She doesn’t give him a rose. She does tell him that he is enough and that although she feels connected to him, it’s not the right connection for a relationship and he feelings won’t be able to get there. She knows that he is not her person and that there will be an amazing person for him. Clayton meets 2 of the kids and each of them give him a note. Both notes are sweet and they have positive things to say to him as well as saying that they wish he had been a fit for Michelle. Could this mean that he will be The Bachelor?
The kids plan a farm date for the group date. The guys milk cows (Rick is a natural and Rodney looks overwhelmed). Joe and Nayte turn milking a cow into a compeition. They also hang out with the baby cows and feed them. Churning butter is another activity on this date - Joe is an excellent butter churner apparently. Cleaning up the poop from the cows is yet another activity. They also have a nighttime hayride to end the last group date. To end this portion of the evening, everyone gets dressed up and has the afterparty from the group date. Michelle encourages them to have the conversations that need to be said.
Nayte decides that he wants to talk about family. He lets her know that he has never brought a girl home to his family because his dad didn’t want to meet anyone - we’re assuming that he only wants to see the one. Nayte lets her know that he is strongly falling for Michelle and that he has never felt that way before. She tells him that she feels very stronlgy about him as well. She says that she is tumbling down a hill so fast for him.
Michelle compliments Joe on his nurturing behaviour and he tells her that his grandparents ran a dairy farm - thus why he was so good at all of the chores and at home doing them!
Rick wants to make sure that he has left everything on the table and lets her know that if she has questions, she lets him know.
Rodney makes his pitch about why he wants her to see his Hometown and to know why he is the way that he is.
Once again, Martin is talking smack about Michelle and saying that they had a miscommunication because she didn’t get where he was coming from. Olu hears this and you can tell that he’s not having it. When Martin chats with Michelle, he says he wants her to see his friends and family so that she can know more about him. He continues to say that she misunderstands him and they have miscommunications.
Olu comes in hot and tells her about Martin and the red flags that he sees. He references that Michelle’s story and what she went through is perceived by Martin as her not dealing with her issues and being immature. Michelle feels that Olu is trustworthy and she can’t believe that Martin would weigh in on how she felt unseen.
She sees the guys and before giving the group date rose, she asks him to come chat with her. She lets him know that he is two-faced and that his thoughts on her poem, opening up and being vulnerable is immature to him that she hasn’t resolved that. Martin says he didn’t say it, but would like to tell her what he actually did say. He says that there is a difference between being insecure and having insecurities. He talks over her and cuts her off - which we know is a pet peeve of hers. She tells him that he hasn’t been honest and that he doesn’t listen to why she has been hurt. She feels that he is not to be trusted and that she is walking him out. She is hurt by the fact that she has opened up and been vulnerable with him and he has taken that information as a character flaw. He’s not mad that he’s going home, he doesn’t like the way that she handled it and he feels sorry for her and feels she doesn’t deserve his time. Nayte receives the group date rose. Hearing Olu’s take that he was happy to share the information and that he wasn’t upset that he didn’t get the rose.
Brandon is on his 1-on-1 date with Michelle. He’s excited that they’re getting ice cream. It’s one of Michelle’s favorite spots and it’s only open during the summers. They’re having a great date and she takes him to the place where she has the most memories - her home! Brandon is so excited and nervous. But there’s no need because her parents aren’t home, but he can see her childhood home. I think that that’s a special moment for him and one that he cherishes as well. They take a dip in the pool and she gives him her dad’s trunks. Although she didn’t think they were coming, her parents arrive! After the initial awkwardness, they put their clothes back on and they chat together. They have a nice interaction and Brandon has time alone with her parents and asks that should it get to that point as he loves her, that he would want to marry her and wanted their blessing. They said yes before they continue onto their date. They talk and he gives her a bracelet that his mom made for him. His mom said that if she felt that Michelle was the one, that he should give it to her so that they know to give her the same love that they have for him. He received the rose and is going to Hometowns.
Now the remaining 4 Rodney, Rick, Olu and Joe need to optimize their time for the cocktail party. Olu is the only person who has yet to receive a 1-on-1 date. Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams let them know that the cocktail party has been cancelled as she knows what she wants and they will go straight to the rose ceremony. Only 2 roses will be given out tonight. This last group of guys that appeared at the rose ceremony as well as Clayton were a great group of guys and it’s sad to see that Rick and Olu didn’t make it; however, we can see how those with roses are a great fit for her.
Michelle gives a rose to Nayte, Brandon, Joe and Rodney
Michelle sends home Clayton, Martin, Olu and Rick.
Each night during this season, we tweet about The Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
THEY’RE GOING TO HOMETOWNS
SEASON 18 | EPISODE 6
Last week, we felt that Joe, Martin, Nayte and Olu would go to hometowns.
This week, we weren’t surprised that Martin was sent home and we were sad to see that Clayton, Rick and Olu were eliminated. Joe and Nayte have always been in our mix for those would be at Hometowns. But we have also liked Brandon and Rodney so it’s nice to see that they will get to have their families meet with Michelle.
THE BACHELOR CONTESTANTS
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BREATHE IN WITH GUNNAR PETERSON + DR. CEDRIC JAIME RUTLAND
We're always promoting ways of optimizing your health and being able to bring you the best advice and tips on how to reach and push your goals. Each person has their own challenges and paths to getting there. This month we talk with Celebrity Fitness Trainer Gunnar Peterson and pulmonologist Dr. Jamie Rutland about asthma and how this condition affects this community when it comes to them engaging in fitness and sports, how they can approach these activities, the importance of checking in with your doctor and LungZone which both are participating in.
For avid readers of Athleisure Mag, Gunnar Peterson has shared his insights in a number of our issues. As a trainer to Khloe Kardashian, Kanye West, Hugh Jackman, professional athletes and more, he has always been focused on his clients reaching their fullest potential. It's great to get his perspective when it comes to training and working with those that have asthma and to also provide tips to those he isn't working with and has this condition so that you can set yourself up for the best success when navigating this portion of your journey.
ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve had the pleasure of interviewing you for Athleisure Mag and I always like getting your insights. What muscles are necessary specifically when it comes to breathing?
GUNNAR PETERSON: When you think about the muscles that are important for breathing, you want to think about the diaphragm, abdominal muscles and those in the chest and back that support lung capacity and postural awareness. The pectoral muscles, for example, are important when inhaling and exhaling. When I say postural awareness, I mean things like sitting up tall with your shoulders back and your chin is up high with an inhale and steady exhale. It's important to focus on deep diaphragmatic breathing, not shallow throat breathing, so that you can get more out of the body whether at rest or play.
