IN THE SAND WITH LAUREN

The XXIII Olympic Winter Games will take place in PyeongChang China from Feb 9th - 25th, and we're excited to talk with one of the athletes that made an appearance at the Olympic Summer games as a member of Team USA in Rio, Lauren Fendrick, American Beach Volleyball player whose teammate during the games in Brazil was Brooke Sweat in 2016. Since the games, she is currently partnered with April Ross who we interviewed last year prior to her Olympic appearance.

As we have mentioned in previous interviews with Olympic athletes, before and after the games there is a lot of work, tournaments and competitions that take place beyond what we see during the global games. 

We wanted to know more about Lauren  from how she got into the sport, how she trains (whether there is a different focus when she is preparing for her next game), what she is up to in between Olympic appearances, her goals as she prepares for Tokyo to medal, her foundation, her work with teammate April Ross, what tournaments she's apart of and her recent shoot with JOLYN.

In addition to finding out more about this powerhouse, we also wanted to know more about her partnership with JOLYN which makes swimwear that you will find her wearing when she is on the sandy court, as well as what makes this brand one that stands out in its support of athletes and models. We're getting in the sand as well as making a few notes on closet additions we need to make for our next trip.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us how you got into volleyball and what your journey was to make the decision to go pro. 

LAUREN FENDRICK: I played a tiny bit growing up down at moonlight beach (I grew up in Carlsbad) with my friend Molly during the summers, but I honestly didn't even know you could play beach volleyball for a living until I attended my first AVP qualifier in Tempe, AZ in 2003. I was instantly hooked and so determined to do everything I could do make that possibility a reality. The hardest part initially was figuring out how to structure training and finding a way to make money. I worked part-time, trained on the Beach as much as I could, picked the brains of anyone who would let me, watched the top players habits, routines, playing styles and tried to be ready for any opportunity that presented itself within and around the sport. It was a lot of hard work and I made a ton of mistakes along the way, but I fell in love with the sport so I was willing to put in extra work and find ways to get around obstacles. I am also very grateful to have had a number of great mentors, coaches, teammates and competitors to learn from. 

AM: What's your training/workout like when you are preparing for a game and when you're in the off season? 

LF: My workouts and training leading to a match generally taper slightly with volume, but not with intensity. I'll hit my speeds and weights that I normally do, but I'll do fewer reps and sets to fully activate the muscles, while limiting fatigue. In the off-season most of my focus is in the gym on getting stronger, more explosive and balanced. I also like to take time to do other things; cook, read, journal, get out in nature (we went to Yosemite a few weeks back). I'm also coaching the Stanford beach team with the all-star cast of Andrew Fuller (my husband) and Karissa Cook and I've been thinking about signing up for an improv class. 

AM: How was it preparing for the Olympics and are you in prep for the next round of Olympic trials?

LF: Preparing for the Olympics was similar in some ways (like format and teams), but very different in other ways to preparing for other matches and tournaments. In the Olympics, you have much more time to prepare everything (your strength program is at its peak, you can spend more time mentally preparing (meditation/visualization for me), more time to break down video, game plan and strategize and practice those game plans) and there is much more pressure and emphasis on this one event... the entire nation and a lot of the world is following your progress. So the pressure aspect was more than I expected and I didn't even realize I felt pressure until I had some distance after the Olympics to decompress. It's a little surreal with how much attention is paid to just this one tournament, when the actual tournament is so similar to other tournaments. I was so shocked when Matt Lauer knew who we were. Haha. 

Originally, I thought I would be done after Rio, but I feel great, I'm in some of the best shape of my life and I'm still learning and getting better, so the goal is to get back to Tokyo, implement the lessons I learned in Rio (and over the years) and medal. 

AM: We know that you and April Ross were teammates this year! What is the process like for you when you're training with new partners? 

LF: April and I had some great results this season with winning silver at World Champs being the highlight. And considering that we didn't get an off-season together and that she had to take almost 6 weeks off for a broken toe in the middle of the season makes the success even more special. I learn something different from each person I play with. April is such a mentally strong competitor and she knows how to perform even when she's not 100% physically. It's definitely something that I admire about her and look to emulate in my game. 

AM: Where can we see you playing next? 

LF: I just finished my last tournament of 2017 in China and the schedule hasn't officially come out yet, but I believe my next tournament will be in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the end of February. 

