Read the AUG ISSUE #80 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LOOKS | YNIQ EYEWEAR in mag.
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Craig Sjodin
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Gizelle Hernandez
Tonight we’re on the 2nd night of the Fantasy Suites on ABC’s The Bachelorette! It’s clear that tonight will have a lot of new information for us to take in that has been teased throughout the season with Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey. Jesse Palmer has his work cut out for him. We pick up with Gabby and Erich who were talking about the fact that she is still in the process and he doesn’t like it. In this case, you’ve signed up for a show where this is very much so the format, so it shouldn’t be an issue that is surprising to everyone. Although they talked about this off camera during Fantasy Suites, it’s the rehashing of this that we can is on Gabby’s mind. Gabby reaches out to Jesse so that she can gain some perspective and talk through her feelings.
She prepares for her overnight date with Jason and knows that she needs to make the decision that is the right one for her. Jason in his confessional lets us know that since his Hometowns, he knows he is there for Gabby, BUT he isn’t ready to be engaged! Jason and Gabby are going to play tennis which he used to play in college! She wants to show that she can enjoy or at least do something that he is passionate about. He teaches her how to serve and you can see the ease that is between them. It looks like a great fit, but we know that Jason has expressed his own concerns. From the tennis court, they head to the pool and Erich can hear their date while he’s looking out his balcony.
Back on the date, they catch up on how Hometowns was for both of them and how Jason’s parents were. The vibes seem positive and they’re reasonably on the same page. As they move to dinner, he knows that he needs to be transparent. He tells her that he is not fully there yet because of the environment and he wonders what’s real and what’s not. Again, Gabby has to leave the table and talk through what is happening and think about what this means in terms of the new reality that she is faced with. When he sees how she is doing, he lets her know that he is still in it, but he wants to do it outside of this bubble. Her decision with him is whether she wants to move forward with him or not. Even though everything is up in the air, she decides that she will spend the night with him because it could change things and she could get to know more about him.
Even though they had their night, by the time they were behind closed doors, it took a turn and it seemed like he couldn’t talk to her about the future. SHe realizes that he never loved her or intended to be with her and she sends him home.
We switch to Rachel who is about to have her final date with Zach to have a great day with him. Their date involves exploring the town while they get to know one another even more. They enjoy some tequila in a tasting at a little outdoor bar. They talk about the Hometown experience that they had and how much fun she had with his family. They explore foods, readings and so much more as they get to know more about one another. The date has put them both at ease and it seems like everything is going in a positive direction. Her biggest concern beyond being at this point on the other side with Clayton is, how will she decide which of these men are the ones for her?
As they transition into the evening portion of their date, Zach is looking forward to talking with her more as he sees his future with her and wants to be her husband. She lets him know that the week has been an interesting one as she was at this point previously with Clayton and she doesn’t want to bring those emotions into her present and future. He recognizes that this is tough and he wants to make sure that she is loved and cared for. They opt to do the Fantasy Suites.
We catch up with Zach and Rachel the next morning and we are aware that there was an extensive conversation between the two of them. Zach says that when he woke up, he was feeling confused because going into the night he wasn’t confused - now he is. Rachel told him that he may not be ready for a commitment due to his age and then she kicked up her questioning to the point where he was caught off guard. Her concern came out of nowhere to him and he feels that she was putting on a front! He decides that he wants to talk to Jesse. Visibly upset, with a few tears, he tells him what took place and how he feels about it. He explains that he feels a bit lost as every other interaction that he has had with her, he felt that there was a connection, but at Fantasy Suites, he realized that they both acted differently. When the cameras were not on them, he felt that the way she was acting wasn’t authentic and she kept harping on his age of 25 (where she is 26). He was surprised by this and he realizes that there may not be a future there. Jesse tells Zach that he needs to talk to her and let her know.
We check in with Gabby and we know that only Erich is left and she is grappling with the fact that the person that is here, may not be the person she is meant to be with. But she knows that she must follow her heart.
The guys get ready for the rose ceremony and they chat a bit with Jesse about where they are mentally in this process. We see Aven who is still very happy with how his dates have been and he has no reservations. Tino also feels confident as they have great dates; however, he knows that the Hometown with his parents wasn’t the easiest. Zach is feeling unsure and sick to his stomach heading in to see Rachel at the ceremony. He tells Jesse that before she offers the rose, he wants to talk to her to get the clarity that he needs. Rachel’s men assemble and look at the 2 roses that will be given out. Rachel arrives and Jesse catches up with her and tells her that Gabby will not be at the rose ceremony because they are on 2 separate journeys. So at least we know that Gabby is not leaving and this totally makes sense.
Rachel says that she is so excited and happy to see them and to have spent time with him. Before she hands out the roses, Zach asks to talk with her.
Gabby decides that she needs to speak with Erich to lay out what she feels and to be clear about where she is coming from and what she deserves.
Erich is getting ready for the rose ceremony and he realized that he shouldn’t have harped on things that they had already discussed off camera. She heads over to his room to tell him that with the craziness of the week, she has really learned a lot about herself and she didn’t realize the decisions would be this hard. She explains that she was so upset because she felt like he didn’t trust her. In their time together, she saw what it was that she deserves and she felt that he taught her that. She tells him that he is the only one left and that she loves him. Erich is definitely excited at the turn of events and she tells him that she has to process everything on her own terms because it is foreign to her. She says that there is no point in having the rose ceremony because it is her and him.
Elsewhere in Mexico, Zach tells Rachel what has been bothering him. Apparently, the finale is so crazy, they didn’t even get into it and we have to wait until next week!
GABBY’S REMAINING MEN | Erich
RACHEL’S REMAINING MEN | Aven, Tino, Zach
GABBY SENT HOME | Jason
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!