AM: What exercises can we do to open our airways and strengthen the muscles that help us to breathe?
GP: Anything that challenges you from a cardiovascular perspective is a good exercise to open your airway and strengthen your muscles. In fact, you can visit JoinLungZone.com for my Get Moving class that provides movements and sequences in a way that will challenge you from a cardiovascular standpoint and help prioritize your lung health. Exercises include a push up with a t-raise – which strengthens your pectoral muscles – or a pull down – which opens you up in the front while you're taxing the latissimus dorsi muscles. All those things can help you to think about steady breathing during your resistance training. I should note that my class on www.JoinLungZone.com is for people living with moderate-to-severe asthma, and they should consult with their doctor before taking any of the classes. Each person should take classes based on their own fitness level -- you don't want to jump in particularly if you are coming in from a completely sedentary lifestyle. Once you get the green light from your doctor, then you can progress accordingly. Listen to your body. It’s something that everyone should learn to do, even those who might consider themselves advanced.
AM: What are routines that one can do to have a great workout while navigating a busy lifestyle?
GP: First, you need to determine your goals. Everyone has different goals. Your goal may just be to get up and get off the couch three times in one day. That’s ok. You must start somewhere. Once you determine your goal, you must create a plan and stick to that plan. You want to do something on a regular basis so that it’s consistent because it’s that consistency that keeps you going. My biggest piece of advice is to find something that you can consistently incorporate into your lifestyle. My “Get Moving” class provides exercises you can consider.
AM: Growing up, my sister had severe asthma that placed her in the hospital many times from the time she was 3 until her middle school years. At that time, going to gym class became a battlefield as the teacher didn’t understand the severity of her ailments or how to create programs that she could do – just recently she started running and was shocked that she could do it. As someone who has trained athletes, celebrities, etc., who live with asthma, are there things that you look out for and lean into so that they are still optimizing what they need to do while being mindful of their condition?
GP: First off, thank you for sharing that with me, and hats off to your sister for not losing interest in running despite what could have been a difficult experience when she was younger. I could easily see her throwing in the towel or checking out, but good for her for pressing on. We certainly have grown to understand how asthma can impact a person and have more resources available to us. Everybody is different and you can't push everybody at the same pace and same level. For many people with asthma, exercise can seem intimidating, especially when you are worried about having an asthma attack. But staying active is important, and certain exercises can help people focus on their breathing in a positive way. As a personal trainer, I’ve spent my life helping people focus on their physical well-being. Getting in shape is not something that happens overnight, and that’s true for lung health, too. That's why we have created a starting point for people at JoinLungZone.com.
AM: How important are personalized workouts to you when you’re working with your clients?
GP: Personalized workouts are everything to me when I'm working with my clients. That’s why they bring me in. They don't want something cookie-cutter. They don't actly what the person before them did, even if they had similar vitals and goals. When you think about sports teams not everybody does the same workout. Individualized workouts are very important to me, but they are also important for people living with moderate-to-severe asthma. Even if you are doing a group workout, there should be levels that fit various needs you should have a way to progress so that each person walks away feeling like they got the most out of it.
AM: Please share tips on how asthmatics and those who may be navigating related lung issues can still get a great workout.
GP: I know I’ve said this a few times now, but I am saying it because it’s important. Before trying a workout class, people living with asthma should speak with their doctor about what is right for them. Don't just jump in on your own. Think about your body as a whole-- don't try to isolate and narrow down to single, small muscle groups or single joint movements. You want to think about the broader picture and overall lung and cardiovascular health because that's what's going to carry you through the demands of your day. — whether that's biking or playing pick-up soccer with your kids or even just getting through the daily tasks of running your household, there are demands in all of those activities. Life is a sport, everybody's an athlete, so train accordingly.
AM: Tell me about LungZone and why you felt that this was something that you wanted to participate in.
GP: LungZone is a program – which you can learn more about at JoinLungZone.com – that aims to guide people with moderate-to-severe asthma toward better lung health. I’m excited to participate in this program and be here today on behalf of Sanofi and Regeneron because this is really all about inclusion. Once people know that they at least have an entry point, the sky's the limit. LungZone gives you everything from mindful breathing practices with Kelley Green who is a meditation expert to common questions about asthma that are answered by Dr. Cedric "Jamie" Rutland, and my Get Moving class so you can start anywhere on that continuum, and you can progress it or regress it as needed.
AM: How can we prioritize our lung health regardless of whether we have issues or not?
GP: The lungs are fundamental organs, and there are steps we can take to focus on better lung health in a very real way. Exercising, meditating for stress reduction, and practicing deep diaphragm breathing to train your body to breathe better are important ways that people can contribute to their lung health.
I believe first and foremost you should find a way to enjoy exercise. If you can find a way to enjoy it, you're more likey to stick to it, and if you stick to it, you're more likely to benefit from it and make it something that you can always build on.
AM: Are there any projects that you have going on that we should keep an eye out for?
GP: In addition to my work on LungZone, I try to always have irons in the fire. I have some upcoming work with F45 Training which is a global workout company. I am really aligned with their philosophies and really like that they design their classes for all levels so anyone can do it. Again, that’s in part why I was excited to also participate in LungZone because it’s that same mentality.
Gunnar shared how he is involved in LungZone and why this is important for those that are living with asthma. We wanted to take a step back and to take a look at asthma. It's important for us to take a step step back and look at what asthma is, how this condition affects the body and the areas that it targets specifically. Dr. Cedric "Jamie" Rutland, a pulmonologist, explains more about this to give us a better understanding about this and what are common triggers. It's impossible to think about asthma and its affects without asking about how COVID can also play into this condition and the importance of receiving the vaccine. He also shares his involvement in LungZone as well.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into asthma, LungZone etc, I’d like to know about your background as you’re a fellow Big 10 alumni. Why did you want to work with those who have pulmonary issues?
DR. CEDRIC "JAMIE" RUTLAND: It's a great question. The way that I ended up at a Big 10 school, University of Iowa for medical school, was really that it just happened to be a top 10 medical school. So when I got accepted, I decided to go there. When you think about a Big 10 school in the Midwest in general, that area of the country is very well educated. All the students within that area of the country are so talented, and so good at being a student that I picked up a lot of different skills from others in the process. That experience truly allowed me to understand what pulmonary and critical care offered me, which was the opportunity to not only specialize in a certain field of medicine, but also experience other parts of medicine that I enjoy because when you're an ICU physician you see everything. I still like to help people with kidney problems, liver problems, and GI tract problems. ICU medicine also gave me the opportunity to communicate with families and patients in critical situations. It allowed me to explain things and teach, which is something that I really like to do, and I think without the help of a Big 10 school, like the University of Iowa, I wouldn't be where I am today.