AM: Tell us about your foundation and why you created it and what it does? 

LF: The foundation was created as a way to create mentorships within the beach volleyball community. I'd like to bridge the gap between youth, collegiate, aspiring pros, current pros and former pros. There is so much knowledge and beach volleyball is a community of incredible people and I believe each level has so much knowledge and wisdom and connection to share.  Beach volleyball has some of the greatest people I've ever met. The foundation is on the back burner right now, but I'm working to find ways to expand it's capabilities and reach. 

AM: When you're off season, what is your day to day like?

LF: So, typically I wake up and the first thing I do is check my pulse and oxygen saturation with this cool little device from Masimo. It sounds high tech, but having the data makes my training scheduling so much easier. Then I like to meditate and then I'll head to the gym for my workout for about 3 hours, followed by conditioning, and then I usually have some sort of sports psych, physical therapy, acupuncture, massage, nutrition, journal, or visualization session and then I head to practice with the Stanford beach team. Next up is cooking dinner with my husband and prepping for the following day! I try to cook all my meals in the offseason with an emphasis on organic vegetables and pasture-raised meats or wild fish.

AM: We have stunning images of you in JOLYN Clothing - how did this shoot come about and how long have you been associated with the brand? 

LF: I've been wearing Jolyn since 2013 when Brittany Hochevar and I wore our one pieces in the AVP finals in Huntington. I had a mutual acquaintance with Tanya Gandy, one of the many rad people who work at JOLYN, and I instantly knew that this brand and their products were a perfect fit for me and beach volleyball. It's a suit that can withstand me diving around in the sand, with flattering cuts and styles and cutting edge prints And on top of all that, they use elite athletes as product testers and fit models and their suits are all made in the USA.

The photo shoot was the brain child of Mallyce Miller, the creative director at Jolyn, shot by Sarah Orbanic, hair and makeup by Lauren Urasek, and spirit animal Melissa Matheson. Honestly, they did all the hard work to make me look good and I had a blast doing it. 

AM: What are 3 power foods that you eat to have great energy that we should consider when we're about to work out?

LF: I'm all about eating whole non-processed foods!! 1) I'm currently obsessed with bone broth!! But you have to find one that has top-shelf ingredients like grass-fed beef bones and organic herbs and spices. Kitchen Witch is my go-to brand. I love making an elixir by blending the broth with a bunch of fresh herbs and aromatics. 2) I love incorporating fresh herbs and garlic into my diet (see above). When I'm traveling I'm not able to cook and the first thing I do when I get home is, make a big salad with a homemade dressing that has garlic and fresh herbs blended into it or a pesto to put over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash. And 3) avocado. I even try to bring a few when I travel. It's a great healthy fat that is natural and has all the phytonutrients that come with that!

AM: With the holidays coming up, having great arms, legs and a firm butt are great in glam outfits - what exercises do you suggest that we do to have a great physique? 

LF: Get strong! There is a huge mistaken notion that building strength will add bulk! Not true! Building strength is not only healthy for your body but also your mind! I love walking through this world as a strong female and I'm proud that people on the street can pick me out as an athlete. I honestly think that the goal should be mental and physical health! I think you look your best and are your most confident self when you are putting health as a to priority and that healthy feeling becomes addictive!

AM: What is JOLYN Clothing and who is the JOLYN girl?

JOLYN: JOLYN is based out of Huntington Beach, California and creates swimwear and activewear for swim and turf, sand or surf! JOLYN  is centered around creating fun and functional products for women who inspire us. At JOLYN we believe that competitive swimwear and activewear should be fun. We make products that will stay put through your hardest practice, longest slip-n-slide, and toughest dig, while looking super cool if we do say so ourselves. The “JOLYN girl” is any girl that is getting out there and going for it. Whether you’re an elite athlete competing for a world title or someone who just enjoys the occasional splish and splash, JOLYN is the suit for you.

AM: Who is the founder of the brand and what is their backgroung?

J: JOLYN was created by a lifeguard and longtime lover of the water. There was an abundance of badass water women and an extreme lack of suits as cool as they were. JOLYN was born to solve this problem and put women in the kind of gear they deserved to be in. The suits we make now reflect the spirit of the rad girls in the water, allowing them to perform at their best and look awesome playing the sports they love.

AM: How important is living an active lifestyle to the brand?

