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Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see 9R3DCARP3T in mag.

GOLDEN HAPPINESS | ERIN JACKSON + JORDAN STOLZ

Although the Olympics have completed this cycle, for the Winter Games 2026, we enjoyed sitting down with Erin Jackson Team USA Olympic Speedskating Gold Medalist to talk about her love of the sport, how she got into it, competing at Milan-Cortina and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with speed skating, and what do you love about this sport?

ERIN JACKSON: I actually loved this sport for as long as I can remember. You know, some of my earliest memories of skating were just up and down my driveway and the little plastic skates. So it started out as just a hobby for me. I didn’t have any dreams of being competitive in the sport. I just started doing it because I loved it. So that was my intro which was through roller skating and then roller skating, led me to inline skating, and then inline skating led me to ice skating. So, yeah, it was just kind, I guess, a very natural progression, but it did just start with the love of the sport and the love of the hobby I guess!

AM: I mean, there are so many things you could have done! Why did you decide that figure skating wasn’t the thing, but speed skating was?

EJ: I actually did go that route first, so I did what’s called artistic skating. And that’s like figure skating, but also on roller skates. Who knows? That that could have been where I ended up, but my coaches in artistic skating they actually moved away to pursue figure skating on ice for their daughters. Their daughters ended up competing in Sochi, I believe.

AM: Wow!

EJ: So who knows? Maybe I could have gone that route, too? But when they moved, I just let that be the end of figure skating.

AM: Well, what does an average week look like when it comes to training for upcoming competitions?

EJ: So we train six days a week, most days, it’s two training sessions. One of those days, we’ll have three training sessions one of those days, we’ll have one training session, but we’re training most the time. It’s kind of like a full-time job, so we’ll have a morning session for probably 3 hours or so, and then rest in the afternoon for lunch and then come back and have another session later in the day.

Normally skating once a day, and then the other session can be, you know, like, bike intervals, or, you know, cardio or weightlifting or something like that.

AM: We were just going to ask about three workouts that you do to optimize for this particular sport? You kind of just answered it. Our minds are still wrapping around six days a week. I mean, clearly, that is what you have to do.

So this past Olympics marks your third, where you were competing in the 500 meter and the 1000 meter? What does it mean to you to be able to compete on such a global stage?

EJ: It’s a really cool honor, I guess, like just being part of the Olympics and just being able to be part of this really large thing where people from all over the world are coming to do the thing that they devote their lives to. We all just come here and do it together. It’s just a really cool community aspect, you know, part of this large community of Olympians and Team USA. And it’s, yeah, I feel like that’s the best feeling of it, just like doing it all together.

AM: What did you love most about your experience this year, and you know, being in the Olympics, and are you thinking ahead to 2030?

EJ: Yeah, I am thinking of 2030, yeah, I couldn’t imagine stopping the train at this point. I definitely want to keep going with all the progress I’ve made this season, and I really want to carry that forward. Some of my best memories from this games were a toss-up between watching my teammates this time around, because for most of them, it was their first Olympics. It’s getting to see all the amazing firsts that they were experiencing and then also watching other Team USA events, like with athletes from those sports. You know, they can give a lot of insight and behind the scenes info about the scoring and sometimes even the drama in the sport. So, yeah, that was a really cool thing too.

AM: Well, you are part of Happiness as The Real Gold Hershey Campaign, which is so fun to see that and to get to see other aspects of you while you’re talking. Why did you want to be involved in it? And what does happiness mean to you?

EJ: Yeah, the Happiness is The Real Gold Campaign, I feel like was a really important thing to get out there in a really important message, because it can just like remind athletes and just people in general that the people in your lives who love you and care about you like, they’re gonna love you, no matter what, because what they really want for you is happiness.

AM: Yeah.

EJ: Your achievements are just kind of a bonus for that. I feel like it was a really great message and one that was really heartfelt and emotional campaign, especially with having our families involved. I was really happy to be a part of it.

IG @speedyj

After chatting with Erin, we caught up with her Team USA Speedskater, Jordan Stolz. We wanted to hear about his passion, a successful Winter Olympics, and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: How did you come to the sport of speedskating and for those that are not familiar with it, how would you describe it to them?

JORDAN STOLZ: I would describe it as a sport where you are constantly trying to keep progressing and a sport that is very satisfying when you improve. The feeling of being able to go fast on turns is a feeling that I can’t get anywhere else! I can’t get it in a car, I can’t do it on a mountain on a bike – it’s something that is very surreal and I think that people get addicted to it!

I first got into it because of Apolo Ohno (G2, S2, B4) back in 2010, and I was watching him compete and it was the first Olympics that I had ever watched in my life. I was just really into it and it caught my eye with the way that he was passing people. It was like a showman and I asked my parents if I could start skating. and I actually started with my sister on our frozen pond in our backyard. We shoveled a track and ever since then, I have been doing pretty good.

AM: What are workouts that you find beneficial for speedskating?

JS: I would say a lot of cycling. The number 1 thing that changed for me is when I spent a lot more time on a bike. The weight room too – just building up your squats. You have to have power on the ice. You want to combine those two, but you don’t want to go too far with either one. You don’t want to be this cyclist that weighs 130lbs, but you also don’t want to be a body builder and then you would be super slow on the ice – you’d have too much weight. It’s kind of factoring all of that in to work with the mechanics of skating and the technique. I have found that to be the most beneficial for me.

AM: What were the Opening Ceremonies like for you and what does it mean to you to compete on such a global stage?

JS: It means a lot to compete for Team USA on the Olympics as a global stage and to win 3 medals, the highest medal count. That means a lot, not just for me, but for speedskating itself and the whole country. It’s great that I can bring more awareness to speedskating, as it’s such a cool sport and I’m glad to be able to do that.

I didn’t walk the Opening Ceremonies, but I loved watching it on TV when I was in the Village.

AM: When it’s gameday, do anything that gets you into the mindset to compete?

JS: I try to relax a lot and not to think too much about the races. I want to be able to get into the zone before getting into the rink. Before that, I like to chit chat with people, sit in bed and watch some reels, and then I can get out there and be ready!

AM: You had an amazing Winter Games 2026! You won a Gold in the 500 M, and then another one in the 1,000 M - the first American male to do it in the same Olympics since 1980, and you got Silver in the 1,500 - you also made 2 World Records - what does it feel like to leave the Games with those accolades?

JS: It means a lot especially to have my name attached to Eric Heiden (5G) and it means a lot to be thought of as a successful speedskater in Olympic history for the US. I hope that I can continue to progress and do better going into 2030 and this is just one of those stepping stones. When I went to Beijing, I didn’t win any medals there and then 4 years later, I trained a lot and the World Cup had a lot of experiences and then I was able to come here to the Olympics in a very prepared way! Who knows what can happen over the next 4 years? Hopefully something very similar and I am feeling very good about the results that I have had this entire season and not just the ones that took place at the Olympics. I’ve been skating some fast times and had great track records.

AM: In your downtime in Milan, how did you take time for yourself to reset between competitions?

JS: It was just – there wasn’t a lot to do in the Village, so it was about laying in bed and trying to relax and focus.

AM: You partnered with Hershey’s For the Happiness Campaign. Why did you want to partner with them and what does Happiness is the Real Gold mean to you?

JS: I wanted to partner with them because they are a huge household name company. Having that name tied around you at the Winter Olympics is really special. It’s the highest achievement that you can have as a speed skater. First of all going to the Olympics, and then being able to win a Gold medal, with the name Hershey’s behind you – that just means a lot, especially how they support my family in general. It’s authentic and I feel that they really put the truth behind the slogan that Happiness is The Real Gold. They are 100% right about that!

AM: Post Olympics, are there any projects or upcoming competitions we should know about?

JS: I have the World Champions coming up – the World Sprints and the World All Arounds – it’s a combination race. It’s kind of like the 2nd thing to the Olympics if you are considering the Netherlands view. They view it super seriously here. I think it’s really cool and I will compete in both and try to win both of them. It will be fun and really hard! Everyone wants to hear if I will be doing anything in cycling and that’s probably not going to happen because I will be focused on skating.

IG @stolz_jordan_

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | Hershey’s

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see GOLDEN HAPPINESS | Erin Jackson + Jordan Stolz in mag.

SALTY RETURNS | HENRY LAPORTE/SALT HANK'S

We caught up with Salt Hank’s owner, Henry Laporte that is known for his restaurant that serves primarily one dish, the French Dip! We wanted to know how we went to making culinary videos to starting his restaurant and how he keeps it all together as a business owner.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the dish that made you fall in love with food?

HENRY LAPORTE: I love it, starting off hot! It’s kind of an easy answer – salami! Pretty much after my first bite of salami nothing else has been the same sense then. I would say that and I would also say that I remember my first rib eye as well. I think that I was about 6 when I had my first bite of salami and it changed the entire trajectory of my life! I mean salami and cured meats!

AM: That’s such a great combo. What is there not to love?

HL: It’s the salt, fat, all the nitrates – it’s all there!

AM: How did you take your love for food and decide that you were going to take it beyond a passion, but to make it into a business?

HL: Honestly, I think that once I had those moments of clarity and the fact that it was all I actually cared about, and it’s the thing that made me the happiest in my entire world, when I was eating these insanely delicious bites of food, I don’t know if there was ever an other path for me. It never really struck me to go and explore another business or real estate – it was just food! I didn’t care about anything else. I knew that I would be in the food space.

AM: Once you realized that this would be your business. How did you go about growing it and then using TurboTax Business as a means to streamline that?

HL: In the beginning, it was me and I was a broadcast/journalism student in college. I would borrow the equipment from the equipment room and film myself making food videos. That quickly when TikTok blew up, turned into an actual thing that was gaining some traction. Once I started getting offered money, brand deals and things like that, it turned into a thing where I needed an LLC and I needed to file for taxes which is something that I had no clue how to do at the time! Thankfully, TurboTax made it incredibly easy at that time. I was still doing it on my own, I didn’t have a bookkeeper at that time, but once things snowballed at that time to a bigger situation, I hired somebody who was an absolute genius at those sorts of things. They are great and are integral to the entire operation of what I’m doing and I think there is a lot to be said to how TurboTax Experts for Business can help young entrepreneurs to pave their way through that entire complicated field of taxes.

AM: What have you learned in terms of someone who is thinking of taking their idea or passion and making it into their business as you have done?

HL: Make sure you truly love it and are doing it for the right reasons. Don’t just take something that looks shiny and chase it because you are comparing your life to somebody else’s. Don’t do it for the transactional residual effect. Do it because you viscerally care about it.

AM: You’re known for your French Dip Sandwich. Why did this inspire you to create a restaurant where it is the primary item on the menu?

HL: This version of the French Dip that we are doing now is one that I have been in love with for 6 or 7 years now. It’s a recipe that I have been developing for that entire time. It’s also a very prep heavy recipe. We’re basically making French Onion Soup in the back with the house made jus and the house made carmelized onions and all of that. Then that is all added to the traditional French Dip. So it is very prep heavy and once we realized – I mean, we always wanted a limited menu. People really fell in love with the French Dip. What was the point to do anything else and it was about just mastering this! We wanted to make it as good as we possibly could and to keep the quality as high as we could as well. We do not want to stray from that!

AM: What about some food hot takes or trends? Do you have any that you want to share or that we should keep an eye out for?

HL: Honestly, I’m somewhat scared to give my hot takes as I hate to get in trouble! If you don’t have sharp knives, then you actually don’t care about cooking!

AM: Agreed!

HL: I don’t like beets!

AM: Oh we love beets!