AM: For our readers that may not be familiar with asthma, can you talk about what it is and the areas of the body that are affected?
DR. CJR: Let’s first talk about the lungs and how it's structured. The lung is essentially a bunch of pipes that lead to a bunch of balloons stacked on top of one another. When you take a deep breath, that air travels down your windpipe and further down into smaller little pipes called the bronchi and bronchioles. Those bronchioles lead to the balloons where oxygen is picked up by your blood and used to keep your body functioning properly.
Asthma is an inflammation of those pipes. More specifically, it's inflammation of the smooth muscle layer of the pipe, which leads to airway narrowing. That means people have trouble taking a deep breath in, and more specifically, even have trouble releasing a deep breath out. We want to calm that inflammation down so people can breathe easier and feel a little bit better.
AM: Are there various categories or groups as I’m sure that not all asthma is the same for those that have it.
DR. CJR: Yes, there are different categories and different treatments depending on the type of asthma you have. If a patient comes in and tells me they are short of breath, I quickly determine what type of inflammation may be present in their body. Those patients might need an inhaler. But, often times, it's not just a localized type of inflammation. It's often a systemic type of inflammation, something we call Type 2 inflammation. When you identify that more systemic type of inflammation, then there are certain treatment options that work to block that inflammation, like Dupixent® (dupilumab). In clinical trials, Dupixent improved lung function in as little as 2 weeks and helped reduce asthma attacks by up to 81% when compared to standard of care alone plus placebo. I should mention that people shouldn’t use Dupixent if they are allergic to it or its ingredients, and it can cause serious side effects, including allergic reactions and inflammation of your blood vessels. So, it’s important to talk to your doctor to see what type of inflammation you have and what type of treatment may be right for you.
AM: What are the symptoms of asthma and are there seasons where it can be more prone to happening?
DR. CJR: Common symptoms of asthma are shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing. Those symptoms tend to happen as soon as you're exposed to irritants or anything that you are allergic to. If you go outside and its springtime and all that pollens around, and you start coughing or wheezing, that's going to be your trigger. If you are going outside during the wintertime, and you feel like your airways are narrowing or you start coughing then cold is your trigger. All these things can trigger your airways to become inflamed and that leads to airway narrowing, mucus production, shortness of breath and wheezing which are the classic symptoms of asthma.
AM: For those who are living with asthma, what do you suggest that they should be aware of when it comes to living a 360 life in terms of fitness whether they’re an enthusiast or an athlete?
DR. CJR: I think if you are an athlete or a fitness enthusiast who lives with asthma, then you have to understand your disease and listen to your body when it’s telling you that you don't have your disease under control. It's very important for people to be aware of their symptoms because the last thing you want is for that persistent inflammation to continue which could lead to a hospitalization, severe asthma attack and potentially death. If you're using an inhaler and you're still coughing or short of breath when you do things like going up a flight of stairs, you need to tell your physician – whether it's your primary care physician, your pulmonologist, or your allergist – that your medication isn’t working and see what else is out there.
AM: Can you tell me about what LungZone is, why you wanted to be involved in it and how you’re participating with this program.
DR. CJR: LungZone is a virtual community created by Sanofi and Regeneron to allow patients and their family members the opportunity to become educated about what asthma is, what inflammation is present in your lungs, and potentially how to treat that inflammation appropriately. The reason why I'm involved in LungZone is because as a doctor, it marries two things I'm in love with. One is immunology, which is the study of white blood cells and what they do in the body when there’s inflammation present. And the other thing is communication. I think it's very important for patients and their family members to understand what the body is going through. What I have found, is that people who understand what's going on in their body tend to tolerate their disease a little bit better, and they feel empowered by learning what's going on in their body and understanding how they can help control their disease. I think that that is something that is extremely important, and it's something I'm passionate about.
AM: How can our readers participate?
DR. CJR: Your readers can participate by going to JoinLungZone.com and taking my "Help Manage Your Asthma" class or take the other more dynamic classes from Gunnar Peterson and Kelley Green. I think what's good about these classes is that they truly help people understand what their body is going through, what they maybe need to ask their physician and other ways to strengthen their body and manage their systems.
AM: As we have all been navigating these past months due to COVID-19, can you share any information in terms of those who have actually battled COVID while being asthmatic or for those who have not had COVID but do have asthma how this may affect them?
DR. CJR: What's interesting about asthma is that there are different subcategories of asthma. Depending on the type of asthma, a person might deal with SARS-CoV-2 differently. Asthma leads to airway inflammation, and so does COVID-19. If asthma-related inflammation is uncontrolled, then COVID-related inflammation can be really problematic. If there's one thing that I've learned, it is making sure that a person's asthma symptoms and the inflammation are under control.
AM: Do those who are not asthmatic but have gotten COVID experience some of the issues that are similar to asthma?
DR. CJR: Yes, you can. Again, when you have that inflammation of lungs, whether it's caused by smoke, pollen, or COVID, the symptoms are going to be the same. I have had people who have never been diagnosed with asthma, that now have asthma due to this persistent inflammation in the post-COVID setting.
AM: For those that may not have received the vaccine for COVID and are asthmatic, what is your message to them to encourage them to get it?
DR. CJR: I love this question and I will tell you why. If you're a patient of mine, you're going to understand what asthma is and how it works. We talk a lot about targeting inflammation. The whole point of a vaccine is to calm down inflammation and not allow the immune system to overreact and cause more problems. It’s a lot easier for my patients to understand how and why a vaccine works. We also talked in the earlier questions about what complications COVID can cause when you have asthma, and that’s also what I discuss with my patients.
AM: You are a busy man without a doubt. You're the founder/ownder of West Coast Lung. Can you tell me more about this and why you wanted to launch your own office?
DR. CJR: When I was a young doctor, I understood that the most important people to be able to communicate with were not my colleagues, it was my patients. There was a particular incident when I was in the hospital, and a colleague of mine couldn't get a patient to open up. This lady looked exactly like my grandma. So, first thing I said to her was, "Good Afternoon Mama." And she just opened up to me. My colleague said to me, "How did you know to call her mama?" I said, "She's an African American female so she's mama, that's just who she is.” That's when I understood that I needed to make certain I knew how to communicate with patients. So, when I started West Coast Lung, I wanted to focus on messaging and education amongst patients and their family members, so they can understand what is going on with their bodies. I think it empowers people and allows them to more easily deal with what they have, and perhaps make some changes to their diet and exercise that helps them feel better in the long run.