J: At JOLYN we’re always up to something. Our company is made up of ex-college athletes, olympians, and pros. We all love to get out there, tear it up at whatever adventure or sport we’re doing currently, and not have to worry about our swimsuits falling off. Living an active lifestyle is the bread and butter of JOLYN and everything that we represent!

AM: With the holidays coming up, what are three of your favorite pieces that we should keep on our radar as we begin to gift ourselves and others?

J: In support of October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, we are dedicating 25% of sales on all suits sold in the print "Careberry" to the organization Breast Cancer Angels. We also have a brand new line of Activewear launching this fall featuring new styles of leggings, shorts, sports bras and sweatpants in all new prints! A lot of research and development went into this line and we are very excited to launch it to our fans. JOLYN is constantly releasing limited edition prints throughout the year that sell out extremely fast. In order to keep our fans up-to-date, we created a text message based alert system called “Print Patrol” to send out updates when we drop new prints! 

AM: Had you previously worked with Lauren Fendrick prior to the shoot that is within this issue?

J: JOLYN Sponsored Lauren just before she went to the 2016 Rio Olympic games and that relationship has continued through her 2017 season! Being able to sponsor an elite level Olympic athlete has been really exciting for JOLYN as an up and coming brand. As our first official "JoPro," Lauren has embraced us and we couldn't be happier to have her represent JOLYN in beach volleyball globally! 

AM: Are there other ambassadors that are associated with the brand that we should know about?

J: We currently sponsor professional athletes in a variety of different sports including other beach volleyball players like Betsi Flint and Kelley Larsen, wakeboarder Nicola Butler, freestyle kayaker Brooke Hess, stand up paddle athletes like Penelope Strickland and Harriett Brown, wakesurfer Stacia Bank, and a handful of other rad water women! Our greatest Ambassadors and JoPro's call themselves leaders, professional athletes, travelers, coaches, teammates and Olympians. All lead active, awe-inspiring lifestyles and have their own unique talents, but have one a common love for the water and inspiring others.

For more information about JOYLN and those that they sponsor that you'll want to see in their next competition, check out their site. Check out more about where you can see Lauren Fendrick as well as addition Team USA Olympians for the upcoming winter (2018) and summer (2020) games here.

Read more from the Oct Issue and see In The Sand with Lauren in mag.

THE GOLDIE AWARDS SHINE BRIGHT IN BROOKLYN

September marked the first annual Goldie Awards DJ and Beats Battle in Brooklyn, NY. Presented by Fool's Gold, Thump, Noisey, TMWRK, and Serato - the night featured an array of
promising beats and DJ artists from around the globe. The star-studded judges panel was stacked with Diplo, Just Blaze, DJ Craze, Destructo, Mija, The Whooligan and Mannie Fresh,
who rooted on the artists with awe and strong community vibe. Dave East joined in with hosting duties for the evening breaking up the show with light and crisp banter, always with a
brew in hand.

The packed house cheered and bopped to beats, scratches and remixes as they filled the air for each battle. The battles were a good formula and the pulse was fresh through the show. The
few moments of downtime between sets allowed for some drink breaks, audible digestion, and IG moments.

A-Trak is right, all of the artists are winners in gaining some great exposure with the event. You never know who s watching and what next lies in store. Congrats to all artists that performed.
The Beat Battle contestants were: Brace, City the Beatmaster, Fresh Kils, HOLLY, MSCLS, R!OT, STFU, and Young Sidechain. The DJ Battle contestants were: John Beez, K-Swizz, Kayper, Miles Medina, Rafik, Rocket Jackson, Vekked, and Yuto.

The Goldie Awards bring good recognition and flavor to the industry truly cutting across genres. It is highly recommended for fans of various musical tastes. DJ’s don’t sleep on this – make sure you have your short demo submissions hashtagged and ready for next time.

Read more from the Sep Issue and see The Goldie Awards Shine Bright in Brooklyn in mag.

FOR THE LOVE OF THE STUNT | JESSIE GRAFF

Think back to your favorite movies and we guarantee that there are some action sequences. Although there are some actors that do their own stunts, most enlist a stunt person to make the scene truly look and feel as next level as possible. This month's cover girl is celebrity stuntwoman and athletic personality, Jessie Graff.