HL: I know, that’s why it’s a hot take! Everyone loves them and I really get the looks from people when I say I don’t!

AM: We can agree on the knives though!

IG @salt_hank

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 215 Ed Anderson | PG 216 Hector Gomez

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see SALTY RETURNS | Henry Laporte/Salt Hank’s in mag.

BUST A BRACKET REESE'S | POINTS OR CUPS - IT'S A WIN WIN

When March hits our calendars, our minds turn to March Madness and seeing who will take it all for Men’s and Women’s basketball in the NCAA. It means that we have a month of basketball, colleges that we root for and those that we are not as familiar with. There are so many stories, and don’t even get us started on our brackets as we attempt to guess the journey. Whether it’s backed by stats, favorite colors, or teams, it’s a great time had by all. We made our way to Reese’s Bracket Summit to hear from NY Liberty’s Breanna Stewart and analysts Andraya Carter and Richard Jefferson on how we can make them and how Reese’s rewards or losses as well!

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve enjoyed hearing your commentary on various games. What made you want to be an analyst?

ANDRAYA CARTER: Oh wow! I think that the opportunity came before my interests came and I remember when we were in the tournament and this is when I was a player. I don’t remember what analyst was talking about me, but I was a role player at Tennessee. I was a defensive player and I didn’t score that many points. Whoever the analyst was saw some value in what I brought and they were running some of my defensive highlights, and this was in the Selection show, and there is a picture of my teammate, Meighan Simmons and she’s shaking my shoulders because I was so shocked that they were talking about me!

I think about that a lot when I first started my career. I remember that moment being so cool and I remember thinking I could be an analyst that points out the things that makes this game hard and contributes to the success. I love the game of basketball so much and being able to break it down and so I think that once I had the opportunity to be an analyst and that it is something that you can get better at, it almost became my new sport. How much better can I get at being an analyst? I watch film on it, I practiced it, I broke it down, it was almost like even though my career as a player ended, I had something that I was able to work towards. It was something that I could improve on and it was something that I could chase, and once those 2 things clicked for me, I knew I could do this. It was a long journey for me from the time of realizing that it clicked up to now – but that’s a story!

AM: It’s always enjoyable to hear from you because you played the game and you know first hand everything that is involved in that.

What do you love about the game?

AC: Ugh, I love how so many little things work together to make it happen. There are so many ways to run a play, so many ways to defend a play, and so many roles that a player can have. When you look at different teams from season to season and even looking at a team during the season, there are so many ways to look at this puzzle and to see how all the pieces fit together! That’s within a season, that’s within a team, that’s within the players, and that’s even to the game. There are so many things to break down as these teams chase championships. It’s different every year and it is different game to game! Sometimes there are those 2 teams that play and when they do it again, there are other things to evaluate.

To me, the way that the game just builds and the way there are games within a game, I love it so much! Being able to grow up playing it and also I think that the way it brings people together and how sport is a universal language, you get to meet so many people along the way. Basketball changed my life and I love being able to watch how the game changes the lives of others – it’s really special to me.

AM: We really love this time of year, March Madness and everything that is involved in that! What do you love about this time of year?

AC: I just love the intensity of it and being win or go home! Obviously, it’s heartbreaking when a team loses, and to watch teams have success and to continue to be able to play and to keep their season alive, for me the intensity of win or go home is everything! Everything just levels up in March for basketball and I think that also watching players rise to the occasion and having a player put their team on their back and step up, you see something click for them – that is amazing to see!

AM: You were giving tips earlier about how one can set up their brackets. But for first timers that may not know about checking for stats or other things. How can they go about putting their brackets together?

AC: For anyone that is setting up their brackets for the first time this season, the Every Bracket Busts For A Reese’s Sweepstakes is perfect for them! You’re bracket busts, you win some Reese’s and the chance to go to the Men’s and Women’s Final Four and Championships. Being at the Final Four as well as the Championship game in that environment is so special! Shout out to anybody that is doing their brackets for the first time! Thanks to Reece’s you could get a chance to go!

I do think that filling out your bracket is hard. How much research do you want to do? How much time do you have? I am just thinking about this off the top of my head, if you don’t know much about a team and you pull up their stats and see their leading scorer and watch some highlights of them or see what their game is like, and what they are capable of. Watch the other teams and see their leading scorer. See which team gets you the most excited and that is who you pick. I think that whatever method you have, use that for your whole bracket, trust it, and go with it. Sometimes when I fill out my bracket, I like because teams that have good defense because when the lights are the brightest and the emotion is really big, sometimes your shots don’t go in. There is so much excitement and energy but defense travels and I think as a player, you can control that a little bit more. I could shoot my same shot and it may not go in, but I can control my defensive energy. Teams that are good defensively, if I can’t pick between the 2 teams, then I look at who has the better defense because defense travels.

AM: That’s a great tip!

Who are 3 teams that you are looking at this year, that we should be focused on?

AC: That’s tough! Men’s or Women’s?

AM: You choose!

AC: Well, Tennessee Women’s is interesting given everything that they have been through. Obviously, it’s a really rough end of the season. I’m particularly as a former Lady Vols and as an analyst, I’m interested in if any team had a rough end to their season like that – how does that kick them forward? Does it kick them forward, does it give them a fresh start? Are they able to use everything that they went through as motivation to turn it around? Or on the opposite side as a former Lady Vols, it wouldn’t be something that I would enjoy – but is it too little too late to try and correct things?

AM: Yeah!

AC: This is the time where you want to be peaking and playing your best basketball going into March. Is it too late this time around? So Tennessee is a very interesting team on the Women’s side.

I’m very interested in UConn obviously, the opportunity to go back-to-back it’s something special and not something that many teams get the opportunity to do. I am a very big fan of a few of the players on the team as well as the system that they play. Obviously here with Reece’s, Breanna Stewart was hanging out with us. She spoke to what Geno Auriemma puts his players through in terms of testing them throughout the year! They don’t have the strongest strength of schedule, but their biggest battle is their head coach! So, UConn – will they repeat as Champions?

I’m also interested in UCLA! That’s a team that added new pieces, it’s a team that lost to UConn last season in a way that I know that they are not proud of, and in a way that taught them a lot for Cori Close and her players. They could have another opportunity to make a deep run.

So those are teams that I have my eye on of course there is South Carolina with Dawn Staley – they are always a good team to have my eye on as well!

AM: This is so great to hear!

Who do you think will win it all?

AC: I have UConn winning it all for the women!

AM: Same!

AC: I think that on top of what I said, I think Sarah Strong is a really hard player to game plan against. You can put her on so many places on the court and use her in so many different actions on the floor that I think that they are just a tough game plan. We talk a lot about UConn’s offense – Azzi Fudd is such a sharp shooter and Sarah Strong is just so versatile, and UConn is a very difficult team to score against. None of their opponents in the tournament scored 65 points last season. I just talked about defense, but as good as their offense is, their defense and their ability to make teams go east to west instead of north to south, is something that I find very tough among other things for Connecticut.

IG @andraya_carter

After speaking with Andraya, we sat down with NBA Champion Richard Jefferson to talk about his love of the game, why he enjoys being an analyst and also how he feels about Arizona!

ATHLEISURE MAG: We have been fans of yours since you played in the NBA and it’s very cool to be hanging out with you right now.

Why did you want to be an analyst once you retired from the game?

RICHARD JEFFERSON: The reason why I wanted to be an analyst is because I love the game of basketball very deeply! You look at how you can continue to express your love to the game that has given so much to me. So there is coaching, there is player development, there are levels of coaching from high school and college. For me, I just loved talking about the game of basketball. I started a podcast 10 years ago because I love hearing the stories about basketball and also everybody has strengths and areas of improvement. For me, talking about the game of basketball and giving knowledge because I was a nerdy kid at 12 and 13 years old reading basketball cards and sitting and watching NBC and Marv Albert in the Jordan era! I just studied it and loved it as a kid! Then I grew into it as a basketball player and then I played in the NBA so I got to live it, and I always felt that I was the lucky little kid that got to live his dream! Now, I get to sit here and talk about it, but I feel fortunate because I have reference points all the way back to the mid 80’s because I grew up loving the game and being able to study it!

AM: Same!

What do you love about basketball and what personally draws you to it?

RJ: What draws me to it is that it is such a beautiful game. You have to be a complete player for the most part. You have to be able to play offense and you have to be able to play defense! You look at football, I love it, it’s awesome, but you have guys on one side of the ball and one side on the other. In baseball, there is a similarity to it. In basketball, it is – if you are in a weak spot on offense, you will be exposed! If you are on a weak spot on defense, you will be exposed! Just like in life, your goal is to be a complete person and a well rounded person, it doesn’t mean that you are great at everything, but you are well rounded. That is what the game of basketball is. In order to be a good or great basketball player, in a prideful way, you have to be a well rounded individual and I think that there is something beautiful about that in life in general.

AM: I love this time of year! When Selection Sunday hits, you know you have some great weeks of basketball that are taking place – not my team this year, IU –

RJ: Congratulations on the football win!

AM: Thank you! That is like 5 Super Bowls!

RJ: Congratulations!

AM: What do you love about March Madness, The Final Four, the Championship game?

RJ: What I love about it – both sides men’s and women’s is that I think that the Summer Olympics is something that here in America, everybody roots for and it is every 4 years. I don’t think that there is a single thing in America that everyone comes together – it’s university pride, it’s college pride, it’s where your family is associated, it’s rivalries - it’s all of these things. You can be 60 years old and you’re a North Carolina fan and you still fucking hate Duke! Now, all of a sudden, all of these old things that you had gets turned up for 1 month. Grandma knows it, your 5 year old son knows it, people that don’t basketball are like, “I’m just going to pick my favorite colors!” That’s what sports does and I don’t think that there is a single greater event than the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Tournament that brings together everybody in our country like that!

AM: Couldn’t agree more!

For 1st timers that are filling out those brackets, what should they do?

RJ: Oh man, for 1st timers, let me show you how to do it! Shout out Reese’s, that’s why we’re here. If you are a 1st Timer, this is what I would do. I start with Arizona because they are going to win the National Championship and I do this every single year, because Arizona is going to win. So I have them in the winning spot and then I go backwards. It’s a little unorthodox.

AM: Yeah it is.

RJ: That’s fine! This is where I think that Reese’s has really cracked the code! I have Duke losing in the 1st Round. People are like, that’s a little crazy!

AM + RJ: Is it though?

RJ: If Siena wins, I look like a genius! If Siena loses, I turn in my bracket and I win free Reese’s Cups! I still look like a genius! So, I just don’t see that there is a lose/lose situation. Why would I root for a team that I cannot stand? Why because I want a perfect bracket? I’d rather them lose and look like a genius, then have them win and I get some cups! If they win, I’m pissed off anyway so give me my prize.

AM: Love this and you are very proud of this bracket!

RJ: I’m very, very proud and I have the Women’s one also! I am very proud of it and I will say this, across the board, I have South Carolina - Dawn Staley was my favorite Women’s player growing up and she is my favorite coach. Across the board, we had Stewie here, there was no shade given to UConn – such respect and I have nothing but positivity for them. They are probably of all the schools Men and Women aside, when we started talking about them, they had the ultimate level of respect, but we’re not talking about them right now, we’re talking about the University of Arizona and how we won the Big 12, we won the Big 12 Tournament, we have the Big 12 Player of the Year, and we have done all of the things that are needed for us to win a Championship – so this bracket is going to be perfect! There is on thing that I have put out and I don’t mind that you have Duke blue hair – it’s fine!

AM: Wait a minute, I am IU through and through!