AM: You’re also the VP of the Association for Healthcare Social Media. What is this organization and how are you involved?
DR. CJR: We knew that social media was going to be a place where people were going to get health information. We knew that 50% of people got their health information from social media, which was astonishing to us, but we also know with social media that you can post anything. We understand our role with messaging and how to combat misinformation, and that's what we are continuing to do. Our role in social media is continuing to evolve, and we partner with YouTube, Pinterest, and are always looking for other media partners to be able to express our message. We have physicians that discuss gastroenterology, fertility, and obstetrics. So, we really all understand the impact that social media has and as a company you want to be able to deal with it in a very positive way.
AM: You’re also the National Spokesperson of the Lung Association! What do you to bring awareness to lung health and how long have you been in this role?
DR. CJR: I've been involved with the American Lung Association for about four years. What I like about being a spokesperson, is that it gives you the opportunity to show that there are doctors who look like me on a national scale. I think that there's a lot of kids that look like me that may not know that they can be a doctor, or they can become a doctor, so I think that showcasing that was important to me. It also allows me to practice my craft around messaging and teaching on the national stage and explain things in a way that everybody can understand, which again I think is really important. Being in this position allows me to be that bridge between science and your everyday person.
AM: Going through your Instagram, it’s evident that you’re passionate about pulmonary issues and making it approachable through your videos. Why has this been important for you to share this kind of information socially?
DR. CJR: You have to be able to explain it in a way that people can understand. If you can't, you've done nothing. For example, with the COVID vaccines, within a year we went from having nothing to "go get the vaccine." We had a year to teach immunology.
I think in that moment I understood and said, "You know what, I am just going to teach how the body works." If people can understand that, maybe they can get to the conclusion of how a vaccine works. I teach why the vaccine may work, but I also teach about Onesimus, who was the African slave who brought the concept of vaccination to this country in the 1700s. I discuss why Onesimus had this belief in how smallpox should be treated and how that concept came from Africa to Boston during the smallpox pandemic. I want people to understand, and I use their language to make it happen.
AM: In addition to using your platform for health, it also looks like you enjoy having fun like your appearance on Game of Talents this past spring and sharing your wall of Js. How important is it to you that you have that work life balance as well as sharing that doctors come in many forms and can literally be a cool guy that you’d want in your friend group?
DR. CJR: I think it's important for people to be themselves and embrace who you are. I've done game shows with my friends. I'll still go out with my wife and my kids and coach them all the time. I think it’s just doing the things that I enjoy. Being a professional doesn't mean you need to ignore certain aspects of your life. I spent a lot of a lot of time learning that saying no doesn't mean you don't have to be you, it just means that you're focused on what you're trying to gain. I was focused on gaining my medical degree, my fellowship and ultimately my career. I'm just not going to let go of being me.
AM: As we get closer to the end of the year, are there any projects that you'd like to share that we should know about?
DR. CJR: In addition to my partnership with Sanofi and Regeneron on LungZone, another major project I am working on is developing a television program in which we educate people in a barber shop setting. There's a lot of education that happens at the barber shops. You know, I always have a dry erase pen with me so I can draw the science to help people understand, and I think taking that to a broader audience is extremely important. Being able to educate in any setting gives people the power to understand, and exposure to others who made them think about something in a different way. We have some prominent Hollywood producers and musicians involved and I think it’s going to a really positive platform that allows people to ask questions and find answers in an easy-to-understand way.
IG @DrJRutland
PHOTOS COURTESY | LungZone
Read the OCT ISSUE #70 of Athleisure Mag and see Breathe in with Gunnar Peterson + Dr. Cedric James Rutland in mag.
Featured
FITNESS IS A LIFESTYLE WITH HARLEY PASTERNAK
A lot has taken place over the last 20 months. We've learned new skills, become profficient in things that we never knew about, assisted others in their time of need and with all of that activity going on, it's important to make sure that we also keep the focus on our health so that we can continue to be our best selves. We checked in with one of our faves, Celebrity Fitness Trainer, Harley Pasternak, who has worked with Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga to name a few. He talked about how we can maintain our goals no matter the time of year and to make it an ongoing priority. He shares how we can stay on track as well as some healthy hacks along the way!
ATHLEISURE MAG: Now that we’re settling into the fall, how can people stay on track with our fitness and nutrition? It feels like a gateway as we’re coming off of the summer and soon we will be thinking about the holiday season as well and there are those that are also focused on getting rid of their Quarantine 15.
HARLEY PASTERNAK: The principles of being healthy and staying in shape, they hold true regardless of what month or season it is. Number 1, you’ve got trying to hit your step goal every day – that’s at least 12,000 steps a day. The fall is probably my favorite time of year to do that. It’s not too hot, but it’s not too cold. Get those steps in and take in the beautiful weather – rake your leaves, whatever you need to do. I love getting my steps. Number 2, is sleep! I think that it’s actually easier to get sleep come the fall because we fall back. There’s a little less daylight, so we actually get sleepier a little bit earlier and we tend to get a little sleepy. It’s cooler, the clocks change and these contribute to getting the best sleep. Number 3 is cutting back on screentime. I think that you should unplug for at least an hour a day from technology and it’s really important. It affects our health, wellness, wellbeing, our mental state and our physical state. Next is food, protein, fiber and healthy fat for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a little snack in between. Finally, you still need to strength train as little as 1 strength move a day. You can work your way up to 2 – 3 strength moves every other day.
AM: For those looking to round out their workout routines, what are some moves that you think that they should do so that they’re hitting the 360 of their bodies?
HP: I don’t believe in doing a whole body workout. I believe in splitting the body throughout the week. One way that I do it is 1 body part a day, 7 days a week. So each day of the week, you’re doing 1 exercise. Sometimes I will do 5 days a week of 2 body parts a day and sometimes I’ll do 4 days a week of 3 body parts a day.
AM: I know that you’ve partnered with Maple Hill. What is it about the brand that made you want to be involved with them and then what are some good recipes that you can make with their products as I know that you’re a fan of smoothies as we are too.