Jessie has been in a number of movies and TV shows. In addition, if you're a fan of NBC's American Ninja Warrior, then you have seen her crushing courses on this TV show as well while donning a Wonder Woman costume. We spent an afternoon with her shooting her for our
cover and this energetic woman showcased her athletic ability while also sharing anecdotes how she got into the business, where we have seen her as well as how she has honed her craft over the years.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was your journey to becoming a stunt woman from childhood to actually selecting this career?

JESSIE GRAFF: I wanted to be a super hero, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Xena Warrior Princess. I loved the physical part most, but didn't know that stunts were a separate job, so I always thought I'd be an actress. After majoring in theatre in college, I learned that the actors don't usually get to do their own stunts, so I immediately researched everything I could about stunt people. I read every article I could find, studied the stunt player’s directory, and found
out where stunt people trained. Then I got photos, made a demo reel, moved to LA, and signed up at every gym in where I could find stunt people. Then I copied everything they did, learned everything I could, and eventually, earned my place in the community.

AM: What type of training does one engage in order to become a stunt woman?

JG: Fights, falls/wipeouts, weapons, parkour, gymnastics, rock climbing, every style of martial arts, wire work, rigging, trampolines, bicycles, air rams, Russian swing, high falls, scuba, sky diving, cars, motorcycles, fire burns... There's so much to learn!

AM: Obviously, you're in great shape, what workouts do you suggest for great abs, glutes and arms?

JG: I organize all of my workouts into a 3 day cycle of push day, pull day, and leg day. It allows me to push each muscle group to the limit, and give it 2 days to recover, while I'm training the other 2 main muscle groups.

I suggest FORGETTING about how you want your body to look, and choosing workouts based on what you want to be able to do, and how you want to feel. If you want great arms, get hooked on rock climbing, gymnastics, or calisthenics. Set goals like climbing at a certain difficulty level or learning to do a kip on bars. Then do all the drills, progressions, and strength training to get those skills, and make a new goal 1 level higher. Want great glutes? Work on, bounding agility obstacles, improving your vertical jump, or learning parkour. When you get passionate about a hobby that requires those muscles, every workout is more inspiring, and there is no end. If you want an 8-pack, and you get there, how do you stay motivated to work out and eat healthy? How do you maintain it? But if you succeed in your goal of 10 pull ups, great! New goal: get 12, or 15 or 20.

AM: What are your go to foods between your travels, working out etc?

JG: I always carry B-up protein bars and roasted seaweed with me, because fruit/carbs are easy to find, but protein and vegetables are harder to grab on the go. Basic structure of any meal is 1-2 servings protein, colorful vegetables, 1 serving of carbs or fruit, all on top of a huge pile of dark leafy greens.

AM: What's on your playlist when you're in the gym?

JG: Jessie Graff's Wonder Woman Playlist on DC Comics and "Try Everything" from Zootopia.

AM: What movies have we seen your work in?

JG: Look for me with purple hair in Future Man on Hulu, and Bright on Netflix. Other projects are Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Transformers, The Dark Knight, Marvel's Agents of Shield, G.I. Joe, Die Hard...

AM: What is the process like in terms of casting when you are going into being a stunt person in a film?

JG: If there are lines, we go to auditions as actors. We send demo reels or they are submitted by the stunt coordinator, so that they know we are qualified to do the stunt required for the role. We are given lines anywhere from the day before to at the audition, read for camera,
maybe have a call back, and are booked for the acting role. The auditions to be the main stunt double on a big action movie are the most fun. It's often a whole group of us in a gym, learning
fight choreography, and showing off kicks, flips, weapons, and any other applicable skills for a couple of hours.

AM: How do you prepare for the roles that you participate in?

JG: I rarely get more than a week's notice for a job or big audition usually 1-2 days. I have to guess which skills are most likely to come up, and prepare for EVERYTHING, so that no matter what comes up, I can be prepared (hopefully). Training constantly in so many different disciplines, improves my ability to learn brand new movements faster, so that even if something totally new comes up, I can adapt.

AM: What is the thinking behind wearing the Wonder Woman costume during your American Ninja Warrior run?

JG: My first year, I dressed as a chicken to advertise my short film 'Epic Chick Fight,' but a parent messaged me on Twitter about her 6-year-old daughter, who had never been very physically active. After watching me, she said 'I like her. I like her outfit' then promptly dressed her Barbie like me, and went outside to climb the jungle gym with her. It made me realize how much impact my clothing choices could have on kids. Now, I choose outfits that seem most likely to inspire kids to be healthy and strong.