RJ: So right, we get through there as well – Siena that’s who I am rooting for, they are my sleeper pick mainly because I want Reese’s Cups!

AM: So what are 3 teams that you’re looking at that we should be thinking about?

RJ: You should be thinking about Siena because they have a really good match up in the 1st Round, but I think that they are going to win against Duke.

Arizona, I talk about Arizona, but I think with Arkansas, there is a big battle there by the kid Darius Acuff Jr. who is very, very good. I’m actually glad that we could potentially play them in the Sweet 16. What does that mean? It means that you get your first 2 games in and then you have a couple of days to prepare before you go to the next game. Those preparation days are the days where you say, “ok, we could be going up agaunst an amazing player” and you want some more prep against that, because we do have an amazing team.

AM: Ok, so my last question was going to be who do you think will win, but we know that clearly you feel that Arizona will win it all!

RJ: You’re damn right!

AM: So what does gameday look like for you?

RJ: Ok, I am pretty much immune to any sport or any sport team. Arizona is one that I am emotionally connected to. I turn on the game. When they are winning, I watch. They start losing, I turn it off. That is a real thing because again, it is the emotional connection. Oftentimes, I will tune in and out. I can’t sit and turn on an Arizona game and just relax. That’s not possible so I avoid the anxiety.

IG @richardajefferson

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | Hershey’s

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see BUST A BRACKET REESE’S | Points or Cups It’s A Win Win in mag.

ORANGE GLOU PRE-COVERAGE

On April 19th, The 5th Annual Orange Glou Wine Fair at Gallery Space LES 155 Suffolk Street will showcase 100 orange wines to taste from around the world, highlighting up and coming wine regions like Japan, Mexico, and China, along with Spain and the US this year. Launched by leading orange wine expert Doreen Winkler, a natural wine sommelier and founder of Orange Glou wine club, it is America’s only wine fair dedicated exclusively to orange wines. A one-of-a-kind event for orange wine enthusiasts, those new to the style or anyone looking for a unique NYC event this spring, the Orange Glou Wine Fair is the ultimate place to enjoy the full spectrum of orange wines), meet winemakers to learn more about this ancient style of wine that has recently become so popular.

This year’s event will expand to 4 sessions throughout the day (11am-1pm, 1pm-3pm, 3pm-5pm, and 5pm-7pm). Guests can explore the world of orange wines, which are made using centuries-old techniques where the juice pressed from white grapes remains in contact with the skins during the fermentation process to create unique, versatile and delicious wines that range in color from pale gold to orange to amber. All guests will take home a signature Orange Glou wine glass (value $15), included in the $45 tickets.

IG @orangeglou_fair

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | Nina Scholl

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see ORANGE GLOU PRE-COVERAGE in mag.

IN THE PLAYER BOX | MORGAN RIDDLE

We love when we’re in the midst of tennis season and we see great matches on the court, but the fashion and beauty that WAGS bring is always worth watching! Morgan Riddle is one that we are always watching while she cheers on Taylor Fritz. We took a few moments to find out about her beauty musts, her partnership with ISDIN to highlight the Get It On Campaign, and how we can incorporate our SPF into our routine.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was your first beauty product that you fell in love with and is it still part of your routines?

MORGAN RIDDLE: My first beauty product that I fell in love with, I would say the Dior Face and Body Foundation. I have been using that for about 6 years now. So that’s been an OG staple.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Who would you say are your 3 beauty icons and what have they taught you about caring for your skin?

MR: I wouldn’t say that I have any famous beauty icons, but I would say that I follow a number of skinfluencers on TikTok, mostly more mature or older women that are in their 40s/50s. They have tried all the treatments and all of the products and I feel that they have all of the best recommendations.

AM: We know that you’re constantly on the go especially when you’re at tennis tournaments. What beauty trends do you love and how do you make them your own for your lifestyle?

MR: I always have SPF and so that is obviously a must. So the ISDIN Fusion Water Magic is great, especially with many of the tennis tournaments and because I am in the Players Box, I am constantly in the sun! If I don’t have SPF on that just wouldn’t work as I am always getting fried! My chest and my scalp - it can be a lot! So I always make sure that I have that. My skin is more dry so I always have one of those Hyaluronic sprays throughout the flight to just try and to prevent breakouts. I used to always breakout when I was traveling on planes a lot.

AM: Tell me about your partnership with ISDIN, how it came about, and why it is synergistic with you?

MR: I have actually known about this brand for awhile. They are really popular in Europe and they actually work a lot on the tennis tour. They are the biggest suncare brand in Spain. Then, they just launched in the US and since I had known about them for awhile as well as using European skincare for years ever since I first started traveling on tour, I think I was already a fan of the brand and then when I tried this product, it sits so well under makeup and I feel that I am always having issues with face sunscreens and pilling. As I said, I run more dry so sometimes it feels a bit more patchy, but this one has hyaluronic acid in it so it makes my skin really, really glowy under the makeup!

AM: Clearly we know that safe sun is important. For those that have yet to include it in their routines, how can they make sure to incorporate it in there?

MR: I always do habit stacking now because I read that book Atomic Habits. So as soon as I get up in the morning and brush my teeth, I just put sunscreen before I even go on my morning walks. I think that just adding it into something that you do in your routine so that it is synergistic. To reapply, I always have an extra one in my bag that every time I open my bag, I can see it and remind myself to put it back on.

IG @moorrgs

@isdinusa

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Morgan Riddle

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see IN THE PLAYER BOX | Morgan Riddle in mag.

TENNIS FOR ALL | BLACK GIRLS TENNIS CLUB + KIMBERLY SELDEN

We always enjoy when the tennis season starts as we see our favorite starts hitting global courts. We also know that it’s a great sport that we can enjoy with family, colleagues, and friends old and new! We sat down with Kimberly Selden, Founder of Black Girls Tennis Club to know more about how why she created this organization, how she is making sure that youth and adults can into the sport and an upcoming event that will take place at Roland Garros.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into BGTC, I’d like to know more about your background.

KIMBERLY SELDEN: My background is an interesting path. I sit at the intersection of a lot of different industries. I started my career in fashion. I studied mass communications with a concentration in PR a minor in fashion merchandising. I moved to NY right after college worked for Custo Barcelona in PR.

I ended up working in production on the management side. I worked on NBA All-Star, and then went to creative, so I did the whole freelancer circuit for different award shows and live events. Starting in production management and landing on the creative side, working my way up from executive producers, assistant production, assistant production coordinator, associate producer, segment producer, and producer. I’ve played every single role, and I started to transition from there into the story side, and so I worked on a Food Network show as a story producer. I worked on Oprah behind the scenes as a story producer.

During that time, I randomly was asked to come to Niger in West Africa, about two of my friends were there schooling mission work – it was really random. So they met someone who got a license for a radio and television station. They naturally reached out to me because I was the closest one to that production world, so we had a break for the show. I moved to Niger for three months to start this radio station, which led to a television station. I ended up meeting the U.S ambassador and I came back - was in graduate school while on our second season of the show and my thesis became a real project, and I went back to Niger with a grant from the US Embassy. I got to speak at the US Embassy! We distributed solar power radios to villages. It was life changing to say the least. I’ll say that was a huge turning point for me where I started to use this term, social impact, and just realized the power of change.

I was doing a whole lot and in different countries in Africa. One of my friends had an Africa travel company, so I was traveling with her. I have worked on a number of campaigns and projects over the years!

I was living in NY this whole time and I moved to Virginia right before COVID. In Virginia, there were courts in my neighborhood and when I lived in BK the whole 10 years I was there, there were tennis courts in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. I always wanted to play tennis but didn’t know how to get involved. The Fort Greene tennis courts were kind of intimidating when I was in my hometown in Virgina Beach, that’s how BGTC got started. I walked past tennis courts everyday walking my down and I thought, we should start a Black Girls Tennis Club and that’s how it started. So, my career and my background have nothing to do with tennis, but everything to do with making a difference.

AM: And community!

KS: Our communities, and Black people. Like I said before, to me, it all comes together in a very unique and unplanned way. In fact, we’re going to Ghana in November, so even my passion for Africa is coming into the mix.

AM: Now that you have been running BGTC for a few years, did you think it was going to be what we’re seeing now from it?

KS: Absolutely not. In fact, I was really hesitant because we’re a non-profit and when BGTC started, I really was in a space where I wanted to build wealth. I didn’t see a pathway to that, and I actually wanted to build a boutique hotel like I was ready for the next chapter of my life either way, where I would be a little more behind the scenes. But this is essentially pushing me to the forefront. I’m a Founder and I had no idea at all. Now, I’m aware of the potential, but every day, I’m still shocked that I’m in this seat and that it has completely taken over right. I’m trying to do other things and I’m still getting pulled to really just focus on this, but I will say, you know, even though I want these other things, I I feel that my other wants and desires are being met through BGTC.

AM: What is BGTC because there is an adult track and then a younger track. And what is the goal of the organization overall?

KS: We are a 501c3. I like to call us a Social Enterprise. We have, free and low cost youth programming and adult programming and our mission is to liberate Black women and girls through play, and I say that because we really focus on joy, wellness, and community. Looking at my past and my whole time living in New York, if you asked me what my hobbies were, I would have said - going out to eat or shopping. I’m a recovering workaholic and I know from life experience that having a hobby is a luxury. I just know how important liberation is. Playing sports is a pathway to that, and I could go on and on about the benefits of girls playing sports economically just for their own wellness and joy. I just see this as a catalyst to joy, community, economic growth, and health. I don’t want us to be a non-profit that is viewed as they’re serving underserved people only. You know, our youth is expansive. Some are underserved, of course and some aren’t. We have kids that could go pro. We have kids that never touched a racket.

AM: What is your role like? I always say that the role of a Founder is one that is growing and it doesn’t really have a start or stop to it. What is your role and what is a day-to-day or week to week look like, for you?

KS: I see myself as the key vision holder strategist and leading Partnerships, and we’re figuring that out as an organization. I’m technically Founder and CEO. A lot of this, we’re figuring it out as we go. We have tried things that have worked and have tried things that haven’t worked. My goal is to raise enough money so that we can have someone in place. Whether that’s an executive director or whatever that title is that can lead the organization operationally, I know what my strengths are.

I am an executor and I am a visionary.

My day-to-day I have a lot of calls. I’m talking to a lot of brand partners. I’m talking to our board members. Tennis season has started and I went to Palm Springs twice. My day. It’s a lot of emails. I don’t even know the amount of emails that I send per day. We have a we use Monday, which is like a project management tool. I’m always approving. Between social media like I’m approving Graphics, I’m getting and I’m sending decks to people. I’m giving direction, I’m delegating.

I might be going to Indian Wells. I have a call later today about an Arthur Ashe documentary project, so it’s a lot of exciting things. It’s a lot of things that I’ve never done before.

AM: I know you have a few chapters. You have the one here in New York, and there’s others. Can you tell us about these chapters?

KS: We launched in Virginia, and so in Virginia, every year we do a free summer camp and we have some adult programming. We were actually pushed to launch in New York because of our Challengers event with Zendaya (Dune franchise, The Drama, Euphoria). It’s really exciting for New York, so we have yearround programming in New York, because we have indoor courts right, too. We’ve had some programming in DC. We do Citi Open every year in DC. DC is a great meeting point because that’s a middle ground for all our board members to come together. Last year, we had an in-person board meeting there.

I’m actually in La, so we had fun LA event. We’re gearing up for La. I’ve been meeting with, YMCA Crenshaw and Compton United School District, so LA’s been on us. I think I feel a lot of pressure from every part of the country, as well as outside of the country to launch. There’s a whole back end that goes into it. If I look at our pillars which are care, access, representation, and exposure, there’s different reasons to be different places.