![AVEN [Rachel]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55982406e4b014bac5e42764/1657588601108-J205D6OAU8O43BE34YSL/AVEN_28_San+Diego+CA.jpg)
![ERICH [Gabby]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55982406e4b014bac5e42764/1657589521787-HE4QWFJRS909FS7317ZQ/ERICH_29_Bedminster+NJ.jpg)
![TINO [Rachel]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55982406e4b014bac5e42764/1657588780832-OYABQ16HOWK8MYX9VA0N/TINO_27_Playa+Del+Rey+CA.jpg)
![ZACH [Rachel]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55982406e4b014bac5e42764/1658796978812-WMW0AEYS62JGDUT9IWDE/ZACH_25_Anaheim+Hills+CA.jpg)
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PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Craig Sjodin
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Gizelle Hernandez
Okay now, we have a back-to-back night of ABC’s The Bachelorette! Definitely looking forward to what’s happening as last week’s clips showed an interesting season! We are back with Rachel Recchia Gabby Windey, Jesse Palmer and the remaining men in Mexico! We know that there will be overnights and this is the weekend that things went topsy turvy for both women when we they were in Clayton’s season.
The ladies catch up to talk about the decisions that they have to make. Rachel likes Tino, but she can’t shake the fact that his parents were not her biggest fans. She knows that he does care for her because he said that he was falling in love with her. She feels that she needs clarity on him. WIth Zach, she knows that the pieces are there and that she has never been left in the dark with him. She doesn’t feel like she is ready to commit to him. She really likes Aven and knows that they have a great foundation with one another. She’s nervous because she hasn’t told him how she feels about him. She knows that he is falling in love with her, but she was too nervous to say it back.
Gabby loves her connection with Jason and feels that he is the most emotionally available. She is falling for him, but she doesn’t know if he is with her! She has so much fun with Johnny, but she feels that they are in different places in their lives. She also had great banter with Erich and she let him know that she is falling in love with him - just like he is with her!
Fantasy Suites will take place this week and both are prepared to fall in love this week. Gabby and Erich are up first and enjoy swimming in this lagoon. They jump off of this structure with various heights which definitely would make us scared. They eventually take the big leap and we continue on with the next portion of their date with the dinner where they can get to know more about one another. Erich lets her know that he is in love with her and doesn’t want to leave Mexico without her. She lets him know that she is falling in love with him. They take another leap by going to the Fantasy Suites together.
We catch up with Rachel as it’s time for her overnight date. She kicks it off with Aven! We also see Tino looking upset that she will be on dates and that he can’t imagine her doing any overnights with anyone! Aven and Rachel are on a yacht laying around and getting to know one another. They talked about Aven’s Hometown and he lets her know that his parents liked her and accepted her. Rachel acknowledges that they made her feel that way!
Jesse checks in with Tino to see what his thoughts are. Tino says that waiting when you’re not getting a date card is a tough situation. Tino lets Jesse know that their Hometown was great, but his parents left her with a feeling that wasn’t the best for her. Tino feels the process is worth it; however, he knows his parents definitely added some drama to the situation - especially his father! He tells Jesse that he has fallen in love with Rachel since Bruge! He feels his family will have an effect on her decision.
The day date portion of Rachel and Aven’s day continues to the evening when they get to know more about one another. She lets him know that she was nervous to respond that she felt the same way. She explains that on her last journey, the love word was thrown around carelessly. She finally tells Aven that she is falling in love with him. She also knows that he is ready to be engaged. He reads the Fantasy Suites card and of course, they make their way there! They wake up the next day and Rachel lets us know that Aven is the whole package!
Rachel’s next date is with Tino. She continues to think about the fact that his family was not receptive of her and she wants to talk with him about it later that night! They ride horses and sit near a pool to talk about the past couple of days. Tino acknowledges that the night portion of their Hometowns didn’t go the way expected. We hear in Rachel’s confessional that if she’s not feeling it, she doesn’t see a path forward. In his, he states that he hopes that they can enjoy their date, but when the night portion comes - he wants to be able to dig into the layers to tell her about it so that she can be happy and comfortable with everything that has transpired. As they settle into their dinner portion of the evening, Rachel tells him her experience being with his parents. She even highlights that his father really left an impression. They tell each other that they love one another and they partake in the Fantasy Suites.
We pick Gabby up with Johnny! They’re also on a boat known as the Moonshine as they lounge and continue to chat with one another. Although they are having a great date in the daytime, as they look at the ocean, she asks him if he’s prepared to be engaged. He doesn’t really answer and she feels that he is not ready to commit. Johnny says that he can’t commit and they part ways before continuing on the journey. Because she knows that they are in separate places, she sends him home.
While she sends Johnny home, Jesse asks if Jason is ready to get engaged and he says he isn’t. This is pretty tough ultimately for her.
Erich sends her a note asking to meet him on the bridge. At first, it’s a happy surprise, but he rehashes a conversation that they had in the Fantasy Suites - where he feels like this portion of the experience is cheating on him. Gabby feels defensive that they are going over this again and feels that he’s adding a negative spin on the time that she needs. She feels like he is testing her and she doesn’t like it!
Tomorrow, we’ll continue with the remainder of the Fantasy Suites to see how it all shakes out!
GABBY’S FANTASY SUITES DATES | Erich + Jason
RACHEL’S FANTASY SUITES DATES | Aven, Tino, Zach
GABBY SENT HOME | Johnny
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!
![JASON [Gabby]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55982406e4b014bac5e42764/1659401469296-SZ3XBQ6EYJ9UB61A0B2P/162684_3598_V1.jpg)
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Labor Day Weekend is the "last dance" of the summer and is celebrated when Electric Zoo 3.0 will takeover Randalls Island Park in NY from Sept 2nd - 4th. We're excited for DJ Diesel, Cheat Codes, Afrojack, Carl Cox, Martin Garrix and more who will have sets across multiple stages! This year's 3.0 theme encourages attendees to “plug into the Matrix” for their 13th edition by enjoying their tech driven, electronic dance music paradise. Guests will enjoy more VIP areas, increased free water stations, interactive installations and more.
This year, there are new stage designs! The new stages are integrated together by AI technology. The Landing replaced the Hilltop Arena and will be surrounded by lush greenery for EZoo's first fully-immersive experience. Because of where it's placed in the festival, sound bleeding is no longer a concern for festival attendees. The Grove is also being retired and Morphosis will be the stage where house music evolves. That means pyrotechnics, fireworks, LED walls and more surprises.