AM: When you're not training, what is your personal style when you're out and about versus when you're in the gym?

JG: My personal style is pretty much Under Armour shorts and sports bras, or maybe a tennis skort to shake things up. The world is my gym, so I dress for workouts at all times.

When I'm at work, I wear whatever the costume department puts me in. For super fancy red carpet type events, I require that the mid-section be fitted, and stretchy, with a full circle skirt that allows for full range of motion. I always wear shorts under my skirt, so that I can flip and kick without wardrobe malfunctions. Other than that, I don't understand why I would ever wear anything other than workout clothes or swim suits.

AM: We love your videos on Instagram with your pup and your pig, it's a great way to show your physique and to get to know your personality, how long does it take to do them?

JG: It takes about 30 seconds to toss spinach around the floor, to keep @SammoHog occupied and in frame, and 20 seconds to 5 minutes to shoot the video...well... up to 1 min for Instagram,
but Facebook videos allow for longer workout clips. It rarely takes more than one take. Unless it's a compilation of multiple attempts. Those may take 30 min or so of trying and failing 20 times before I succeed, and another 5 minutes to edit.

AM: Are there any charities or philanthropy that you are a part of that you would like to share?

JG: I really want to do more to help educate people of all ages about healthy eating and exercise habits, and how to make them feel fun and effortless. I currently do that by sharing my own tips, tricks, and experience on social media, but would love suggestions on specific charities that deal with those topics.

AM: What advice would you give to a girl that is looking to get into the world of stunts?

JG: Don't pursue stunts unless you REALLY love it. You will get beaten up. You'll be cold and wet, falling down concrete stairs at 3am, or sweating in a full leather suit on an overheating motorcycle, on a 110 degree day in the desert. They will constantly throw crazy and unusual
challenges at you, and you'll have to think on your toes, to figure it out on the spot.

If working out 5-8 hours/day, and fighting to achieve seemingly impossible feats sounds like a dream job, do it. Work your butt off. Learn everything. Be smart. Be humble. Listen. Pay attention, and be helpful. If you are talented, work really hard, and have a great attitude, you will have an amazing career, a lifetime of adventure, and become friends with some of the most incredible people on the planet.

We get to be the unknown heroes of the film industry.

Our photoshoot with Jessie Graff took place at Henry Hall in NYC's Hudson Yards. We took a moment to find out more about the interesting concept of this residential property that also makes you feel like you live in a hotel as well.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What are the amenities offered at Henry Hall?

HENRY HALL: Henry Hall features a unique amenities package focused on the building’s club and lounge areas and elite food and beverage offerings. As part of its innovative programming,
Henry Hall will debut Delicious Hospitality’s new restaurant, dubbed Legacy Records. The restaurant, bar and lounges will be spread over the building's first and second floors.

In addition to the restaurant and second floor lounge, Henry Hall residents will have access to an array of sought-after amenities, including a “jam room,” resident’s club room, private dining rooms and wine room, roof-deck, state-of-the art training center as well as exclusive access to Henry Hall Concierge for 24-hour service.

Henry Hall will also provide residents with Echo Dots connected to Amazon Alexa. The posh rental has equipped each of the 225 residences with an Echo Dot and created an Alexa skill tailored specifically for Henry Hall residents. Building Link, the leading online residential
management system, has developed a custom skill that gives Alexa the ability to answer numerous requests that pertain specifically to residents. Voice commands that residents can make include the following: “Alexa, ask Henry Hall if I have any packages”; “Alexa, ask Henry
Hall if there are any events in the building today”; and “Alexa, ask Henry Hall when the gym will be open.”

AM: What is the concept behind the design of the building?

HH: Developed by Imperial Companies, on behalf of the joint venture partnership with Shorenstein, and with interior design by the renowned Ken Fulk, Henry Hall is Hudson Yard’s newest destination rental. In contrast to the glass towers dominating the Hudson Yards neighborhood, Henry Hall gives a thoughtful nod to ‘Old New York’ with its brick and steel
façade. The 33-story building includes 225 studio to two-bedroom units with prices starting at $3,350.