Logistically and operationally, I just have to move with care as well, and make sure that we have what we need in place so that our team you know isn’t overwhelmed. And I want people to be connected and be able to find people to play with, because if I’m being honest, I still didn’t solve my original problem which was I wanted to play tennis more. So that’s where technology comes in, and we’re working on that as well.

AM: Well, for the New York chapter, what are some upcoming events that are taking place here that you can share?

JS: We have Pop Up and Play. We just had one in February. We have another one at the end of the month of at our indoor ports at Sun East which is in Manhattan. We’re up in the Bronx at Stadium Tennis for Cardio Tennis. We have our Foundations Clinic coming up, which is 4 consecutive sessions that cover the basics of tennis at Brooklyn College. We have 2 courts of that. That will be announced in the next 2 weeks. We have Cardio Tennis Pop Up and Play Foundations. We’re going to have Sunset Saturdays coming up. That’s going to be from May through the end of August. I don’t know what we’re doing for US Open, but we’ll of course have activations during US Open. So, we’ll have weekly programming almost twice a week in New York. It’s been growing every single year, and we’re going to do a Big Girls Day of Play in Brooklyn, May 31st. We’ve been wanting to do more youth programming with our partners and we always do Juneteenth at Fort Green with The Layout.

AM: The French Open is coming up and you guys are actually going to be at Roland Garros, tell us more about that.

KS: We are working with a tennis travel company, and so this is a trip that opened up that people paid to go on. It sold out within 2 weeks. At first, we wanted to start small, so we had 10 spots, but we had to open it up, so we have 20 Black women and girls going to the French Open. May 23rd, through the 26, and this year is actually the 70th anniversary of Althea Gibson’s historic win at Roland Garros.

A lot of people going on the trip, they’ve never been. It’s a bucket list item. It’s our first trip and we’ll see how it goes. I’m thrilled, and I, I know, it’s going to be an amazing time, and I can’t wait to like be in community with everybody.

AM: So they’re going and they’re also having tickets to go to the French Open as well?

KS: Exactly! It’s gonna be epic, so that’s a pretty big deal.

AM: Well, are there other things that you haven’t talked about that you want to share?

KS: Something that I’m really passionate about is what we do on Martha’s Vineyard. This year will be our third year on The Vineyard. Oak Bluffs is this historic Black neighborhood on Martha’s Vineyard. We’ve been working on a short documentary project about Black tennis history, and it’s such an epic story and the story. Is it really documented in a significant way, and so it all started because my friends actually posted it in a Facebook group because we were looking for our house and people in the group saw BGTC, and they all started chiming in, like, “oh my God,” my mom used to play in the Mary Tucker Invitational. Oh wow, my dad was in Oak Bluffs.

Naturally, as a producer, my wheels are turning. I’m like, we need to capture this. I just started doing more research. Martha’s Vineyard is beautiful, being like the month of August is just amazing. You know, a lot of the Black sororities and fraternities, all HBCU’s have events. It’s just a sight to see. Obviously, Ralph Lauren did their Oak Bluffs collection, and so there’s been a lot of attention drawn to this historic island.

My first time going was just a couple of years before we went as an organization. It’s such a fun trip and so we do activations we do about 3 events. This year, I think we’re doing 3 or 4 events now and I hope that we’re gonna be finishing our documentary this year, and my plan is to enter it into the film festival that happens on the vineyard. So, we’re planting roots there. This year, we’re actually working with a group in Boston to bring a group of girls down, for a day trip, and so that’s something that there’s certain things that I know will do every single year U.S Open, of course. Martha’s Vineyard, Citi Open is a big one for us that I mentioned in DC. We’re also doing Ghana which I hinted towards earlier this will be in November and we will take Taylor Townsend, who’s one of our honorary board members. There’s a new tennis club called the Accra Backyard Club. That amazing architecture was built by our artists, who has this incredible tennis story that is just so inspiring, so we all want to see it. And as you know, my ties to the continent, I’ve been trying to find a reason to get us out there.

We’ve partnered with other orgs out there. They just had a woman’s tennis tournament that we’re gonna be covering. We’re going global, and I see us as a global organization.

Martha’s Vineyard, I’m really passionate about and want to tell those stories and I don’t want them to get lost. It’s really cool because one of the tournaments that went away the Oak Bluffs Tennis Club and Tournament, my now friend Gatsby Karam is bringing that tournament back this year.

AM: Wow!

KS: It hasn’t happened in over 10 years. He got permission from the family to bring it back and the first person, they told him to contact was me. So you know, we’re in cahoots together to be in support of each other, so I’ll be covering that. And to me, that’s the perfect ending to the documentary.

IG @blackgirlstennisclub

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Kimberly Selden

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see TENNIS FOR ALL | Black Girls Tennis Club + Kimberly Selden in mag.

CHECK YOUR HEALTH | JOSHUA JACKSON

Joshua Jackson has been on a radar since we fist saw him on The Mighty Ducks and of course, when Dawson’s Creek came out, we knew he would be an actor that we would want to see in various series, films, etc. Whether we see him in The Affair, the reeboot of Fatal Attraction, and Karate Kid: Legends. We wanted to talk with him about his love for hockey, why he partnered with AstraZeneca for their intitiative to bring cancer awareness with the NHL, and upcoming projects that he is working on and where we can see him on screen.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve been fans of yours since Mighty Ducks. In thinking about hockey, our current cover is Jack Hughes, which we’re super excited about! People are loving Heated Rivalry, and everyone’s talking about the Olympics and the Golden Goal. What do you love about this game as we know you’re a hockey fan as well!

JOSHUA JACKSON: I mean, I’m a Canadian, so it’s a sort of in our DNA. We’re raised with it. The whole culture of Canada is steeped in the game. I’ve loved it since I was a little kid. I love the sort of balletic violence of it. I love the grace that these men find on the ice. Somebody’s trying to take your head off, it is incredibly fast-paced. It is incredibly athletic and in a way that maybe, European soccer fans get and American hockey fans get in this moment - the passion for hockey is the joy of hockey. So, like when it gets to playoff time when it gets to Olympic time and the whole nation, just like stops what it’s doing. It’s so much fun to be a fan.

AM: You’ve partnered with AstraZeneca for their Get Body Checked Against Cancer, which is a part of their Hockey Fights Cancer Initiative. What do you like being about being a part of this campaign? Why did you want to join it? And can you tell us a bit about it?

JJ: Well, first, there’s the hockey connection, right? This is a campaign that AstraZeneca has already been a part of before I was able to join them. I find myself at this age now, where my family has been touched by cancer, colleagues of mine - their families have been touched by cancer. I was shocked to find out that 65% of men and I think in general, in my cohort, have not actually been screened for cancers. I thought it was a great thing to be a part of. I also love what they’ve done with that getbodycheck.com website that you can not only find providers, not only find suggested testing, but also a list of questions to get you into the conversation with your doctor, which I think is really helpful, because I think it’s a hard and scary conversation to start. Nobody wants to talk about the Big C and no one wants to imagine that it could be part of their life. I think that it is just a great way to get that conversation started because we have come a long way and the earlier that you detect something, the better off your chances are.

AM: What does your involvement in the campaign look like in terms of what we’ll see from a consumer aspect?

JJ: I mean, from the consumer side, you’ll see me and Gritty in a TV ad. You’ll see just a variety of different outreach of things that we’ll be doing here over the course of the next couple months just to spread awareness about the specific website and the people involved, but just generally to spread awareness right? To hope to inspire people like myself as I, you know, you get a little bit older –

AM: Right!

JJ: You get a little older and you’re like, “no I’m this kid!” And then you’re like, wait, they’re talking about me!

AM: Yeah when you start talking with people about things to look out for when you’re in older ages, but you don’t see yourself that way – it reminds you that you are getting older and they are talking about you!

JJ: Right, and so we all have that. I think most people feel that way. Like our brains don’t keep up with our body after a certain point. So for important things like this right for women’s health things for men’s health things for cancer screenings, it is just important to not be embarrassed to be in this conversation and to be proactive in the places that you can be and specifically for cancer with the screening that is available to us. Now you can, you can find things way earlier than in our parents’ generation. So, this is all just outreach to say, just be in the conversation. Hopefully, it’s nothing, but it’s better to know, than to not know.

AM: Our college nights were filled with watching Dawson’s Creek, because that’s when it, aired originally. We’d be running back from the Psych Department back to our dorms trying to get in and you could hear the episodes throughout the halls. We’ve enjoyed you in The Affair, Dr Death, Dr Odyssey, and more. What is it that you love about acting?

JJ: I love the opportunity to be in a scene with somebody and to be surprised. It’s a wonderful silly thing to do with your life. I bumped in today to like two actors that I absolutely love and was really kind of star struck in a way.

You said that you were a Psych Major or that you just took a Psych class?

AM: We just took a psych course as one of our majors was Sociology and that professor knew that his class was right before Dawson’s Creek and he would stretch it out as long as possible and you could hear it and since I would watch it on VHS – I didn’t want spoilers!

JJ: Back in the good old days!

There is a psychology and maybe even a sociology component, but there is something fun for me to be able to pretend. To use pretending in order to be somebody else to try to examine what it means to be a human being. When you’re in a scene with another person or a bunch of other people, to see another person’s interpretation and be genuinely surprised - I don’t know you, you just kind of lose yourself in those interactions. That’s what really keeps me coming back. I have been doing this a long time!

AM: You have had such a longevity. When we see your name attached to it, regardless of the subject or genre, we know it’s going to be good because you really do in many ways transform where you forget what we may have liked about you, like in The Affair versus how you present in Dr Odyssey.

JJ: Oh come on, you’re going to make me blush!

AM: You do have two projects coming up, Happy Hours, and How to Survive Without Me. Tell us about them.

JJ: Well, they weirdly share a connection with Dawson’s Creek, so Happy Hours is with Katie Holmes (Ray Donovan, Poker Face, The Wanderers). She produced it, she wrote it, she directed it, and she stars in it. She wrote this story for the two of us to be able to tell a love story after all these years, having not worked together since we were kids on Dawson’s Creek. We got to do that last Summer, and I was a little - I think we both were a little bit nervous after all these years to, like, see if that thing was still there. But that thing is still there, and it was so nice. I’m so thankful to her as my friend, and in that - my boss, right, for her to have created the space for us to do that. I hope the movie comes out well, and I hope everybody enjoys it. But more than anything, it was such a joy to get to do that, and also to be, you know, to, to be impressed and supportive of my friend. You know, we’re not just doing the scenes together, directing, producing, and she’s writing. She’s just a wonderful, powerful woman.

How to Survive Without Me – well not oddly, is written by one of the Executive Producers of Dawson’s Creek. So, Greg Berlanti (The Flash, Arrow, YOU), way back in the day, one of his first jobs was on Dawson’s Creek before he went on to become that I think is the single most prolific producer in the history of television, so he’s done all right for himself. This just came back around that he has the show and it shoots in LA, which is very important for me right now, so I could be with my daughters and take them to school. It’s a beautiful, sad story about family - adult family, right? That story starts six months after the matriarch of the family has passed away and it’s her trying to sort of reach from beyond the grave to make sure that her family stays bound together. She’s not sure that they have the ability to do it without her!

AM: Can you share 3 workouts or modalities that you like to do?