HP: I met them a few years ago at an event that I was hosting for Goop in Texas. I saw the product, I really liked it and we kept in touch. They reached out to me recently and they said, “would you believe that we figured how to filter out the lactose-sugar from dairy?” All that’s left is 2 different proteins, whey and casein, Vitamin D, calcium, potassium and water. I was like, there’s no way. They sent it to me, it was delicious, my kids love it, I love it! I have been using it for my smoothies in the morning – I have a few smoothies that I use such as the PB&J Smoothie. I also enjoy making an Apple Pie Smoothie and a Pina Colada Smoothie where I use it as the base.
APPLE PIE SMOOTHIE
Per Smoothie
15 raw almonds
1.5 red apples, peeled, cored and chunked
1 small frozen banana, chunked
1 1/4 Maple Hill organic plain Greek yogurt
1 cup Maple Hill Zero Sugar organic milk
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
PINA COLADA SMOOTHIE
1 medium orange peeled and sectioned
1/3 cup Maple Hill organic plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons whey protein powder
1 frozen banana chopped
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks (fresh, not canned!)
My kids will use Maple Hill in their cereals and in the afternoon, I will use their Greek yogurt with a little bit of cinnamon and I take a baked apple and pipette the cinnamon yogurt in the middle of the baked apple where I will core it out and it’s really good!
HARLEY'S FAVORITE BAKES APPLES
8 apples, cored
32oz Maple Hill organic plain Greek yogurt
Cinnamon
Core apples and place in a baking dish in one inch of water, sprinkle cinnamon over everything. Cover with foil and bake at 400 for 2 hours.
Mix 2 tsp cinnamon into yogurt, pipe yogurt & cinnamon mixture into the center of the apples.
I use a high-tech, fancy method of putting the yogurt in a ziplock and cutting the corner off to squeeze the yogurt into the apples!
AM: That sounds very decadent!
HP: It is!
AM: As always, it’s fun to look through your IG whether it’s looking at a fitness routine, seeing you introduce foods to your kids or just meals you’re making for lunch. You had a Cobb Salad with pretzel sticks! We love pretzel sticks and being able to see you present a hi-low meal with a twist really shows this fun food sensibility in terms of balance. How important is it to have these healthy hacks in your food lifestyle?
HP: I think it’s important because if you want to eat well, you want to eat well forever. If you’re too strict, regimented and limited – you can do something for a short time but not for a long time. I think that by adding a little hi-low into your foods, you have a fun time with it. So even when I do cereal with my kids, we’ll use the milk with the sugar removed like we talked about which is amazing and we’ll use a high fiber low cereal with it, but then, I will sprinkle in a little bit of the sugary cereal on top so that my kids don’t feel like we’re giving them weird health food all the time! They feel like there is some fun it and I think that that’s important to do.
AM: What do you suggest for people that splurge on having those extra cocktails or enjoying something that really yummy that’s off of their typical plan? What’s the best way that they can reset their bodies to get back on track?
HP: I wrote The Body Reset Diet which has now been a Number 1 – 3 times! I think that some people may want to jump in and hop in on Phase 1 or Phase 2 if they feel like they are spiraling out of control and it just puts them back in on that 3 meals – 2 snacks a day with protein, fiber and healthy fat at every meal. It tends to be helpful for people!
AM: We know that you’re always working on a number of projects so what should we keeping an eye out that you can share with us?
HP: Yeah! I design all the gyms for the Four Seasons Hotels around the world. I helped to develop a new technology called FORME which is a really cool technology. I’m the global fitness advisor for Alo.
AM: Yes! If we’re not rocking Adidas, we’re in Alo!
HP: I know, right? So all of these brand partnerships of mine are synergistic. Maple Hill for me, is a natural no brainer. I have been a fan of dairy for years. I even visited a number of dairy farms to see how the cows live, how milk is taken from them and what they’re fed. I think that every brand partnership that I have ever had has been very organic and natural and synergistic with the other ones.
PHOTOS COURTESY | Harley Pasternak
Read the OCT ISSUE #70 of Athleisure Mag and see Fitness is a Lifestyle with Harley Pasternak in mag.
Featured
S3. E3 | #TRIBEGOALS WITH STARZ'S POWER BOOK II: GHOST WITH METHOD MAN + LARENZ TATE
On today’s episode of #TRIBEGOALS, I catch up with 2 co-stars from STARZ’s 2nd season of POWER BOOK II: GHOST which premieres on Nov 21st! We sat down with Method Man and Larenz Tate. In the first half of the podcast, we catch up with the legendary performer of the Wu-Tang Clan and actor in a number of TV series and films, Method Man. We talk about his diverse career and what we can expect on the latest season. We delve into the writer’s room and the phenomenal cast which includes his co-stars and musical collaborators – Mary J. Blige and Redman. We also talk about his commitment to fitness and how he continues to increase expanding his business into the cannabis industry and NFTs.
After catching up with Method Man and finding out more about how his character, Davis MacLean ended the last season and what we can expect from this season, we had to talk to Larenz Tate to find out about Councilman Rashad Tate! Larenz joined the original series of POWER in the last 2 seasons of this show. He talks with us about how his character continued in the premiere season and what we can expect in this season! We also talk about what drew him to this show, his character and how he has maintained longevity in this career.
This episode will also be in the NOV ISSUE #71 of Athleisure Mag which will drop on Nov 30th. #TRIBEGOALS is hosted by Kimmie Smith and is Executive Produced by Paul Farkas and Kimmie Smith. Our theme music Rough and Deep is performed by JGRLNG.
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
Featured #TRIBEGOALS Podcast
COMMUNITY IS THE VIBE WITH D-NICE
As we embrace the reopenings that have taken place all over the world, we remember those days when we were in the thick of lockdown and we all found ways to maintain a sense of community and connection with others as we did it apart. For us and millions around the world, we found dance and music through a global couch party that had the biggest celebrities from Madonna, Michelle Obama, Nile Rodgers and more that popped in every night. We were all brought together by DJ D-Nice who created a daily (sometimes marathon sessions) IG Live event known as Club Quarantine!
Even though we're past those dark days of 2020, he continues to lead his virtual parties while also bringing the next phase with his Club Quarantine Live tour that took place to much success and we can't wait to see his Club Quarantine festival that will take place in LA in 2022! Before he brought us Club Quarantine, being a major event DJ for brands such as Hennessey, he is also an artist who has released solo projects and was a founding member of Boogie Down Productions with the legendary KRS-One and the late Scott La Rock.
We're pleased to have D-Nice as this month's cover and with a schedule that is constantly on the go, as we talked with him between soundchecks for his performance at YouTube's Advertising Week Show with Mary J. Blige at The Apollo Theater, he talks music; the creation of Club Quarantine and its continued evolution; the importance of musical accessibility; campaigns and how he continues to push his brand while being mindful of the community.