Henry Hall is a new wave residential experience inspired by boutique hotel culture. Eric Birnbaum, Co-founder of Imperial Companies, and the vision behind Henry Hall, says his imagination was sparked by stays at The Bowery Hotel and The Battery SF, among other properties. “At Henry Hall, we take design and programming cues from boutique hotels. I fell in love with the idiosyncratic charm of their lobbies - the design elements, the way people move through them,” Birnbaum says.

Henry Hall creates social programming for like minded people, communal spaces to relax and recharge, exquisite meals & beverage, all with grand décor and a rooftop view.

AM: There is a distinct boutique hotel vibe to this residence - why is that and what offerings does the property provide to those who are not residents?

HH: Henry Hall will offer a residential option that merges New York’s nightlife and boutique hotel experience with luxury residential living. The residences were outfitted as a modern take on traditional grand hotels and in keeping with that theme the private lounges, jam room, rooftop deck, gym—were all created to extend the holistic experience of a boutique hotel. Launch programming features a summer music series, “Tuesdays at Henry Hall,” which
welcomes residents and friends to enjoy a rotating cast of notable and socially influential DJs.

AM: Within the space that was included within our photoshoot, who decorated it?

HH: Ken Fulk, who has been dubbed “Silicon Valley’s creative disruptor,” and whose credits include The Battery SF among other high-profile residential and hospitality projects, worked with Eric Birnbaum to design the resident experience throughout all aspects of Henry Hall, from the eclectic lobby to the elegant lounges to the custom finishes in each residence.

Design elements in Henry Hall's grand lobby include a floor made of three different types of marble set in a herringbone pattern; a 10-foot-diameter custom brass chandelier retrofitted
with 24 cut-crystal globes from the 1930s; hand-scraped teak wall paneling with brass accents; a salon-style installation of vintage oil paintings and frame photography; tribal rugs; and antique furnishings.

AM: What are other selling points in this building?

HH: Henry Hall is truly a first of its kind: a destination and a community similar to a boutique luxury hotel or a members’ only club.

The residences include finishes such as ash hardwood flooring throughout and oversized windows that flood the residences with natural sunlight and provide sweeping city views. Gourmet kitchens are equipped with stark white quartz countertops and backsplashes,
premium brass fixtures by Waterworks and stainless steel appliances by Bosch and KitchenAid. Custom hexagonal tiles line the bathroom floor and are accompanied by a medicine cabinet with integrated vanity lighting and polished nickel fittings. Each unit is equipped with a Bosch washer/dryer.

"Every space, however unique, public or private, is considered an essential part of the Henry Hall story. They become a defining element of the residential experience,” said Eric Birnbaum,
Co-Founder and Partner at Imperial Companies. "So many people would love to live in their favorite hotel or have the City’s newest restaurant be just downstairs - Henry Hall makes that a reality.”

For more information about Henry Hall, please visit www.henryhallnyc.com.

AM: For those that are residents, what are the neighborhood selling points?

HH: Located at 515 West 38th Street, the site of the former Legacy Recording Studio, Henry Hall is at the epicenter of Hudson Yards and is redefining luxury for a new generation of New
Yorkers. Hudson Yard’s close proximity to the major transportation hubs of the recently completed 7 train extension, Penn Station and the Port Authority Bus Terminal provide an array of convenient transportation options. Henry Hall is in close proximity to the city’s finest shopping, dining, entertainment and cultural venues and is surrounded by Chelsea and The Meatpacking District to the south and the Hudson River to the west.

AM: Is there anything that we should know about the Hudson Yard area?

HH: Hudson Yards is just north of the Meatpacking District and Chelsea, adjacent to Hell’s Kitchen, stretching along the High Line and the river, and close to Midtown; an electric atmosphere in which you can work, play and live. A convergence of parks, public space, haute
cuisine, shopping, easy access to transportation and stunning views of the river and cityscape make it easy to see why the neighborhood is booming.

Read more from the Aug issue and see For the Love of the Stunt | Jessie Graff in mag.

AW17 CAMPAIGNS | DKNY

Obviously, we're all about the depth of style that athleisure provides whether you're heading to the gym, going to the office, running errands and beyond. DKNY's campaign features great pieces for men and women that are hitting stores which begs to be mixed and matched. Model and actress, Emily Ratajkowski models in this campaign.