In addition to a number of large acts such as those mentioned above, there will also be an inclusion of emerging artists and local ones from NY for attendees to get to know.
We've always been a fan of EZoo's Golden Hour for sunset performances. Diplo will perform on Fri, DJ Snake on Sat and Sun will have Subtronics. Each night, there are a number of after parties across the city from Webster Hall, Marquee and Lavo to name a few.
There's nothing like a festival to bring the love of dance music, artistry, fun sponsors, immersive experiences and outfits that add a whole other color to the festival experience which are perfect for Instagrammable moments!
IG @electriczoo
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Alive Coverage
Read the AUG ISSUE #80 of Athleisure Mag and see ELECTRIC ZOO in mag.
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Craig Sjodin
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Gizelle Hernandez
We pick up where we left off on ABC’s The Bachelorette for Aven and Rachel Recchia’s Hometown which took place in Salem! The two had a great time learning about love spells and finding out about the town’s history. Rachel met his family and even with their questions, she knew that they enjoyed meeting her and she felt much better than she did with some of her dates! Interestingly enough, we didn’t get to see who received roses but we heard that everyone minus Tyler (who was sent home).
We see Rachel, Gabby Windey, Jesse Palmer and the remainder of the men at the Men Tell All special. We heard about all the drama that we’ve been hearing all season long. Jacob apologized for his behavior with Gabby and Hayden wasn’t even there to talk about how inappropriate he was. It seems like the next few weeks are definitely going to take us into some twists and turns!
GABBY’S HOMETOWN DATES | Erich, Jason, Johnny
RACHEL’S REMAINING HOMETOWN DATES | Aven, Tino, Zach
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!
![JOHNNY [Gabby]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55982406e4b014bac5e42764/1661224620739-3L9K4IM01CQQSIS12YV4/JOHHNY_25_Palm+Beach+Gardens+FL.jpg)
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
Burberry released their newest campaign for FW22 showcasing menswear that has contemporary traditions used in its collection that includes hooded duffle coats, leather straps, high-waisted pants and more. In addition to a number of the pieces, they partnered with the Black-owned LA-based non-profit, The Compton Cowboys.
PHOTO CREDIT | Burberry
During MFW SS23 presentations, Plein Sport unveiled their collection of men’s and women’s pieces that take you from studio to street. In addition, they dropped a digital presentation as well.
Here in NY, the qualifying rounds for the US Open are currently underway! Starting Aug 29th - Sep 11th, the tennis tournament is bound to give us a number of major moments that we will be talking about! Ralph Lauren has been the official outfitter for this tournament since 2005. The Ralph Lauren U.S. Open Collection includes the ball crew and courtside official uniforms as well as a limited edition tennis-inspired collection. This campaign was shot at the USTA Billie King Jean National Tennis Center and featured 5 of the U.S. Open Ball Crew members as well as Ralph Lauren models.
As is the case when Ralph Lauren creates uniforms for a sporting event, you can also purchase these items as well to be part of the festivities while watching on-site, at home or when you’re out and about going about your day!
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Craig Sjodin
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Gizelle Hernandez
We’re back watching tonight’s ABC’s The Bachelorette and it’s Hometowns! Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey are separating and packing as they will go to their men’s hometowns! Jesse Palmer checks up on both of them to figure out how they are doing as they prepare to leave the ship.
Gabby heads to New Orleans for the first time to meet up with Jason! She will only visit 3 men! He takes her around New Orleans to wear and throw beads and she gets to meet his family and connects with them.
Now Rachel is with Zach in his hometown where they get to watch planes taking off.
Back to Gabby, we go to Johnny and his hometown. As soon as he meets her, he lets them now that they will hang with his family first so she can meet them. Gabby was very nervous - but we can’t fault her since she didn’t really get any alone time with her. Although she wins his family over, Johnny tells his mom that he doesn’t know if he is ready yet for that.
Rachel is at the Jersey Shore with Tyler. She’s excited to be with him, but feels that they are the most behind in terms of their relationships. They hang out on the board walk and she realizes even more that she isn’t in the same place with him as she met a number of his friends. She doesn’t want to continue the date. He heads home where he has to tell his family that she broke up with him. This was definitely a rough date.
Gabby’s final hometown is with Erich in New Jersey. He lets her know that they will go to his parents first before their date. She meets his family and they receive her well, but they tell her how important it is to have and keep your commitments. Later on, during their date they both share how they are falling in love with one another.
Now Rachel is with Tino in Santa Clarita, CA. His parents have a lot of questions and it doesn’t feel like they are on board with this process. His father is very doubtful about whether their relationship is sustainable. While Rachel talks to his mom, she sees that even if Tino wishes to go forward, his family will not be behind this and has heavy skepticism. When you look book at when Tino talked to her before meeting the parents, when she voiced concern over whether his parents would like her or not, he shut it down quickly saying they would. After meeting his parents, he shared that he wished that he had been more upfront with her.
Although Gabby has completed all of her dates, Rachel still has one more Hometown date with Aven. It will be interesting to see how that one goes and to see who the ladies will continue to move forward with next week!
GABBY’S HOMETOWN DATES | Erich, Jason, Johnny
RACHEL’S REMAINING HOMETOWN DATES | Aven, Tino, Zach
RACHEL SENT HOME | Tyler
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!
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
We're very excited about this month's cover, Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña who will be fighting Amanda Nunes in the title fight in Dallas on Jul 30th for UFC277. This anticipated rematch is one we'll be glued to and just ahead of it, we took some time to catch up with the 'Venezuelan Vixen' herself! We wanted to know about her journey in the MMA, being the first woman to win The Ultimate Fighter - Season 18, joining the UFC, being a coach on Season 30 of The Ultimate Fighter, and how she trains to be Octagon ready!
ATHLEISURE MAG: What led you to MMA and when did you fall in love with the sport?
JULIANNA PEÑA: When I was 19 years old, my sister asked me to join a women’s cardio kickboxing class with her and I needed to lose some weight, so I joined the class. It came naturally to me and I wanted to explore it more. I immediately fell in love with it. And when I eventually started winning fights, the joy combined with the rush of winning solidified my obsession for MMA.