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with music?
D-NICE: I fell in love with music when I was around 6 or 7 years old. I remember where I grew up in the Bronx, my aunts – both of them used to collect a lot of records. It’s so crazy because the artists that they would collect would be Melba Moore and Diana Ross and like Earth, Wind and Fire and obviously, you know, that I'm not lying because that was the thing in like the 70’s.
So when you fast forward to like, Club Quarantine and I’m like hanging out in there in this virtual space with Earth, Wind and Fire and Melba Moore is in there, everyday – it’s kind of full circle to me from my childhood which makes this experience for me so incredible.
AM: For those who may not be familiar with your music career prior to Club Quarantine, can you tell us a bit about your background? You were one of the founding members of the Boogie Down Productions with KRS-One and the late Scott La Rock.
D: I grew up in the Bronx. One of my cousins worked as a security guard at a men’s shelter in the Bronx. He asked me to bring him some food and one night, I walked over to where he was working and he decided to introduce me to his friend that worked there as a social worker, which was DJ Scott La Rock. Scott La Rock introduced me to a homeless guy, which is the legendary KRS-One. From the first meeting, I was 15 and Scott looked at me and he must have felt this energy where he immediately said, “you’re going to be in this group.” That’s how I became part of the Boogie Down Productions crew.
AM: Think back to last year, which in many ways feels like 7 years ago, we were all in this gut-check moment. From a magazine perspective, we shot our last in-person cover 2 days prior to when NY went into lockdown. It was that moment of trying to figure out how we would still do what we do and to still produce everything – in a new way virtually; which we did and it was intensely challenging, but fun and full of artistic growth. So, to do Club Quarantine, how did this come about? It was like the musical and mental health that we so needed to get us through what we didn't even know how much time we'd be going through!
D: The thing about Club Quarantine that’s special is that it was birthed out of the same fear that everyone was experiencing! I was quarantined alone at home in Los Angeles. I was gearing up for a tour with Jill Scott. I was locked in for 10 dates on her tour and when we were forced to quarantine, what was difficult about it, which other people experienced as well, was that none of us were prepared for this – including myself! So, when the quarantine hit, I had to send back deposits because they were cancelling the festivals – they were cancelling Essence Fest, Miami Music Week where I had gigs there, I had SXSW gigs. So all of those gigs, I had to send the money back. I was sitting at home, stressed out, like everyone!
Because I had friends that worked with the former administration, they kept saying, this thing will go on for longer than 2 weeks, man. They said that I should prepare myself. I didn’t even understand how to prepare to not work for a year/year and a half. So that was difficult. CQ was birthed out of the sadness and having a desire to still be connected to people. When I started playing music, I wasn’t even DJing initially. I was just playing music and sharing stories and I started noticing the numbers that were rising on my account from one day being 240 people in there to the next day having 800 people in there. Then, the 3rd day, I did a marathon set with like 2,000 people. Initially, it was a very selfish thing, finding ways to stay connected, but by the 2nd day when I was reading the comments, I knew that it was actually helping people feel connected. I just wanted to continue to do it to keep people inspired.
AM: Speaking back to what we were talking about before with the music, I was born in 1979 and grew up with this music. When I listen to a lot of the songs, it reminds me of cleaning the house with my mom and sister before Soul Train came on. How is it to run the hottest global couch party that has ever existed?
D: Wow yeah, that’s literally it – the hot test global couch party! I mean there were times when I literally didn’t look at it that way. It was one of my buddies, Donnie Wahlberg, every day he would say to me, “dude, I don’t think you understand what’s happening.” I didn’t, because remember, I was home alone! I was playing music, I was at home. I wasn’t dancing with other family members, wasn’t dancing with my mom or kids and I wasn’t having parties on the other end. All I could do was just read comments. I would see hearts and that kept me going. But the other thing that kept me inspired was music! It was the love of music where I felt that I finally had the chance to play music the way that I wanted to hear it anyway from my club days. As a DJ, you kind of lean towards what the promoters wanted, what the fans wanted, but when the world stopped, the fans wanted and needed music that kept them inspired. It just so happened to be the music that I love. To have a chance to play David Bowie and mix David Bowie in with Madonna and all of a sudden, Madonna is in my IG Live. Then I could play a Stevie Wonder record and then throw in a JAY-Z and rock Rihanna and then all of a sudden, Rihanna is in there! There’s no better party then that! Everyone had a chance to feel the music and still be inspired and it was awesome. And it continues to be awesome!
AM: Which I think is awesome and I love the versatility of the music. I mean, I love all kinds of genres, my great uncle was the late tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson so I have my jazz elements that I love and I love EDM. I remember when you had David Bowie to Madonna and then you had Nile Rodgers that popped in which I had styled him a few years ago for a project which was awesome to see him come through.
D: I mean, Nile Rodgers, when he came in it was beautiful!
AM: I’ll never forget when I was in his apartment on the UWS and he was showing me his music sheets of his work with Madonna and he was like, "I did this and I did that." I just remember feeling that I was standing in the room of greatness at that moment.
D: Yes absolutely.
AM: The fact that we have actually been able to see how you have evolved CQ from the at home sessions to performing to major moments that you were part of from encouraging people to register to vote, having people vote, social justice movements and then moving that into bringing it live in person such as launching at the Hollywood Bowl and being on the tour for that too, what’s it like to evolve the brand?
D: I felt that it was my job to protect the brand. Protecting the brand meant not keeping the platform to myself and to include other people. It was about authenticity and making sure that what I did online translated well into the live space. My desire to play the Hollywood Bowl was birthed out of seeing so many people in there. Early on in the pandemic, I was trying to figure out what place that this would feel like and would make sense. I wanted to give everyone something to imagine and look forward to when the world opened up again. I just threw it out there and said, “one day, I’m going to play the Hollywood Bowl and be the first show!”
A year and a half later when I received the offer to play the Hollywood Bowl, I was excited! But it didn’t really hit me until the morning that I announced that the tickets were on sale on IG Live and I said, “I have something to share with everyone. My gosh, we got the Hollywood Bowl, tickets are on sale in one hour.” Within that first hour, we sold 10,000 tickets. It was very emotional. To know that something that I did just out of the love of music that started in my kitchen – literally in the kitchen, went on to become something where we sold out 15,000 people in the Hollywood Bowl in 3 days! It's a very humbling feeling and it's beautiful to know that people want to listen to music the way that I do. You have to want to be there to hear the music, the fans want to be there, the art ists want to be there – there were fans that bought tickets to all of the CQ Live shows and we kept it limited. Obviously, we’re still dealing with this pandemic so we didn’t want to be reckless by doing a full on tour. But for all of the shows, there are people like hundreds of people that attended all 3 of them. It’s something special that’s happening right now. The music is secondary when it comes to Club Quarantine. It wasn’t just about the music, it was about community. To me, that’s number one – about people staying connected. By the way, there’s some cool music being played right now and we’re going to dance together as well!