JJ: It depends. The most consistent piece of my life, is boxing. As I’ve gotten older, I started doing Pilates, which has been amazing because as it turns out, I’m like, stiff, as shit, and not very flexible. It just doesn’t work for you as you get older! Then it’s really character dependent, right? The difference between say doing something like Dr Death, where I had to go from being very underweight to play the younger version of that character and the to progressively put on weight and to wear a prosthetic by the end of that show – to something like, say, Fatal Attraction, where you’re dealing with a man who’s kind of a little bit past it, and dealing with the end of his masculinity – a little paunchy or a little softer. It just really depends!

IG @vancityjackson

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Matrie Lombardo

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see CHECK YOUR HEALTH | Joshua Jackson in mag.

YOUTH ON POINTE | YAGP GALA

On April 16th the Youth America Grand Prix will have its World’s Largest Ballet Scholarship Competition for their 2026 Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow Gala which is hosted by Misty Copeland. Rebecca Hessel Cohen, Founder and Creative Director of LoveShackFancy, as well as Melanie Hamrick, choreographer, author and ballerina will be honored at David H. Koch Theater in NYC. The event’s Gala Creative Chair is Marcella Guarino Hymowitz. There will be performances by Christine Shevchenko and Calvin Royal III of the American Ballet Theatre, Polina Semionova of the Berlin State Ballet, Roman Mejia of New York City Ballet, Reece Clarke of The Royal Ballet, and Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijashenko of La Scala Ballet.

In addition to seeing phenomenal performances and enjoying a dinner at the gala, The Pointe Project shoes will be available for all to bid on via Givebutter.com starting on April 16th - April 23rd at 12pm ET.

You can still purchase tickets to YAGP Gala. We had the chance to talk to a few people ahead of this event. We had the pleasure of interviewing Misty Copeland a few years ago for our OCT ISSUE #94 and as this year’s host, we wanted to catch up with her on what she has been up to, why YAGP is important to her, and upcoming projects she is involved in.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We had the pleasure of interviewing you a few years ago and it’s great that we connected with you again! What do you love about ballet?

MISTY COPELAND: I love that ballet is a language beyond words. It’s discipline, imagination, and storytelling through the body. It gave me purpose and a way to connect with people across cultures and generations.

AM: What did it mean to you to be a Prima Ballerina for the ABT?

MC: It was deeply meaningful both personally and historically. It meant honoring the path that came before me while helping expand what audiences believe is possible in ballet.

AM: You retired from the ABT, and we know you just performed at the Oscars with Sinners, what are the kinds of projects that you will be taking on that we can keep an eye out for?

MC: I have a new middle-grade novel, Firebird Waltz, coming soon, along with future performances and creative projects across stage, film, and producing. I’m also continuing to grow the work of my foundation.

AM: You are hosting the YAGP Gala. Why did you want to be involved in this year’s event and what are you looking forward to?

MC: YAGP plays such an important role in nurturing young dancers. I wanted to support and celebrate the next generation of artists.

AM: Why is the Youth America Grand Prix important for dancers?

MC: YAGP creates access to training, mentorship, scholarships, and global visibility. For many dancers, it’s a life-changing opportunity.

IG @mistyonpointe

We wanted to know more about the importance of YAGP and sat down with Marcella Guarino Hymowitz, who is the YAGP Gala Creative Chair.

AM: Before we delve into YAGP and the upcoming gala, can you tell me a bit about your background?

MARCELLA GUARINO HYMOWITZ: I’ve been dancing for as long as I can remember—I started at three, was assisting classes by twelve, and performing professionally as a teenager. Dance was my first language. It taught me discipline, expression, and how to connect with an audience without saying a word.

Over time, my path evolved beyond performing into choreography, creative direction, and experience design. Today, I run The Pearl in New York City, a dance and wellness studio built around confidence, community, and self-expression, and I also create immersive entertainment for events through Studio MGH.

Everything I do still stems from that same foundation—using movement and storytelling to make people feel something.

AM: When did you first fall in love with dance and why do you love it?

MGH: I fell in love with dance very young, but I think I understood WHY I loved it as I got older. It’s one of the only art forms where your body becomes the medium.

Dance gives you a way to process emotion, to tell stories, and to transform—not just how others see you, but how you see yourself. It builds confidence in a very real, physical way.

There’s also something magical about the shared experience of it. Whether you’re on stage or in a class, you’re connecting with the people around you. That energy is addictive.

AM: Why is YAGP so important for those that are in the ballet community?

MGH: YAGP is incredibly important because it creates access and opportunity in a way that is truly life-changing for young dancers.

For many students, traveling around the world to audition for top schools and companies simply isn’t financially possible. What YAGP does is bring those opportunities to them. With regional competitions in many countries, dancers are able to be seen by panels of judges representing some of the most prestigious institutions in the world—Stuttgart Ballet, Princess Grace Academy, The Royal Ballet School, Paris Opera Ballet School, John Cranko School, La Scala, ABT, Miami City Ballet, and many more of the top companies across the United States.

It’s not just exposure—it’s a direct pathway. Through the support of donors, YAGP is able to help bring students to these competitions and award scholarships that can completely change the trajectory of a dancer’s life.

Beyond that, it creates a global community. Young dancers from different backgrounds, countries, and training styles come together, learn from one another, and feel part of something much bigger than themselves.

YAGP isn’t just shaping careers - it’s shaping the future of ballet.

AM: You are serving as the gala’s Creative Chair this year for the 2026 Stars of Today Meets the Stars of Tomorrow Gala. What does this role involve?

MGH: As Creative Chair, my role is to shape the overall experience of the evening - how it feels, how it flows, and how the audience connects to what they’re seeing.

That includes working closely with YAGP’s founder, Larissa Saveliev, on performance curation, pacing, transitions, and the emotional arc of the night. I’m thinking about everything from the energy in the room to how each moment builds on to the next.

And beyond that, my goal is to help make the night one of the most exciting ballet programs in New York this season - to bring in new audiences and create more fans of the art form by exposing them to different interpretations of ballet, and showing how expansive and relevant it can be today.

The party after the performance is also exciting and fun because we will have all of the performers with us. It gives guests a chance to meet the performers and understand how Youth America Grand Prix helped to make their dreams come true.

AM: What are you looking forward to for this year’s performance as well as the gala?

MGH: I’m most looking forward to that moment when everything comes together - the dancers, the music, the audience - and you can feel the energy shift in the room.

This gala is such a beautiful intersection of emerging talent and established artists, and there’s something really powerful about witnessing that exchange in real time.

I’m also especially excited to debut the pointe shoes that will be auctioned off for The Pointe Project. They’ll be on display for the first time at the gala, with designs from Carolina Herrera, Michael Kors, Alice + Olivia, Monse, and more. It’s such a unique fusion of fashion and ballet, and a really special way to celebrate creativity across disciplines. These pointe shoes will be available for all to bid on via Givebutter.com starting April 16 and closing one week later at 12pm EST on April 23rd.

AM: Are there any upcoming projects that we should keep an eye out for from you?

MGH: We have a lot of exciting things happening at The Pearl right now. We’re continuing to expand our collaborations and host pop-up wellness and fitness events for adults that feel both elevated and community-driven.

We’re also really focused on building meaningful programming for teens - from workout classes to “teen talks” featuring inspiring voices speaking on topics that matter to them. Creating a space where they feel strong, seen, and supported is incredibly important to me.

And starting this fall, we’ll be launching both a competitive cheer team and a dance team, led by top-tier instructors. It’s a natural extension of what The Pearl stands for - confidence, discipline, and community - just taken to the next level.

IG @marcellahymo

We wanted to talk with performers who will be part of YAGP Gala and caught up with ABT’s Christine Shevchenko and Calvin Royal III.

AM: When did you first fall in love with ballet?

CHRISTINE SHEVCHENKO: I vividly remember falling in love with ballet at the age of four. My mother took me backstage to see “The Sleeping Beauty.” A friend of hers was performing as a prima ballerina in Ukraine, and the show was quite lengthy - about three hours. I stood mesmerized in the wings, captivated by the music, costumes, lighting, and the enchanting story unfolding before me.

CALVIN ROYAL III: I came to ballet a bit later than most, at fourteen. At first, it was a curiosity more than anything, but I fell in love with the discipline, the music, and the feeling of discovering something I didn’t know I was capable of.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to be a ballerina and to do it as a career?

CS: I realized I wanted to be a professional ballerina when I was around eleven. That was when things started to click for me, and I began truly enjoying my dance journey. Ballet consumed my thoughts; even in school, my mind would wander to ballet classes and rehearsals.

CR III: When I started training seriously and saw how much growth was possible, I realized this could be more than just a hobby. Being introduced to opportunities like YAGP, summer intensives, and eventually a scholarship to the ABT School made it that much more real. That this could actually be a path forward.

AM: What does it mean to you to dance for ABT and is there a specific performance that you are excited about that you will do this Spring or Summer season?

CS: Dancing for ABT means the world to me. This has been my dream company ever since I admired legends like Baryshnikov and Makarova, as well as the extensive classical repertoire they offer. I’m particularly thrilled to perform “Don Quixote” again this season; it’s one of my beloved ballets. Additionally, I’m eagerly anticipating my role in “Onegin.”

CR III: Dancing with ABT has been one of the defining chapters of my life. It’s where I grew up, both as an artist and as a person from student to Principal dancer over the years. There’s a deep sense of responsibility in carrying forward the company’s legacy while also finding my own voice within it. This season, I’m looking forward to exploring roles that challenge me both technically and emotionally, and allow me to deepen my artistry. I’m constantly searching for ways to bring meaning and sincerity to the stage every time the curtain goes up.

AM: Why is YAGP so important to ballet?

CS: YAGP plays a crucial role in the ballet world because it offers life-changing opportunities for young dancers to be noticed by some of the most influential figures in the industry. It fosters resilience and confidence, provides invaluable stage experience, and creates lasting friendships.

CR III: YAGP creates access. It’s a platform that opened doors for myself and thousands of young dancers, for decades, who may not otherwise have a clear path into the professional world. I see it as a program that continues to shape the next generation by connecting talent with opportunity on a global scale.

AM: What are you looking forward to for this year’s 2026 Stars of Today Meets the Stars of Tomorrow Gala?

CS: I am excited to perform alongside world-class dancers who are also friends, and to inspire a new generation of dancers to chase their dreams.

CR III: There’s something really special about bringing together established artists and young dancers on the same stage. I’ll never forget being an aspiring dancer looking up to the pros. Returning this year feels full circle, and a reminder of the continuum of this art form. I’m looking forward to that exchange of energy and inspiration when the curtain rises at Lincoln Center next month.

IG @christineshevchenko

IG @calvinroyaliii

This year’s auctioned pointe shoe designs are those that we are excited about as mentioned by Marcella. Libby Klein is also contributing a design at this year’s Gala. We wanted to know more about her aesthetic and why she wanted to participate.

AM: How would you describe your work’s aesthetic?

LIBBY KLEIN: My work is rooted in beauty, but not surface-level beauty. It is layered, intentional, and deeply symbolic.

I am a mother of six, and that shapes everything I create. Every day I am balancing two worlds, art and home. Being a mother is not something separate from my work. It is part of it.

I lost my father at a young age, and that gave me a different relationship with life early on. I learned to notice what is fragile, what is meaningful, and what truly lasts. I also come from a family built on tradition and entrepreneurship, the Reichmans, where creating and building something lasting was always part of our foundation.

Alongside that, I was deeply influenced by my great-grandmother. She carried a quiet strength and an understanding that being a woman is not only about what you give to others, but also what you create from within yourself. That stayed with me.

So I built a life where both could exist. I am raising a family, and I am also an artist. I never saw those as separate roles.

My work reflects that balance. It holds beauty and responsibility, softness and strength, tradition and growth. It is not about escaping life, it is about taking everything life gives you and turning it into something meaningful.