AM: You’re known as the Venezuelan Vixen. How did you get that name?
JP: I have to credit that to my coach that gave me that name early on in my career.
AM: What did you learn about competing on The Ultimate Fighter and becoming the first woman to win in Season 18?
JP: I learned that I still had so much more to learn, and that I still do. Not only is every fighter different, every FIGHT is different. Because as I’m learning and growing, so are my competitors. It taught me to never feel as though I know everything. There is always more to learn, more room to grow, more fights to win, and more fighters to challenge ahead. Always a student of the game.
AM: Last season, you and Amanda Nunes were coaches for The Ultimate Fighter. How did it feel to be there as a coach versus competing and what does it mean to you to work with those who are coming up and to give them the tools that they need to operate at their best?
JP: It was really interesting to be a 135lb woman giving advice to male MMA fighters twice my size! It was a little strange at first because I wasn’t sure how they would take my advice when we’re in very different divisions with different disciplines. But it soon became second nature. It was exciting to see them grow but it was also difficult getting to know them, their strengths/weaknesses, and then having to see them get eliminated. It was also very interesting to coach against Amanda because I was able to get a better understanding of her approach and methods, whereas before, I had only known what it was like to be fighting against her in the cage.
AM: We always like talking about workouts that athletes do that optimize their work in the sport, what are 3 workouts that you do?
JP: I love to run. All my workouts are what I do for and in camp. But running and strength/conditioning/lifting weights are others that I do. I love to swim and do yoga if I get the time.
AM: What is a typical training session/day like for you and how is it different when you are preparing for a fight?
JP: I train 2-3 times a day except on Sundays when I’m not in camp. I train MMA a few times a week but not nearly at the pace I do while I’m at camp.
AM: When it comes to training, how important is the mental aspect of it to you and how do you strengthen that area?
JP: The mental aspect of MMA training is just as important as the physical aspect of the sport. Especially as a mother, it’s very important for me to prioritize that work/life balance. I'm constantly reminding myself to remain focused and avoid unnecessary distractions while I’m training, so that I can, not only be the best fighter, but also be the best mother I can be to my daughter.
AM: In looking at your IG, we loved seeing your daughter Isa standing with you when you were doing promos for your fight last year or even when you’re training in the gym. It reminded me of being able to watch my mom work when she owned her own couture boutique. I think it’s powerful for kids to be able to see what their parents do. How is it to balance your duties as a mom, training, being a champion fighter and also building other areas of your brand/portfolio?
JP: Thank you! That’s so incredible that you have such fond memories of your mother and that you had a role model that also struck a great balance between work and parenthood. At the end of the day, my daughter comes first. She is the greatest joy in my life. And my duty to her to be a good mother is my ultimate responsibility. She will always come first. And the rest seems to fall into place as long as I continue to stay focused and motivated. Isa will forever be my biggest win in life.
AM: If we want to eat like an MMA fighter, what are the foods you eat that assist you in being an amazing champion and what are items you enjoy splurging on?
JP: My splurge is PINKBERRY or frozen yogurt of any kind. I train so much I can virtually eat what I want but I use Eat Clean Chicago to help prep me for the week and it ranges from spaghetti to baked chicken or salmon depending on the day.
AM: You have an amazing record 12-4-0. You are fighting Amanda Nunes in Dallas for a title rematch main event for UFC 277 on July 30th. When you fought her last year, you won the Bantamweight Title. Heading into Saturday’s fight, what are the days leading up to game time like when you touch down in Dallas?
JP: I’m actually already in Dallas! I got in earlier this week. Fight week is always a bit crazy – there are media interviews, press conferences, weigh-ins, and more.
And all of that is still in addition to an even more intense training schedule. Put it this way, I can’t wait to enjoy a bit of free time and sleep next week!
AM: After a fight, what do you do as you come down from all the energy and focus that you needed in the Octagon?
JP: Other than enjoying my victory?? I enjoy time with my daughter!!! That’s the easiest way to come down from that adrenaline rush that comes with months of training. Just fun and relaxation with Isa and my family.
AM: In addition to fighting, you are also a commentator for MMA fights as well. Why is this something that you wanted to add into your portfolio and what do you like about doing this?
JP: I love to talk and I love MMA. I always want MMA to be a part of my life!
AM: Earlier this summer, you threw the 1st pitch at the White Sox/Dodgers game in Chicago! How exciting was that experience for you?
JP: That was beyond exciting! The Chicago White Sox were so welcoming and truly made it an experience I will never forget. And it’s always fun to meet the players and coaches because it makes watching the game so much more fun. If they ever want me back, I’m a phone call away!
AM: When you’re not training or prepping for a fight, how do you take time for yourself?
JP: I spend my free time with my daughter. I’m so busy all the time between training and my other endeavors so any free time I have, I spend it with her. I haven’t sat on my couch in three months. I’m looking forward to putting my feet up.
AM: With all the successes that you have had, being a champion in the UFC and being able to do what you love – what do you want your legacy to be in the sport?
JP: I would love to be remembered for my ability to bring home victories even when the odds are stacked against me; being able to have opened the doors and break barriers for other working mothers. If you believe in yourself and are determined enough, there’s no reason that you can’t have it all. I dream of being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame one day.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Pillar Marketing Corporation
Read the JUL ISSUE #79 of Athleisure Mag and see REMAINING FOCUSED | Julianna Peña “Venezuelan Vixen” in mag.
Read the JUL ISSUE #79 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | Yves V in mag.
Read the JUL ISSUE #79 of Athleisure Mag and see 9DRIP | Julianna “Venezuelan Vixen“ Peña in mag.
Music has immense value, from enjoying the song, melody and instruments used, to the artists, performances and remixes there is a much larger scope in terms of what it means to the social fiber and how in many ways it serves as a mirror of who we are, where we want to be and how we are held accountable. It creates a series of feelings and memories that are enlightened and intertwined.
We had the pleasure of talking with the President and CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Greg Harris. In addition to their noted Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony which honors a class of musicians across rock & roll, they are known for the museum which is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.