AM: It’s undeniable that live shows have an amazing vibe to them. What are your plans on the virtual side of things as we continue over the next few months, will this still be part of your portfolio or are you looking to segue completely to back where we were prior to 2020 where we could comfortably be together in person?
D: I want to continue to have the virtual space to be part of it. It’s an important element because not everyone can afford to travel to these cities, not everyone can afford to buy tickets. Let’s be realistic. People lost jobs and people are still trying to recover from that. To me, it would be a little bit unfair to just pull that away from everyone and I want to continue to share my love of music with people and to inspire community, so it’s important for me to do this for at least another 6 months or as long as social media will allow me to play. You know, things change, people are outside now so it may not be as exciting, but for me, it’s always important that whenever I return to Los Angeles, I need to play 1 or 2 sets to at least get it in. By the way, I’m not just doing it for the people, I happen to like playing music!
AM: You can tell!
D: Yes! I love playing music, so if I can share music when I log on and there are 30,000 - 50,000 people at the end of the set, that means there is still a need and desire to hear music that way. I just want to be able to fill that need and to continue to keep people inspired.
AM: I love music festivals and it was great to see that here in NY, Governors Ball and Electric Zoo came back. Do you envision CQ having a physical festival?
D: Oh no – it’s not even about envisioning it, it’s actually happening! It’s happening Aug of 2022. We’re literally in the planning stages right now, planning the artists that I want to perform with. That’s happening. August of 2022, the festival happens in Los Angeles.
AM: Earlier this year, you dropped “No Plans For Love” with Ne-Yo and Kent Jones. How was that working on this single and are you working on an album?
D: Releasing the single was fun. It was a different process because we were doing everything remotely with Kent and Ne-Yo was interesting. I wasn’t in the studio with Ne-Yo when he recorded his vocals. It was almost like, when he finished the demo of the song, by the time I heard it, they said Ne-Yo had cut the song. I listened to it and I was excited about it. That song did well, top 5 for R&B for the single. I’m deep on working on the album right now. It was important to me that when we put the record out, we had something to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of Club Quarantine and that’s why we didn’t have an album to follow it up. It was just about putting that single out for people to have a song that they would remember during the quarantine. I’m really happy that the single did well and I am looking forward to completing this project.
AM: You’ve amassed an amazing platform and I’m sure that you are constantly wading through offers of things that you want to do. What's your process in terms of thinking about brand synergies. I loved the Band-Aid campaign that you were part of. What are you thinking of when you know that the brands are interested in D-Nice?
D: Everything that I have done has been important for the synergy to be there. I have to be mindful of a couple of things right? 1. I’m not just a DJ that’s happening right now. I do have history and I have to be respectful of my history. Everything that I participate in, you want it to resonate with the younger generation, but I am respectful of the legacy that was already built and the people that listened to my music back in the day who are still jamming to my music right now. The first project that I worked on during the quarantine was the Apple commercial and that was great because it had Oprah and all of these celebrities in there.
The 2nd campaign I worked on was for Budweiser which was based on the old commercial of “What’s Up” and people checking in on each other. So it was me, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Candace Parker. That was great!
Then I did the Ford Commercial and what made that so authentically me was that, not only was I DJing in the commercial, did the voiceover for it, I was in it – but my record from back in the day was also a tie in. I thought it was an awesome thing for people to see the evolution of me being a recording artist in 1990 and here we are in 2021 with a commercial that’s updated but still using the essence of who I am which was great.
With Band-Aid, I thought it was awesome to be a person of color and never having Band-Aids that could match our skin tone! It was great to be part of that campaign and to be able to show! But on the other side for me, to see that Corporate America and these big brands actually trust me to be part of what they’re doing and I didn’t take that lightly either.
Throughout my career, what I did was to be able to sustain in terms of how dedicated I have been to do the right thing with people. To work with Michelle Obama and to raise awareness with voter rights and voter registration. Raising money for the Apollo Theater, Breast Cancer Awareness, raising 100s of thousands for HBCUs – it’s important to always use that platform to do some good. Even with those campaigns, I always have to be part of something that wouldn’t just be a good look for me, but to be a good look for people in general.
AM: What is the best piece of business advice that you have received?
D: Honestly, it wasn’t based on any advice that one person gave me, it was based on what I felt in my heart. In the beginning of quarantine, people were offering me millions of dollars and I didn’t accept any of it and it’s because it didn’t feel good to me. It's not that I didn't want to make money, let’s be honest, I am a business man and this is my business, I am an artist. But in that moment, in those very early weeks of the quarantine, to all of a sudden monetize something right before everyone’s eyes when it was something that people needed – it didn’t feel right to me and it didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t want that on my conscious. I wanted to do something that was truly about keeping people inspired and I remember that one of my DJ friends called and he’s a huge DJ, he’s globally known. He called me and said, “hey man, this is the first time that I could actually dance with my family and I appreciate you!” I’ll never forget conversations like that and there were multiple ones like that. I knew that this was something special and all I wanted to do was to play music.
Now, it did become a business months later. We can’t deny that! But even in terms of it being a business, it was important to do things that didn’t push success into anyone’s face. It wasn’t about the money. It wasn’t about diamonds and cars – it wasn't about buying things. It was about keeping people inspired.
AM: You recently became an investor at Maison Marcel. Why did you want to enter this space and will you do anything that is outfaced with the brand?
D: I invested in it because obviously, I’m a wine drinker and I have been looking to get into the space for years. Even before working with Maison Marcel, I was a brand ambassador for Hennessey for nearly a decade of being involved with them. The natural progression would be to own your spirits company or to one day own your wine company. When the opportunity presented itself to be a part of it, I jumped on it. I was first introduced to the brand by my buddy Hassan Smith, who works with John Legend. It wasn’t even about investing, it was, “hey, would you like a glass of wine.” I enjoyed it and he was like, “I invested in this.” Then 2 years later, I became an investor. I’m not sure what we will do in terms of forward facing involvement. I didn’t want to be a spokesperson because I didn’t want the brand to be about me. I enjoy my wine, so I am always going to talk about it. I enjoy the product – so we’ll see.