I am drawn to blending old and new, preserving tradition while allowing it to evolve. You will see that in my work through delicate, timeless compositions, florals, birds, and natural elements, each one placed with intention.

So the aesthetic is beauty, but beauty with depth, with story, and with purpose.

AM: Where do you look for inspiration when it comes to creating new pieces?

LK: I look at my life.

My children, my home, and the way I choose to see the world, even when it is not simple, especially when it is not simple.

I have always believed that you can either focus on what is broken, or you can choose to find the beauty within it. That choice is where my work comes from.

I create from that perspective. I want to bring into the world the beauty that I see. I want people to feel something when they look at my work, to see light, to see hope, to see something good.

A lot of that is rooted in the power of women. In motherhood, in creation, in the quiet strength that women carry every single day. There is something incredibly powerful about being a woman, about holding so much, building so much, and still choosing softness. That balance inspires me constantly.

If someone can walk away from a piece and feel even a little more grounded, a little more inspired, or simply reminded that there is still beauty in the world, then I have done what I set out to do.

At the end of the day, it is about making the world feel a little brighter, a little softer, and a little more whole.

AM: Why did you want to be involved in the 2026 Stars of Today Meets the Stars of Tomorrow Gala?

LK: As a mother of six, this felt deeply personal to me.

I understand how important it is to nurture talent and to give children a space to grow, to express themselves, and to believe in what they are capable of. Life is not always easy, but when a child is given the opportunity to create, to move, and to be seen, it can shape everything.

This gala represents that. It is not just about performance, it is about possibility.

Being part of something that uplifts the next generation, that gives young dancers a platform and a sense of belief in themselves, is incredibly meaningful to me.

It aligns with everything I value, family, growth, resilience, and the ability to create something beautiful even through challenge.

AM: Tell us about the pointe shoes that you designed that will be auctioned off on this night?

LK: I chose to center the design around the poppy flower because its symbolism really spoke to me. There is something about the poppy. It represents hope, renewal, and resilience how something can grow and bloom even after difficulty. The more I thought about it, the more it felt so connected to ballet.

I also felt a personal connection to it. I grew up in Israel, and this kind of flower is deeply tied to the land. It carries a quiet message of strength, of healing, and of the idea that even in places that have seen so much, beauty can still grow.

What you see on stage is beautiful, but what it takes to get there is not easy. It is repetition, pressure, setbacks, and still choosing to get back up and keep going. That is the poppy to me.

The red carries that strength. It is soft, but it is not weak. That duality feels very feminine to me, the idea that softness and strength exist together.

I added a young bambi into the design because it felt like these dancers, at the beginning of something, still growing, still stepping into who they are becoming.

The butterflies bring a sense of transformation, that everything is constantly unfolding.

And the bees are something very personal to me. There is this idea that a bee should not be able to fly, but because it does not know its limitations, it does anyway. That reflects how I see life as a mother and as an artist, and it is something I see in these dancers as well.

So the shoes are not just decorative. They are a reflection of that whole journey, of becoming, of pushing through, and of finding beauty in it all, and a quiet hope for more unity, peace, and beauty in the world.

AM: Are there any upcoming projects or things we should keep an eye out for?

LK: Lately, I’ve been working on a collection that feels very close to me, the Glow Collection. It really comes from the idea that light doesn’t always come easily, sometimes it’s something you find after moving through darker moments. That kind of beauty, the kind that is built, not given, is something I’ve come to appreciate more over time.

I’ve also been involved in different fundraising efforts and creating pieces that support women, including work around breast cancer awareness. That part of what I do is very important to me, making sure the art gives back and reaches beyond itself.

IG @libbykleinart

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | YAGP

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see YOUTH ON POINTE | YAGP Gala in mag.

THE ART OF THE SNACK | BERIMBAU BRAZILIAN TABLE

During NYFW FW26, we kicked off the season by having dinner at Berimbau Brazilian Table in Midtown. Although we were there during the Winter, it is such a vibe to be in a spot where it feels like endless Summer, has great vibes, and an incredible menu that showcases Brazilian cuisine that is vibrant along with cocktails that will keep you coming back. We sat down with owner Mario De Matos to find out about this restaurant, its sister location in the West Village, and to know what we should order on our next visit!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Mario, we had an incredible meal during NYFW at Berimbau Brazilian Table in Midtown. Before we delve into the restaurant, can you tell us a bit about your background, how you came to the restaurant industry and why after launching the original location in the West Village that you wanted to open a second location?

MARIO DE MATOS: My connection to hospitality started very early in my life. My father owned a small bakery and grocery shop in Brazil, and as a kid I often helped him there. During school vacations we would leave the house at five in the morning, which felt brutal at the time, but it placed me right in the middle of customer service from a very young age. My father liked to keep me at the counter interacting with customers. Because I was young, people were naturally warm and patient with me, and I ended up building many relationships with the regulars who came into the shop. Looking back, that early exposure to hospitality shaped the way I understand service and human connection today.

In 2000, while studying law in Brazil, I came to New York to visit my sister and study English for what was supposed to be six months. Instead, I fell in love with the city and found my way back into restaurants, working in pizzerias and neighborhood spots across the city. I was very curious about the industry and eager to learn, and along the way I was fortunate to meet mentors who helped guide me.

After nearly a decade of working in restaurants, I began to seriously dream about opening a place of my own. In 2009 I had the opportunity to open Berimbau with a partner, and that was the beginning of my journey as a restaurateur. Opening the second location years later felt like a natural evolution. The original West Village restaurant has a very special history, and the Midtown location allowed us to introduce Brazilian culture to a new audience while continuing to refine what Berimbau represents today.

AM: Can you tell us about Executive Chef Victor Vasconcelos - his background in terms of where he trained, kitchens he worked in, and how he came to Berimbau Brazilian Table?

MDM: Chef Victor is from São Paulo, Brazil. He began his career in 2001 under the mentorship of renowned Chef Laurent Suaudeau at Chef Suaudeau Escola da Arte Culinária, Brazil’s first culinary arts school. He later coached Brazil’s top candidates for the Bocuse d’Or competition, leading his team to first place in Latin America and 15th place globally in 2017. After moving to California, Chef Victor earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand for his former restaurant, Caboco, which he opened with restaurateur Bill Chait. At Berimbau Brazilian Table, he brings his expertise home, crafting a menu that elevates traditional Brazilian cuisine through refined technique and a contemporary lens. When the 36th St location opened, he began as a consulting chef and quickly became our Executive Chef.

AM: What is the meaning behind the name Berimbau Brazilian Table?

MDM: The Berimbau is a traditional Brazilian instrument used in capoeira, the Brazilian martial art. For us, it represents the rhythm, spirit, and culture of Brazil. The idea behind Berimbau Brazilian Table is to create a place where guests feel transported and welcomed into a space the celebrates the many layers of our home.

AM: What are the flavors, spices, and ingredients that are indicative of Brazilian cuisine?

MDM: Our cuisine is very diverse, but there are a few ingredients that really define it. Yuca is a staple that can be transformed into many things (farofa, flour, dessert). And cajá and tapioca as well.

AM: For those coming to the Midtown location, what can you tell us about the vibe, ambiance, and the interiors?

MDM: The Midtown location has the same welcoming spirit as the West Village, but with a bit more flair. Our furnishings all draw inspiration from the organic elements of Brazil, and the art features a diverse group of artists from different regions. We wanted the space to reflect the richness of everything Brazil has to offer. We try to curate an inviting, lively, and easy going atmosphere.

AM: Are there differences between the Midtown and the West Village location?

MDM: The West Village location is more intimate, and Midtown is larger, more of a culinary and cultural hub for Brazil in the heart of the city. It’s designed to accommodate group dining, business lunches, and more elevated experiences while still carrying the same Brazilian spirit.

AM: For 36th St, what are 3 items For the Table that you would suggest that we have in mind for Lunch?

MDM: I would recommend the Dadinho, Pastel, and Coxinha.

AM: What are 3 mains that we should have in mind for Lunch?

MDM: Picanha Burger, Galinhada, Milanesa.

AM: Tell us about the Executive Lunch.

MDM: Because we are located in Midtown, we’re surrounded by offices and hotels, so we wanted to create something perfect for business meetings or quick lunches with colleagues. Our Executive Lunch is a two-course prix fixe menu featuring starters like Pão de Queijo or Broccolini, followed by mains such as Steak Salad or a Feijoada Plate. Guests can also add desserts like Sorbet or Pudim de Limão.

AM: What are 3 desserts that you suggest that we should think about to end our meal?

MDM: The Bolo de Mandioca is one of our classics, while Brigadeiro is a true Brazilian delicacy. Also the Mousse de Maracujá.

AM: For Dinner, what are 3 For the Table options that we should have in mind when coming in with friends and family?

MDM: Camarão na Cahcaca, Ceviche, and Mandioca da Casa.

AM: What are 3 Mains for Dinner that you suggest?

MDM: Strogonoff, Moqueca, and Red Snapper.

AM: Tell us about the Picanha Feast as we saw people ordering this and it seems very popular!

MDM: The Picanha Feast serves about three people, and features the top sirloin cap, a beloved cut of Brazil. It’s grilled under open flames until tender and then served table side, where Chef Victor slices it then lays it over farofa. Served with a side of a baby gem salad, broccolini rice, and hand cut fries, it makes for a delicious experience.

AM: We also noticed that you have vegan options in the menu as well. Can you tell us about these dishes?

MDM: We always want everyone to feel included at the table, so we made sure to feature vegan options. Brazilian cuisine lends itself well to plant-based cooking because many of our ingredients are vegetable-forward. For the Moqueca Vegana, it features a tucupi and coconut milk base with plantain and okra plantain, while our Feijoada Vegana replaces pork with tofu and market vegetables but keeps all the traditional flavors.

AM: Tell us about the Brazilian Social Hour and what would cocktail and 2 dishes from this menu be that we should enjoy?

MDM: Brazilian Social Hour is from Mon-Fri from 4 pm – 7 pm. It’s a time for guests to unwind and enjoy our stadium seating and Caipirinha Bar. One of my favorite pairings is the Negroni made with Amazzoni Gin from Brazil, great with Beet Tartare and our Pão de Queijo with pulled pork and bacon.

IG @berimbau_nyc

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Serafina Marketing

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see THE ART OF THE SNACK | Berimbau Brazilian Table in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | NEW YORK PILATES

New York Pilates opened in 2013, at a time when Pilates was basically locked behind private sessions. With locations in various neighborhoods in NYC as well as in a number locations in the Hamptons, it is a destination that many people talk about when they are hitting the studio!

Former ballerina and Celebrity Pilates Instructor Heather Andersen created a class-based format that made it easier to book, easier to show up, and easier to stick with, while still staying completely true to the method. It made Pilates feel more athletic, more part of your lifestyle, without losing what makes it work.

Her husband Brion Isaacs comes from the nightlife scene and designed the studios to be spaces people want to be! They are open, airy, clean, and honest, each one reflecting the raw, individual nature of their history and neighborhood. Always timeless and never trendy - like New York. Each location has its own personality. You might find yourself in Bob Dylan’s old rehearsal studio at their West Village location or in a loftlike apartment setting at their Bowery location. Montauk is so beachy and relaxed with it’s water views, while Bridgehampton is elevated and chic. What ties them all together is their signature pink lighting.

When attending a session, NYP uses traditional Pilates reformers. They give you range, control, and so much room to actually move with intention. It’s giving you resistance and support at the same time, so you can make something feel insanely hard without ever losing precision. And that precision is where the results actually come from.