We wanted to know more about the museum, how they connect with music enthusiasts around the world and how artists can become eligible for the honor. Greg also shares how he came to this role and how he continues to drive the importance of impact in music.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into your work and role at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I’d love to know about your background because I know you were the owner, partner and operator of the Philadelphia Record Exchange. When did you fall in love with music and what was your focus behind opening this retail store?
GREG HARRIS: You know, I grew up, per your readers loving both sports and music! I was fortunate to be raised to play various sports depending on the season with two brothers. On the music side, it just always spoke to me. We always had music in the house and in Philadelphia, the area where I grew up, new music and old music mixed together. So oldies and FM radio were all the same. I got involved a little bit with one of the local public radio stations when I was in high school. Then we had a club near us called City Gardens and it had every live band and we went there as soon as we were old enough to get in! We were there all the time! Then, I went to college in Philadelphia, I went to Temple University and one of my off-campus jobs to help pay for school was the record department of a used bookstore. That’s where the idea came from that the other clerk and I were friends and we realized that the store owner was making a lot more money than we were as the hourly employees!
So we quit and rented out a storefront about a half a block away and we opened our own store. That business has been a great success! I was involved for a couple of years and sold my half to some other people, but my original partner still has it. The Philadelphia Record Exchange has been around for 30 years and it’s an iconic place in the city. Every musician knows it, everybody that is into music when they are in Philly, they find their way to the store and that includes current artists like Kurt Vile and other folks back in the day, like Ahmir Khalib Thompson – Questlove.
I think an important thing to note in terms of looking at my career is that I found out pretty early on that I couldn’t play very well. I could play some guitar, but I was never that great. But I was always better at helping other people market and grow. So the store became that place. We would put concerts on, we’d shut the streets down and do block parties and promotions with artists and other musicians. We just loved helping them succeed and helping our customers find excitement and joy.
AM: It’s so funny, I grew up my dad was a huge record collector and he would slap my hands every time I would try to go to the stereo to play with the records and at my campus at Indiana University, we had 3 record shops near my campus, Tracks was my favorite one. There is something about a record, I love them and when you hear the sound that comes out and the needle hitting the vinyl – it’s an experience. When I read that about you, I thought that’s really cool!
GH: Those stores back then, that was kind of the social network. It's where you met like-minded people that loved the same music or liked similar music. It’s where you learned! You couldn’t Google everything so sometimes the customers taught you and you taught them!
AM: Especially if you were able to come up with crazy imports. I think there’s something about that social fiber when you don’t have that independent local record store. The guy that I would get my music from knew so many things about various artists and had stories to tell and I appreciated it. I don’t remember if they had block parties but it would have been amazing!
GH: I really want to celebrate my original partner, who still has it Jacy Webster and he has given such a gift to Philadelphia music lovers for the last 30+ years, it’s an amazing place!
AM: Another part of your background that’s interesting is I love your focus on curation. To know that you were at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at Cooperstown where you focused on curation was really interesting. Can you tell us about what your role was there, what you did, and why curation was so important?
GH: My first significant museum position was at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. I was originally hired to be there Broadcast Media Archivist. My job was to curate the broadcast collection and that was recordings of All-Star games, World Series games, home movies, radio pieces – all the things where that exciting history of baseball is. In museums, they have to take their collections and tell stories with them. You want to tell the stories where you have impact to your visitors and to make those connections and that’s what we did in Cooperstown. You know, it’s an amazing museum. I started in that area, I was fortunate to be able to curate some exhibits and much like the record store, I got involved in business development and fundraising and things like sponsorship and inductee relations. It really helped to grow the business and as I advanced from the collections side of the house, I got more involved in business development and the growth of the enterprise. I spent 14 terrific years there and it was really hard to leave. It’s a wonderful museum. Anyone that has ever played catch in the backyard or Little League, should go to Cooperstown to experience it.
AM: What do you think is the connective tissue between baseball and music and how were you able to move onto the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame where you’re the President and CEO currently?
GH: They’re 2 great places and they’re both so much part of our culture. People have a deep love for both subjects. They make these pilgrimages to Cooperstown or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. These music and sports evolve and they are the history of our culture – all the good and all the bad comes through and you can tell these stories. On some fronts, you can talk about exclusion and people not being included and you can tell about opportunity opening up. Sometimes it opens up in sport before it opens up to the wider society. These are really important pieces for all of us to learn from to think about and to grow from. Then on the other part from the business side, these museums operate in a very similar way. They each get hundreds of thousands of visitors a year.
We have inductees that are the best of the best individuals, we have broadcast properties, we have important digital engagement with our visitors, we have retail operations and we are places that kind of mean a lot to a lot of people. So they’re very similar from a business sense and it’s just the subject that’s a little bit different. But they are magical places where people learn about their history, themselves and it helps them to better understand the present.
AM: Well can you tell us about the history of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in terms of who founded it and what it’s mission is? I know a lot of people think about it in terms of the amazing induction ceremony, but there are a lot of things that it does.
GH: The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame started close to 40 years ago by a group of music industry professionals – the head of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun and the head of Rolling Stone Magazine, Jann Wenner and others. They conceived it as a special evening celebration for their industries’ best of the best. After doing that for a short period of time, the idea came up to want to build a museum. A bunch of cities looked at it New York, San Francisco, my hometown of Philadelphia – all made a play for it, but Cleveland really stepped up. Cleveland had a great story about rock & roll being important to the city and being an important place for artists who broke in – including David Bowie’s whose first shows in the US were in Cleveland, Jimi Hendrix when he came back from England – his first shows were there, Rush’s first shows were there. Also a DJ named Alan Freed was playing music in the early 50’s and inspiring young people – so they had this great story! But, they showed up and had a business plan. They said this is how we’re going to build it and how we’re going to fund it and this is what it is going to mean to the region. Long and short, 27 years ago we opened up in this I.M. Pei building on the shores of Lake Eerie in Ohio. Since opening our doors, over 13 million people have visited the museum and we’re at the height of our summer season now. We'll get thousands of people through everyday all summer long. Every one of those people who comes through the front door has a lifetime of memory connected to the subjects inside our museum. When they see it, they hear it or hear it through a band that plays on our stage, it inspires them and makes them think of the people they were with and the places that they were at, the greatest week of college, the time their heart was broken, the greatest road trip that they took and they might even hear a song that reminds them of their mom, dad or siblings.