AM: How do you take time for yourself when you’re not in the midst of playing music, creating music building your brand and all of the things that you do?
D: Honestly, I have to figure that out! The one thing that I am doing is spending more time with my kids. Especially now that school is back. I have 2 daughters. One graduated from law school and I have a younger daughter she’s in the 4th grade so that’s important. Other than that, I enjoy – I mean people think that I’m exhausted. There are times that I am, but I don’t feel burnt out because I truly love what I do!
AM: Your impact on this global pandemic that you gave to people and the impact on the culture throughout your career has been immense! Over the past few months, you have received a number of accolades from Webby Artist of the Year, Shine A Light Award from BET Awards, NAACP Image Awards for Entertainer of the Year and an ASCAP Voice of the Culture Award – what do you want your legacy to be?
D: That’s a tough one. You know, when I think about it, I just want people to know that it’s ok to be a nice guy, no pun attended. It’s ok to be a good guy. What’s happened my entire life over my career was not solely based on talent. It was based on being kind to people and being there for people. So when you think about Club Quarantine, none of this happens overnight. You’re talking about 35 years of relationships in the music industry. Michelle Obama wasn’t on my IG because she heard that I was DJing. That was because I made a phone call and the only reason why I could make that phone call is because I have worked with them and I have been kind to people. In that moment, that was the first time that I recognized that
people came to something because I was doing it. For decades, I was always there doing things for them. To me, it was important that I make sure that I put kindness into everything that I am doing and with one another. Hopefully, that will be part of my legacy.
AM: For #TRIBEGOALS, we talk to trailblazers in the industry and ask them who are 3 people that have influenced you to be where you are today.
D: The 1st person would be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for obvious reasons. Obviously, he was Black and dealt with the plight of Black people, but it was also important for him to represent human beings period and that has always been an important part of growing up for me.
The 2nd person would be Stevie Wonder. His music, the storytelling in his music and the feeling in his music has always been an important part of my growing up and even including him in my sets now. Even knowing Stevie and having dinner with him, it's been one of the highlights of my career.
The third person would be, Barack Obama. From the moment that I met him, I'll share a story. One day I was DJing an event that he was hosting, he was still President at the time and we were on Martha's Vineyard. We were in a small tent, maybe 50 people people in total were attending. I was a guest and also DJing and there was this one moment, which was in his last year of his presidency, where I saw him sitting in a corner by himself, people were dancing and I looked over at him. I remember thinking that to see someone who probably had the weight of the world on his shoulders in that very moment, but he was still able to be present with his family and friends was inspiring to see that no matter how much work you have going on in your life, it’s still important to maintain that love and respect for your family and friends. I never forgot that moment and I’m truly inspired by Barack Obama!
IG @dnice
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | D-Nice
Read the OCT ISSUE #71 of Athleisure Mag and see Community is the Vibe with D-Nice in mag.
Hear DJ/Producer D-Nice on our show, #TRIBEGOALS - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multimedia companion podcast network! Subscribe to be notified when the episode drops. Listen on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or wherever you enjoy your podcasts.
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THE ART OF THE SNACK | TUSCANY STEAKHOUSE
We're hitting one of the favorite times of year which is the perfect time to check off a few more restaurants off of our list. This month's The Art of the Snack is Tuscany Steakhouse. We take some time to find out more about this restaurant with restaurateur, Steve Haxhiaj. We talk about his expertise in the industry, his Executive Chef Jamie Chabla and what we should order the next time we dine in with friends and family.
ATHLEISURE MAG: As a veteran restaurateur and alumnus of Wolfgang’s Steakhouse, can you tell us about your career in the industry and what led you to creating Tuscany Steakhouse?
STEVE HAXHIAJ: With my 28+ years in the industry between Italian restaurants and steakhouses, I have combined my experiences and came up with the menu at Tuscany Steakhouse which marries flavors of Italian American fare and the classic American steakhouse, creating the perfect menu for our guests to have plenty of choices for steaks, seafood, and other Italian dishes.
AM: Tell me about Executive Chef Jamie Chabla's, culinary background and how he came to Tuscany Steakhouse.
SH: Our Executive Chef Jaime Chabla has more than 35 years experience in the industry. Chef Chabla had worked for about 20+ years at Manhattan Café & Portofino's as a chef. He also worked for 8+ years at Wolfgang's Steakhouse which is where I met him and we got the idea to get together open up Tuscany Steakhouse.
AM: How would you define the cuisine and menu that is offered at Tuscany Steakhouse?
SH: Our menu is really different from other steakhouse menus in New York City. We provide an Italian experience and flavors in our cooking and many of our dishes.
AM: What can guests expect when they come to dine here?
SH: Guests who dine with us can expect top-quality food, great ambiance, and excellent service.
AM: Can you tell me about the interior of the restaurant and what you have available for patrons who wish to eat outside?
SH: The interior of the restaurant features whitewashed brick and creates a rustic look. With large mirrors and Italian music, we also have a private room and semi-private room available for private events or business functions.
AM: What are 3 appetizers that you suggest we should order when visiting?
SH: I would highly suggest the thick-cut, sizzling Canadian bacon, cold seafood tower and the fried calamari.
AM: What are 3 main dishes that we should enjoy when visiting?
SH: Our USDA prime and dry aged steaks are highlighted by the Porterhouse Steak. Also, our fantastic Pollo Parmesan and delicious seafood pasta are other dishes that everybody really loves.
AM: What are 3 cocktails that you suggest?
SH: I would highly suggest our Midtown Mule, the Pear-tini, and the Salted Margarita.
AM: Tuscany Steakhouse has a vast wine list – can you tell us about some of the wines/regions that are available?
SH: Our wine selection is very generous; one of the most popular choices are the Californian Cabernets like Caymus, Faust, Robert Mondavi, and then also our Super Tuscany wines like Solaia and Sassicaia.
AM: To complete our meal, what are 3 desserts that you suggest?
SH: I would suggest the Tiramisu, Crème Brûlée and also the apple strudel.
AM: As we begin to enter the fall and holiday season, are there special dishes or events that will be available during that time?
SH: Yes, we will have special dishes moving into the fall and holiday season. Each night we have different specials available from off the menu including a bone-in filet mignon, pasta specials, fish specials and also a soup special. Additionally, we do have a couple different menus that we recommend for groups of larger than 10 people or for private events.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Tuscany Steakhouse
Read the OCT ISSUE #71 of Athleisure Mag and see The Art of the Snack | Tuscany Steakhouse in mag.
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