For those taking their first class, start with your breath. That’s the foundation of Pilates and what keeps you connected to everything you’re doing. Stay with the baseline version of each exercise. Don’t rush to level up. It’s not about doing the hardest option, it’s about doing it right. Understanding the movement and dialing in your alignment is what actually changes your body.

And don’t worry about being perfect. No one is. The goal is to feel the work, not just get through it. It clicks over time, and when it does, it’s kind of addictive.

We offer one signature total body class, Abs Arms Ass, and it’s very intentional. Pilates was always meant to be a full-body system, not split up like a gym workout. It’s one body, one flow.

They have some big Hamptons events planned that feel more like full experiences than just classes. They’re fun, social, and a little elevated.

In the city, they keep things smaller, more spontaneous pop-ups, little moments, things you have to be in the mix to know about.

NEW YORK PILATES

17 W 17 th St Ground Floor

NY, NY 10011

Check the website for additional locations in NYC and the Hamptons.

newyorkpilates.com

IG @newyorkpilates

PHOTO CREDITS | New York Pilates

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | New York Pilates in mag.

MARATHON PREP | BECS GENTRY

This year’s is the 130th Boston Marathon which takes place on Apri 20th. so marathon season is in full swing! Peloton instructor Becs Gentry is in the final stretch of preparing for this marathon. We wanted to talk about her passion for fitness, training for this race, and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into the Boston Marathon that is coming up, I’d like to know about your background as we know you’re a Peloton instructor and avid runner!

BECS GENTRY: I used to work in PR. I now work in fitness. I got disenchanted by PR and I discovered that I had a very strong love and passion for fitness. I trained hard and became a fitness instructor. Essentially over the past, gosh, just over 10 years my career has been fully in fitness. Before that, it was about a good mixture of the two.

AM: We have a number of our readers and community that enjoy running marathons and travel all over the world as well as race here in NY at the NY Marathon! What is it about running that you enjoy and why do you enjoy participating in marathons?

BG: I love running because it frees me. It allows me to organize my brain. It gives me freedom. It gives me a great endorphin high and I absolutely enjoy the actual motion of doing it. It’s also a really good community spirit. It’s great to meet people and it is an awesome way to keep feeling really healthy in your body too. I don’t actually really enjoy participating in marathons that much, as I know there’s a lot of people who enjoy them a lot more than I do. I find them to be very high stress environments, especially big races. I enjoy them once I’m going, but I think the lead up to it I find very, very stressful.

AM: Because we have friends who are training for marathons, we hear about their training runs and are always amazed that they can balance work, a family life, and training - what are some tips you have on achieving that?

BG: Okay, balance doesn’t exist. Balancing work, family, training life, it doesn’t exist at all. You have to understand that when you’re going into an 18-week training plan ahead of a 26.2-mile race, that some things are going to skew towards being more focused and other things are going to skew towards having much less energy put towards them. As long as you’re okay with that, then that’s cool. You just have to make sure you’re doing the best you can in every single one of those elements. The most important thing is to enjoy it all.

AM: What kind of mindset should we have as we have a number of commitments from friends, family, and work while navigating our long-term fitness goals!

BG: This is a big question a lot of people ask me and I think it is a lot about us not being full-grown adults and looking at our schedule and saying, is this the right time for me to be training for a marathon or do I have 101 commitments in my personal and professional lives that are going to impede my training and therefore make me feel miserable about the fact that I have not fully completed the training or I’ve had to skip days due to travel? So, we do need to start kind of growing up in that respect and looking at our schedules ahead and thinking this race is going to be here next year when I have potentially nothing on the cards. But this year when I have four weddings in four different countries, I have an exam, I have a potential job promotion, etc. Maybe it’s just not the right time for you. So put that into your mindset before you agree to training for a marathon. Because as I said, you want to set yourself up for success and happiness, right?

AM: Weather can be challenging especially with the snowstorms we have navigated here in NY as well as entering Spring (it climbed to 70 degrees) so we know allergy season is definitely popping up! How do we prepare for these elements while staying motivated?

BG: Weather can be really challenging! It is rough. Anyone knowing that they’re running a spring marathon is going to know that they are going to have to run through a winter. We’ve had a particularly awful winter here in New York. And trust me when I say I’ve done a lot of treadmill miles. When it flips the other way and we go from winter into spring and the trees blossom and we get all of the pollen coming out, it can really hamper people because they’re feeling those allergies come through. We’re feeling snotty, we’re feeling congested, we’re feeling itchy eyed, we can’t sleep at night because we’re trying to mouth breathe and when we’re out running, we’re feeling all those things and we’re also feeling really dehydrated because we’re also trying to breathe through our mouths while we’re running. So that’s why working with a brand like Xyzal has been amazing because it has helped me so much knowing that I can take this tablet before I go to bed and wake up feeling no repercussions of seasonal allergies and I can just get out there and do my run.

AM: You have partnered with Xyzal for the Boston Marathon. Why is allergy management something that is overlooked when it comes to race preparation?

BG: I do think allergies are something that are overlooked for marathon race prep. One in four runners is actually affected by seasonal allergies and so I don’t think the voice has been loud enough to understand that there are things that are useful for runners to use in order to keep their training really strong. But also race day, like race day is spring, so you definitely want to keep this in mind.

AM: How does training during allergy season need to be tweaked without sacrificing your performance?

BG: Marathon training during allergy season is huge because you just need to be aware of what and how you are affected by seasonal change. So for most people it will be when the trees start to bloom and there is a lot more pollen in the air. So from winter to spring people are going to really feel those allergies kicking in. You’re going to get those scratchy eyes, blocked up nose. You’re going to feel just a little bit off. So by taking a product like Xyzal the night before, it’s the first allergy medicine that you take at nighttime. This means that the night before your training, your long run or your race, you’re going to take this and you’re going to wake up feeling absolutely normal. You know, you’re not going to have all of those allergy symptoms. Also, there are many apps and obviously the weather forecast app that you can look at to double check. Say the middle of the week and you’re planning on doing a long run at the weekend, you can see the forecast, you can see if there’s going to be a high amount of pollen predicted to be in the air on the weekend or when you’re going to be doing your long run. So plan ahead, make sure you have your Xyzal by your bedside and ready to use should the allergies really be kicking off.

AM: What are the recovery aspects that should be done while you’re training so that you can stay on your training schedule?

BG: Everyone is different. There’s lots of recovery things that you may want to do that the other person may not do. I’m just going to give you a few suggestions that people can try to do. I love my Normatec recovery boots. They’re compression boots. They help provide blood flow stimulation. Therefore, you’re potentially going to have a lack of DOM, delayed onset muscle soreness, which is accumulated regularly. DOM is basically lactic acid accymulated when you work your muscles hard. So this just means that there’s a better potential for you to get up and get on with your workout without feeling sore the next day. Taking a magnesium salt, epsom salt bath after a workout is also a really, really lovely way to help the muscles relax and regenerate. Getting a massage. Most of these things are about flushing out the toxins that are generated when you stress your body out. So a massage is wonderful for that. Making sure that you’re eating well and rehydrating as part of your rest and recovery is also very, very, very important.

AM: When you are a month out or 2 weeks out from a marathon, what do you suggest should be done to get you ready for the big race?

BG: When you’re two weeks out from a marathon, that is when taper starts. Taper is a decrease in intensity of the workout routine that you have been doing throughout your training program. So you’re still going to probably be running around the same amount of days as you have been all the way through, but your intensity, i.e. how fast you run, how long you run for, will be very much different to the rest of the program. This enables your body to make the adaptations and progressions it needs in order to thrive on race day. That is one of the most important things that you do need to do is to taper and let yourself feel good ahead of the big race.

AM: The day of the marathon, what are things that you do to prepare yourself for the marathon?

BG: On the day of the marathon, there is a lot to prepare for. It’s a huge deal. I mean, you’ve been preparing for it for 18 weeks, more than likely. The night before, though, is the key to preparation, not the day of. So the night before, you want to get your whole race kit laid out. You want to make sure your bib is pinned onto your clothing. You want to make sure your gels, if you’re using them, or whatever fuel you’re using in the race, are securely in pockets or in a running belt. Like, I make sure everything is in my SPI belt. You want to make sure you know your route to the start line if you’re taking public transport, if you’re going to be getting an Uber, if you’re walking, etc. You want to also know a backup route just in case the chosen route that you are taking has anything affecting it. Make sure you know two ways to get to your starting point. You also need to know the starting times and the corral opening and closing times for your race. Both are very, very important. If you miss your closing time, it’s not like you’re not going to run. You will just have to go to the corral behind. On marathon day, that should mean that you’re basically just going to get up, get dressed, eat your breakfast and get out there. You want marathon day to be as smooth sailing as possible.

AM: Once the marathon is over are there post-training activities that you do to come down from all of that energy?

BG: Once the marathon is over, there is so much joy in that walk from receiving the medal to friends and family or to however you’re going to celebrate. A lot of people don’t really talk about the post-marathon blues, the post-race blues, because you’ve just put so much time and work into this training for such a long time. And then all of a sudden you have this void in your life. So be ready to feel a little bit kind of lost in a way when you look at your schedule and it’s not filled with miles. But also please make sure that you do give your body the grace period after running a marathon to recover. It doesn’t mean you have to stop running, but give yourself a time until you feel you want to go for a run and go for a nice, short, gentle, easy paced jog and work your way back to whatever level you want to be at.

AM: You have a lot going on from being a noted Peloton instructor, Global Brand Ambassador of HOKA, and cohost of Set the Pace Podcast for NYRR. Is there anything coming up that you want us to know about that we can keep an eye out for?

BG: Yes, a lot of things coming up. Nothing of which I’m going to be talking about right now though, but lots of races on the horizon, and lots of fun to be had…!

IG @becsgentry

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Becs Gentry

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see MARATHON PREP | Becs Gentry in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | CARLISLE BAY

We sat down with Spa Manager Michelle Plummer to talk about Carlisle Bay which opened in 2004 and is located on Antigua, specifically situated on the idyllic southern coast of the island. The Caribbean island is renowned for its crystal-clear turquoise waters, powdery white sand beaches, and lush tropical surroundings.

The resort features 87 ocean facing suites, each with a private balcony or terrace and many leading directly onto the beach, ensuring guests have convenient access to Antigua’s shores. Suites are divided into six categories. The Garden Suites are ideal for couples or small families seeking a tranquil option surrounded by tropical gardens. These offer partial ocean views and accommodate up to 3 people. Ocean Suites are best suited for couples or guests who prioritize scenic views. These are positioned on a quieter area of the beach and feature full, uninterrupted ocean views. The Beach Suites are available as Beach Balcony or Beach Terrace Suites. Both layouts feature two bedrooms and sleep up to 4 guests. Balcony Suites offer elevated views, while Terrace Suites provide direct beach access and outdoor lounging and dining space. The Bay Suites are our Adults Only option featuring oceanfront privacy with butler service, a private bar, and a secluded location near the jetty. Lastly, the Carlisle Suites are our largest accommodations. These 3-bedroom villas include spacious living and dining areas and accommodate up to 6 guests. Some are suited with kitchens, as well.

There are a range of amenities for relaxation, activity, and entertainment. Dining is available across 4 restaurants and 3 bars, ranging from a diverse array of cuisine types. The resort boasts a private white-sand beach with calm waters and non-motorized water sports such as kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, and snorkeling. There is a large free-form swimming pool, with both family-friendly and adult-only areas. For wellness, the CARA Organic Spa provides treatments, massages, and beauty services, alongside a modern gym and a yoga and Pilates pavilion with regular classes. Sports facilities include tennis and Pickleball courts, a water sports center, and guided activities like nature walks and fitness sessions. Additional features include an intimate private cinema showing kid-friendly films and classics with popcorn and cocktails, a library room with stocked bookshelves, and lounge areas for relaxation, a kids’ club for younger guests, boutique shopping, and event and wedding planning services for special occasions.