AM: So when you say rock & roll, what genres comprise this very broad title?
GH: It’s a big title and quite frankly, our definition is a very big tent. Rock & roll is more about attitude and spirit then it is about a specific sound. We embrace in the 50’s Doo-Wop, Street Corner Harmony and RockabIlly; in the 60’s there’s Psychedelic, Soul music, Folk music; in the 70’s there’s Heavy Metal, Hip-Hop, Dance Music, Disco, Punk Rock – it’s all under the umbrella of rock & roll. Synth Pop and Industrial – we embrace it all! So for us, it’s all about attitude and spirit! There’s an attitude about Johnny Cash that he had to the music industry and when Ice Cube was inducted, a couple of years ago, In his induction speech, he said, “rock & roll is a spirit, rock & roll is an attitude.” You can find his full quote online. (Editor’s Note: When Ice Cube was inducted, he talked about whether a rap group was considered to be rock & roll. He said, “Now the question is, are we rock & roll? And I say you goddam right we rock & roll. Rock & roll is not an instrument, rock & roll is not even a style of music. Rock & roll is a spirit. It’s a spirit. It’s been going since the blues, jazz, bebop, soul R&B, rock & roll, heavy metal, punk rock and yes, hip-hop. And what connects us all is that spirit. That’s what connects us all, that spirit. Rock & roll is not conforming to the people who came before you, but creating your own path in music and in life. That is rock & roll, and that is us. So rock & roll is not conforming. Rock & roll is outside the box. And rock & roll is N.W.A. I want to thank everybody who helped induct us into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and I just want to tell the world – Damn, that shit was dope.”) That is what we embrace. It’s the voice of change, it’s always been the sound of young America and it continues to evolve and as a museum, we continue to evolve with it.
AM: So as music continues to evolve, you will always look for new forms and elements to add to what rock & roll is.
GH: We will and that’s kind of the wave right now. That’s why we have been inducting great Hip-Hop artists right alongside great Heavy Metal artists. In the last induction, it was LL Cool J, and it was Carole King, it was the Foo Fighters, Jay-Z and Tina Turner that were all inducted! To us, it’s a broad tent and everybody’s welcome!
AM: What are your 3 favorite rock genres that you love listening to?
GH: I look for stuff that’s a little harsher, a little stronger. I love old Blues, I love 60’s Soul like Memphis and I love Punk Rock! I like for it to have a little punch and a little attitude.
AM: I can see that!
GH: Yeah, that’s what I prefer.
AM: What is your day-to-day like in your role and what are the key projects that you’re focused on?
GH: My day-to-day role is 1 – to make sure that we have the greatest museum in the world, that every single visitor that comes through our doors leaves being transformed and impacted and that we have a great team that makes that happen. It’s about keeping our staff inspired and changing. We don’t believe in maintenance mode, we always want to be growing and reaching. To that end, we're working on an amazing expansion project at the museum. We’ll be breaking ground later on this year. We will be increasing the museum by about 50,000 sqft. It’s a great project and we’re very excited to be doing it. For that project, one of my biggest responsibilities is to work with a team and to raise the funds to be able to do that. We talked about how there have been 13 million visitors that have been through the museum for the past 27 years. We need to build something for the next 13 million visitors!
AM: What can guests expect when they do come to visit and then for those that aren't available to come in person, is there an online version where people can connect that way?
GH: Yeah, so I’ll back up a little bit to your question of what do we do. So, we have this great museum and then in addition to this great museum, we have this great digital outreach. So anybody in the world can connect with us and they can experience the Hall of Fame, but also if there are teachers out there, we have ready teaching materials that they can use for free. Pre COVID, we averaged 50 teachers a day using it, during COVID it was about 500 to 1,000 a day and we have reached over 1 million students last year with our online education programs. We would love it if teachers would use it and help spread the word! We’re not teaching kids how to play instruments or to write songs, we’re teaching them math, science, social justice all through the lens of rock & roll.
AM: That’s really cool! It’s a large job!
GH: Oh yeah. We have a really great team and we’re cranking through!
When someone walks onsite at the museum, the experience starts when you’re in the building. You’re going to hear music blasting from speakers, it might be a live band on stage outdoors or it might just be coming out of our PA speakers. In the museum, you can see the whole history of rock & roll – from Blues, gospel and country through the Beatles, Stones, Supremes, James Brown, Motown and all of that. On our 2nd floor, you can play on instruments and jam with your friends. If bands visit us and they want to jam with visitors – they can do that. On our 3rd floor, you can walk through our Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and see the greats of music where they are immortalized forever in our Hall of Fame and experience our immersive theater that has an amazing show that was edited with the great Jonathan Demme and it’s really the greatest moments from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductions. So really, that’s some of the things you do and throughout it all, you’re reminded of times in your life that you listened to certain music, the greatest road trip, your Freshman year in college, who you hung out with and we bring all of those memories back and that’s the real power of our place.
AM: Going back to the expansion, what will that involve?
GH: We are keeping the whole I.M. Pei pyramid as is and that’s 128,000 sqft and we’re going to add another 50,000 sqft. You know the Pei Pyramid, the only other pyramid that he has done was at the Louvre which is truly the center of Europe’s great art as it’s the home of Mona Lisa. His only other pyramid is here in America at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and we’re the home of America’s great art rock and roll.
AM: That expansion is going to be huge as that’s 175,000 sqft!
GH: Pretty close give or take!
AM: That’s a lot of space.
GH: Well it’s a big subject!
AM: What are 3 of your favorite exhibits that are at the museum?
GH: I love the Garage Exhibit where visitors can come in and jam with each other it’s amazing.
We finished an exhibit that I liked a lot that I think is particularly interesting to your readers. That was an exhibit that we did about the greatest Halftime Show Performances in Super Bowl history. We had it at the museum when we hosted the NFL Draft in Cleveland. Then we worked with the NFL and we took it out to the Super Bowl in LA this year and we’re working with them again to take out to Phoenix for the next Super Bowl.
It shows performances and great moments by Prince when he did Purple Rain in the rain, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé – it’s just these iconic moments in American cultural history that happened at the Super Bowl Halftime performance it’s just a really great exhibit.
We have an exhibit which really is the legends of rock and each band has a focus area. That focus area could be David Bowie, Elton John, Michael Jackson – they all have an area that highlights their career. And that’s an exciting area to walk through and to be reminded of these individuals and their wider impact on our culture.
AM: What’s the process for acquiring items for the museum?
GH: We work directly with the inductees and pretty much everything we have at the museum has been donated by an inductee, a family member or the artist directly. We make sure to partner with them. They donate to us and occasionally it’s a loaned item if they still need it! We’ve had artifacts that are on exhibit that an artist needs back because they're touring so a guitar goes out to them and a label says, “currently on tour.”
AM: For those that are in town, how many live shows do you have a year?
GH: We have live music probably about 100 shows a year at the museum. This summer, every Thurs and Fri, we’ll have live music and some of the bands that are still coming this summer – Guided By Voices, Adrian Belew is playing and people can go to RockHall.com to check out what we have going on. There’s all different genres and one of the things that’s important to us is that we just don’t put up a party band that plays cover songs. We want original artists playing original music and we want to mix it up between the different genres whether it’s bands that are heavy metal, classic rock sounding or if they’re Hip-Hop. We love having all of them at the museum and they will be playing outdoors on our plaza.
AM: Like many, I am a fan of music. My great uncle was Joe Henderson a tenor saxophonist, I love various genres of music and here at Athleisure Mag as well as outside projects I have styled a number of known artists or have interviewed them. I know that our readers would love to know more about what goes into the induction of artists for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. What are the eligibility requirements?
GH: Artists have had to have made a record 25 years ago to make them eligible for consideration. And then, it’s really impact and influence. You look at did they take the art form in a new direction, did they push the envelope and that’s what they’re recognized for more than chart placement and sales. The process is, there is a ballot made for all those that were nominated. It then goes out to our voters and the largest voting body is all the other inductees. This year, Jay-Z is going to get a ballot, Bono gets a ballot, Smokey Robinson gets a ballot, Madonna gets a ballot, Bruce Springsteen and members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers – they all get ballots. So they vote and the top 5 vote getters are elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
AM: I like that the public is also allowed to join in the fun – why was this an element that has been added to the process?
GH: So the fan vote is interesting. During the year, we let fans in the museum voice who should be nominated. It’s always fun to hear that and to understand that. Then when the voting is underway with all of the inductees, we also do a public fan vote and part of it is engagement so that they can engage with us online and let us know who their favorites are. Then we take all the fan votes online and we aggregate them and they count as a composite ballot into the bigger vote. So what it is important for is to see who people are interested in and to understand what they are thinking about. Because the induction into the Hall of Fame is not a popularity contest, those that are in the industry and have made their living off of rock & roll, their votes are really what counts the most because they can judge the merits of their peers. If that wasn’t the case, whoever has the most social media followers would be elected and that doesn’t necessarily mean they they are the most impactful, it just means that they have great music and great followers. We need that impact.
AM: When the nominees are announced, I am sure there are a number of logistics to figure out from who will accept an award for the artist/group if they have passed away and who will perform if there are other artists that will do a tribute versus those that opt to play themselves. Can you tell us more about that?
GH: The show producers are amazing! It’s our Foundation President, Joel Peresman and our Foundation Chairman, John Sykes and they do an amazing job working to create a show that is dynamic and exciting and also appropriate for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. They have done a super job working with the show, the production design team and sometimes at its greatest when it’s an artist from yesterday that is being honored by an artists of today and when they perform together – when you have Stevie Wonder inducting Bill Withers and then they sing together and then John Legend comes out and performs with them – it’s amazing! When LL Cool J was inducted, LL was joined by Eminem and by JLo. Just an incredible combination. It’s a desire to allow some artists to pay tribute to those that have influenced them and it’s a chance for other artists to combine that they have meant a lot to. So it’s kind of a neat looking back and looking forward and making something that is even better for that moment in time at that event.
AM: As we’re based in NY, it’s always fun when the ceremony is in our backyard, but for the upcoming 2022 induction ceremony, it will be in LA this fall. Why is it being held there and what is behind the decision of the city that you opt to do it in?
GH: Well there are rock & roll fans everywhere and let’s face it, NY is a big center for music and LA is the home of much of the industry. So those 2 cities make a ton of sense and we also do it in Cleveland which is the home of the museum and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. We’re working on a sequence where it goes on between those cities and we’re really excited and honored that Cleveland is in that cadence and we’re looking at how that pans out in future years. We’re really excited and thrilled to be going to LA as it hasn’t been there since 2013!
AM: Looking at this year’s inductees, I was excited about all the names but especially pleased to see that Pat Benatar, Duran Duran, Eminem, Lionel Richie and Dolly Parton are in this year’s group – what are you looking forward to this year?
GH: You know, they’re all terrific and they’re all deserving! I’m looking forward to just being surprised. Every year there are super highlights and it’s amazing as this honor isn't about haing 1 hit record or having a great soundtrack song or something like that. This is a lifetime award that is emblematic of excellence and forever they will be celebrated and enshrined at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This is a really powerful moment for those artists and I can’t wait to hear their speeches and then to see them light up the room with their performances.
AM: I know we talked about the educational elements that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is involved in throughout the year. Are there other community programs that takes place throughout the year?
GH: We have a program called Toddler Rock where kids from First Start Programs come to the museum twice a week and we teach them for 15 weeks on rhyming, alliteration, and social skills with trained music therapists. It’s amazing. We have another program where anyone who lives in the city of Cleveland can come in for free admission all year long, everyday – whenever – just come on in! It’s a great community outreach for us and we love partnering with our conventions and business bureaus and other entities around town. When the city is bidding on and trying to attract the NBA All Star Game or the MLB All Star Game, we are in the mix. We are part of the hosting committee and we pledge to be a great partner and frequently they theme the event rock & roll because it is Cleveland. We love doing that and we think that if our reach can do well, then everyone can do well and we want to make that happen.