Carlisle Bay is location in Saint Mary Parish which is one of 6 parishes on Antigua, located on the island’s southwestern coast. It is quieter and more rural than other areas. The parish features scenic beaches with calm waters and white sand, inland hiking trails and lush rainforest areas, making it one of the greenest regions of the island.

CARLISLE BAY

Old Road

Antigua & Barbuda

carlisle-bay.com

IG @carlisle_bay_antigua

PHOTOS COURTESY | Carlisle Bay

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | Carlisle Bay in mag.

SIPS + BITES | CHEF CHRIS VALDES

We always love a good sip and a bite and there’s no one better to talk to about this than with a chef. We met Chef Chris Valdes during last year’s Food Network’s NYC Wine Food Festival and we have seen a number of his videos making incredible dishes that are full of flavor! We took some to ask him about how he got into the industry, his passion for food, and his martini and dish pairing that we should be putting into rotation as the days get longer and we settle into Spring.

ATHLEISURE MAG: It’s so great to connect with you. We actually briefly met you last year at Food Network’s Food Festival here in NYC. You had some amazing Tostones – so tasty and it was cool to see you doing your thing.

CHEF CHRIS VALDES: Oh nice! You were at Foodie Con!

AM: Yes! We could see the building but couldn’t remember the event! It’s always a good time covering the food festival and that was a huge series of days and although we have covered this festival over the years, we had never done Foodie Con before.

What dish made you fall in love with food?

CHEF CV: I think that the first dish that made me fall in love with food was my mom’s Boliche! It’s a Latin style roast that is stuffed with chorizo and then you have to sear it and then you have to cook it for 4 hours, then you have to let it cool, slice it up, then you have to make the sauce for it which is peas and carrots and tomato sauce and red wine – then you have to cook it again!

So, if someone is making this for you in Latin culture, that means that they love you! This means that they think that you deserve the very best! My mom would make this for us for every birthday, every celebration, and I was always fascinated with how much work it takes, but it is so rewarding. She would serve it with rice and fried Hawaiian plantains and this little salad. When I think of childhood, when I think of falling in love within cooking, comfort, and love – that’s where my mind takes me right there.

AM: That sounds amazing and we have not had lunch yet, we want someone to make that for us!

When did you realize that you wanted to be a chef?

CHEF CV: At the age of 10, we lost everything. We lost our restaurant. My dad went away for 19 years and it was just all over the place. My mom and I moved into a small apartment building and I remember that we found out what satellite TV was and we got that and I was flipping through the channels and what seemed like a million of them, I stopped on one channel to see this guy go, “Bam!” I started having a vision of myself cooking, of myself clapping, feeding people, being with other people and cooking for them as well as seeing them happy. I didn’t know how to describe all of the things that I was seeing in my head. A few days later, I kept watching the same show which was Emeril Live and that took me to create my first dish which was Arroz con Pollo. Long story short, my mom and I sat down and ate my dish as we were watching Emeril.

AM: What inspires you in terms of the dishes that you create? Where are you pulling from and where do you get that inspiration from?

CHEF CV: I think that it just runs in my blood. I was born into a family who owned restaurants and food has always been part of my culture, my story, and my upbringing. Growing up next to my mom, she was always cooking so I would ask her why she added in things, why it smelled that way, and if I could help her. Mom took the time to always answer my questions, to help me, to let me cook with her, and to let me taste. She would let me see the ins and outs of running a family owned restaurant and how the clients would be so happy. They were always excited and asking for certain dishes to be made for the next day and to see that love and interaction was so important to me! It comes from that and I am Latino so it just is in our blood. I’m so grateful to be one of the fortunate ones that it runs in me.

AM: You recently partnered with Tanqueray and there is nothing like a good martini to pair with your favorite dish! With National Cocktail Day coming up, what is your favorite martini and what do you pair it with?

CHEF CV: Tanqueray has a martini for every occasion and whether it is a classic one like a Dirty Martini or something more trend forward like a Dirty Spring Gibson which is a take on the classic Gibson, it’s the perfect transition into warmer weather. I just love an Old Fashioned Martini. I don’t think that you need to mess around with it too much like a good gin such as the Tanqueray London Gin. A bit of that olive juice and a squeeze of lime and of course, the olive. You need the olives!

AM: Of course!

What dish would you pair with that?

CHEF CV: So, the dish that I would have with that is the one I did in collaboration with the South Beach Food and Wine Festival which is the Salchipapas con Salsa Rosada. For the Salchipapas, you’re going to fry the French fries and you’re going to grab some beef links and you’re going to cut them up and you will fry it in the same oil as the French Fries. So when the French Fries are cooked, they are going to absorb the beef link flavor – so you’re already starting on a good note. You’re going to bring them out of the fryer and you’re going to season them with a little salt and black pepper and you’re going to load it up with some Salchipapas Sauce which is the Salsa Rosada which is ketchup, mayo, pickle juice in there and you just mix it up and your pour it over the warm crisp French Fries. My doctor always asks me if I am eating my greens so I ad a little scallion just for color.

AM: Wow! That sounds amazing.

It’s been 5 years since One With the Kitchen came out. How has that been for you and can we expect another cookbook from you?

CHEF CV: I’m going to be celebrating shortly with a few national appearances and to do something with the book. It has been a love story to my culture and my heritage. I call it the book that just keeps on giving. The more I link to it and reference to it, the more I realize how much love I put into it. We were going through COVID and that was at a time where half the time I was donating 50,000 meals to people here in Miami and the other time I was doing the book. When I was doing the book, I was so focused and I was choosing the recipes, tapping into my childhood memories and I was going back and forth. It has been so special to me celebrate 5 years since this book dropped and I can’t believe that 5 years has already passed. We’re going to be celebrating in a nice and special way.

I’m also celebrating which is going to sound so weird as it has taken me 9 years. I have 100,000 subscribers on my YouTube channel and when I looked at how many I have uploaded, it has been well over 200 so it’s not a surprise. I had fallen asleep on it and it wasn’t until YouTube emailed me and said to claim my silver plaque award.

IG @chefchrisvaldes

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Tanqueray

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see SIPS + BITES | Chef Chris Valdes in mag.

BINGELY BOOKS

NO MATTER WHAT

Dial Press Trade Paperback

Cara Bastone

In No Matter What, we meet a couple who has navigated trauma and is looking to find their way back to one another. As Roz and Vin try to find their way back, they have complications as her husband moves out and extends his lease. She decides to sign up for a figure class and to increase her artistic side. While her husband figures things out, she also spends time with her best friend, Raffi who is also her brother-in-law! Of course she has feelings for him as well.

As they work through their separation, she finds that the opportunity to have her estranged

husband as a figure model may be a way for them to see one another and to come back together again!

THURSDAY NIGHT TIKI LOUNGE: 52 DRINKS THAT BRING THE TROPICS HOME

The Collective Book Studio

Jennifer Newens

In this cookbook, you have a cocktail for each week of the year in Thursday Night Tiki Lounge: 52 Drinks That Bring The Tropics Home which is perfect for your home bar. You’ll enjoy classic favorites as well as twists! You’ll be introduced to infused cocktails that have fresh juices, spiced syrups, rums, and a number of spirits!

We’re already imagining a Mai Tai, Blue Hawaiian, Doctor Funk and more. Whether we enjoy them while watching or streamed show or are inviting others, we are prepared!

OHANA STYLE: FOOD FROM HAWAI’I FOR YOUR FAMILY

Clarkson Potter

Sheldon Simeon

Everyday Hawai’ian cuisine is explored in this cookbook by 2X Top Chef fan favorite Chef Sheldon Simeon who shares his flavors with us. In his cookbook, Ohana Style: Food From Hawai’i, For Your Family, he shares over 100 recipes that are not fussy and perfect for substituting ingredients with these traditional dishes. From a culinary standpoint influences come from Native Hawai’ian, Filipino, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese and more!

In terms of subsitutions, he gets creative with plant-based spins (swap out raw fish with pan-seared ripe avocado for a delicious “tataki”, or using mushrooms to create the best “escargot”) and shortcut cooking techniques (like searing shoyu-marinated tuna in a hot wok or pan to mimic smoking.

You’ll be able to blend sweet, savory, and tangy Hawai’ian flavors into every day meals, all the while centering the cuisine’s legacy of communal-style eating.

We’re excited to try Pork Belly Tocino with garlic rice for breakfast and Stir-Fried Olives with ginger as a midday snack, to a pan-fried Lemon-Caper Mahi dinner.

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see BINGELY BOOKS in mag.

BINGELY TV/STREAMING

BORN TO BOWL

HBO Original

HBO MAX

We get sucked into bowling matches when we happen to catch them on TV. In Born to Bowl, we get to learn more about this sport and some of the biggest people in it in this docuseries. The fact that Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan, The Perfect Couple, Caught Stealing) is known for narrating HBO’s noted NFL docuseries Hard Knocks focusing on teams navigating their seasons. In addition, we get to know about famous bowlers and those rising up. We see them going through their championships, hear how they sustain themselves as they work in their sport and outside or it, as well as the community of this sport.

SCARPETTA

Prime Video Originals

Prime Video

In Prime Video’s Scarpetta, this crime thriller based on Patricia Cornwell’s novels introduces us to forensic pathologists, Dr. Kay Scarpetta (Nicole Kidman). We learn that she is returning to her hometown as Virginia’s Chief Medical Examiner who is working on a murder investigation while also focusing on cases from the past which allows us to navigate dual timelines.

In the dual timeline at the start of her career 28 years earlier, we see a cast of characters solving an array of murders. Interestingly enough, the character of Pete Marino is played by Bobby Cannavale (Boardwalk Empire, The Watcher, The Irishman) in the present day while his real life son, Jake (The Offer, Aaron Hernandez: American Sports Story, Inside Man) plays the same character from the 90’s. The cast is rounded out by Jamie Lee Curtis (The Bear, The Sticky, Knives Out) as well as Simon Baker (The Devil Wears Prada, The Mentalist, The Guardian), and Ariana DeBose (Hamilton, Westworld, I.S.S.).

You can stream the episodes of S1 and S2 has already been ordered.

LOVE TRAPPED: OWENS V. ECHARD

iHeart Podcasts + Glass Podcasts

Spotify

When we watched Clayton Echard’s season of The Bachelor, he was not one of the favorites and many of his choices left people scratching their heads. Like many on this show, they moved on to settle into their new lives. In Love Trapped: Owens V. Echard, this 10 episode podcast investigation details through his own words, legal teams, and depositions when he dealt with a woman who is alleged to engage in a paternity fraud scheme.

What makes this story interesting is that it is Internet sleuths dug into the details of the case to allow his team to see an array of discrepencies that were taking place. At the time that this case came to light, fans of Bachelor Nation, Reddit and more came together to get to the truth and to expose a history of a pattern of behaviour by his accuser.

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see BINGELY TV/STREAMING in mag.

THE 9LIST 9M3NU

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see THE 9LIST 9M3NU in mag.

9LIST ROUTIN3S | MISTY COPELAND

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST ROUTIN3S | Misty Copeland in mag.

9LIST ROUTIN3S | DINO MALVONE

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST ROUTIN3S | Dino Malvone in mag.

9LIST STORI3S | MORGAN RIDDLE

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S | Morgan Riddle in mag.