AM: In terms of the remainder of this year and looking forward to next year, what are you looking to do in terms of outreach and education on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
GH: One, we need to execute on an amazing summer season which is what we are doing. We want to keep going with all of our educational initiatives. We have a traveling exhibitions program where certain exhibits once they are in Cleveland will go out to cities around the country. We're actively working on this building expansion project which is a significant endeavor for the museum and we’re very excited. We have been ramping up our digital presence and we have been adding a lot of Spanish language to what we are doing in our digital outreach. There is a massive group of people that love rock & roll that don’t speak English and we’re very excited to reach out to those audiences as well who do speak English.
IG @rockhall
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Read the JUL ISSUE #79 of Athleisure Mag and see OUR MUSIC OUR CULTURE | Greg Harris + Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in mag.
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You'll never look at teamwork in the same way! Who knew that the power of building alliances, listening to others and keeping the course would be a reality show that we would want to know more about!
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In X Marks the Spot: The Legend of Forrest Fenn, we get to hear about Forrest Fenn's backstory, a wealthy man who believes he will die soon and decides to create a treasure hunt. We get to hear about his process in creating the clues and eventually finding that he in fact is not dying as soon as thought - but he continues to allow the game to be played.
Although he doesn't give hints to those who are playing, from time to time he does clarify certain points. Although Forrest is dead now, we get a breakdown on what the clues mean, those who felt that they had found or almost found the treasure as well as hearing about those who begged for the game to stop due to safety issues! This true story is one that is a great listen and allows you to interpret what it woudl mean if you had the opportunity to go on this quest.
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Read the JUL ISSUE #79 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Craig Sjodin
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Gizelle Hernandez
We’re back watching tonight’s ABC’s The Bachelorette and we’ll be in Amsterdam! Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey are excited as they know that Hometowns is around the corner. It’s sure to be a big week ahead. The ladies catch up and the guys are getting ready for their dates.
The date card arrives for Rachel’s men and they find out that Zach will be on the 1-on-1 - his 2nd one. Tino definitely has thoughts on the fact that he’s not on the date.
The men over at Gabby’s receive news on who will get the 1-on-1 and it’s Nate.
Jesse Palmer catches up with the women to find out how they are holding up. Both are excited but we hear how Gabby is really thinking about what it would mean with Nate as he has a child and she doesn’t know how she would be as a mother.
While the remaining guys wonder why Nate got the date, we wonder if Logan really means to be there for her. Gabby and Nate walk around the city getting to know one another. We realize that she has even more misgivings then we thought that she had regarding being with Nate and her daughter. She lets him know that she feels so much for him, but she doesn’t know if she is ready to be a mom even though she knows that if she met his daughter, she would fall in love with her. Ultimately, she sends him home and they only have their first half of the date. She wonders if she made a good decision as he was so kind to her even when she let him know that she was sending him home.
Rachel’s date take place in a large tulip field where they only bloom for 2 weeks. Zach seems so excited to be on the date. They pick tulips, ride bikes, enjoy cheese, get wooden shows and bought some lemonade! They even head to a windmill which adds a quaint layer to their date and keeps it casual where they can get to know a lot about one another. They even enjoy being in a hot tub to take in the atmosphere. Their date continues at a museum where they see a number of art pieces and they continue to talk about their relationship. They connect and continue to be vulnerable with one another. She gives him the rose and we begin to see who will be at Hometowns!
While Rachel is having a great night, Gabby makes her way to the remaining men and you can see that she’s down after sending Nate home. Prior to her arrival, the guys agree that they want to be there for her as they know it’s tough. She let them know that she is there because she wanted to tell them what happened in person and she hoped that they weren’t freaked out. They let her know that they are there for her and they can understand why she feels the way that she does. After letting them know, she leaves them and lets them know that she will see them soon.
Gabby’s group date includes Logan who has yet to be with the other men in such a large setting officially. Erich, Jason, Johnny and Spencer. Their date is about being open-minded and to explore how they can communicate with her. They meet a woman who welcomes them in a room lit in red with a whip. You can definitely see the nerves on the men as they figure out their safe words. They answer some intimate questions, they get blindfolded while Gabby whips and puts whip cream on them.
The men continue to the after party of this date as there us a rose on the line which gets one of them into Hometowns. Gabby is visited by Jesse and lets her know that Logan tested positive for COVID-19. They have to cancel the cocktail party to ensure everyone’s safety. No rose is given out tonight and Jesse lets them know that the event is not taking place. That also means that Logan is no longer in the mix due to getting COVID-19.
Rachel’s group date is next with her 4 men. They get a chance to hang out while taking in the city with cheese and to get some 1-on-1 time with her as well. It’s another date where there is an element of the strong man. In this date, just like the other one, then men are asked to take off their shirts. Rachel puts sunscreen on them and they shoulder cheese wheels that are tied to wooden planks. Each time, they add an additional layer of cheese wedges. The final round had 8 wedges (4 on each side) - this is definitely not a comfortable challenge. Tino ends up winning the challenge although Ethan was pretty close in winning it. She spends some time with each one which is nice and they will continue onto their date later in the evening where they can dig deeper. That night she chats with Aven, Tyler, Ethan and Tino. Ultimately, Tyler gets the group date rose. Tino is upset because he feels that they had a connection and he didn’t get a rose that night. He feels that he needs to rethink everything at this point.
Although Logan was sent home, the ceremony continues and Gabby has 3 roses to give as she has decided that she won’t see 4 families. Rachel gives Aven and Tino a rose so we now know who will be going to Hometowns.
GABBY GAVE ROSES TO | Erich, Jason, Johnny
RACHEL GAVE ROSES TO | Aven, Tyler, Zach,
DIDN’T RECEIVE A ROSE | Ethan, Logan, Nate, Spencer
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!
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