MARKET MAKER | SARA EISEN

Our cover girl is one busy lady as Sara Eisen is the Co-Anchor of not one, but two of CNBC's shows - Worldwide Exchange and Squawk on the Street! Sara joined the network in December 2013, as a correspondent focusing on the global consumer. You can see her each day as the Co-Anchor of "Squawk on the Street" at 10AM EST, which airs from Post 9 at the New York Stock Exchange. In January of last year, she was named Co-Anchor of the network's "Worldwide Exchange," which also airs daily from 5-6AM EST from CNBC's Global Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 

Around Athleisure Mag, we have CNBC on throughout the day at the office and loved learning more about this financial powerhouse who brings us what's going on across verticals in such an inspired way. 

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us your background and how you got into broadcasting and ultimately to CNBC?

SARA EISEN: After college at NYU, I went to journalism school at Northwestern's Medill School. While most students do a semester in DC, I went a different direction and spent the time in Hong Kong. I got an internship at Bloomberg TV in Asia and have been doing business news ever since. Initially, I worked as a production assistant, but kept raising my hand for on-air opportunities in my spare time on TV and radio. I went on to anchor the morning show in New York, Bloomberg Surveillance, before moving over to CNBC. But truth be told, I've wanted to be on TV ever since I grew up watching Oprah and taped a mock talk show at a local public access channel studio for a school project in high school. 

AM: We know that you enjoy talking about finance, what is it about this industry that makes you so passionate about it and do you have a specific topic within it that you really enjoy focusing on?

SE: My favorite topic within finance is the currency market, because it's the largest, most important market in the world. It reflects economics, politics, deal transactions, geopolitics and more. It was actually my excitement around learning about currencies during a college internship at Forextv.com that led me to pursue financial journalism. My other area of focus is global consumer companies, with a particular interest in sports apparel and shoes: Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Lululemon. I love how they touch pop culture, fashion, sports and consumer economics simultaneously. 

AM: We love that when we're watching CNBC, you really are talking about a number of industries from fashion, tech, agriculture, etc. - and you have a fresh and fun way to present it to those of varying levels of understanding - how important is it to make these topics relatable to a wide, as well as a niche audience?

SE: It's very important! Ultimately, financial markets are just a reflection of all the real life things happening around us: whether it's shifting consumption from diet soda to healthier beverages, what trends work in online retail or just the styles of leggings that resonate with consumers each season. Those stories don't just matter to CNBC, but they're the everyday trends we all live each day. Investing and finance can be much more accessible if you focus on the areas you're interested in and understand. 

AM: What would you tell young women to encourage them to get into the world of finance and specifically finance broadcasting?

SE: My number one tip: become an expert, whether that's in the world of finance or journalism... or any other discipline for that matter. Having a niche is very valuable. For instance, during the financial crisis, when I was an intern at Bloomberg, I raised my hand to tell stories about the foreign exchange market at a time when currencies were fluctuating wildly.  I knew that subject well and eventually, my editors and others in the newsroom turned to me when currencies were the big market story of the moment, and they still do! Be the smartest person in the room about something, no matter how small the niche. 

I'd also say: don't let traditionally male-led industries dissuade you. Sometimes, there's an instinct to compete with the women around you, but being supportive, finding female mentors and passing it forward can all be empowering and rewarding. 

AM: Walk us through what it is like to prepare as a Co-Anchor for Squawk on the Street and Worldwide Exchange.

SE: I have a ton of support on both shows. We have a team of producers who work with me and my co-anchors to book guests and put together a plan for the next day's shows. By the time I'm off air one day, I have to start focusing on what we're doing tomorrow: planning the questions I want to ask guests, reading about the latest stories in finance, and politics we might want to include, and always talking to my producers about what we can be doing to fine tune the show before it starts. The hardest thing about prep: as much as you can be ready for everything planned, you also have to be ready to pivot on a dime to breaking news and the unexpected.
 

AM: As you do two shows every day, what is your day like?

SE: Well, my alarm goes off every day at 3:30am. I'm in the car on the way to CNBC HQ soon after, before getting my hair and makeup done ahead of the 5am start to my first show, “Worldwide Exchange.” In the car and the makeup chair, I'm reading the morning's news and emailing with my producers on the show lineup, the guests we have, the stories we're covering. I get off set at 6am and then travel from CNBC in New Jersey to the New York Stock Exchange ahead of my 10am show, “Squawk on the Street.” The hardest thing is maintaining a good eating schedule. I make sure to have cereal and coffee before the 5am show and then whole wheat toast with almond butter and bananas when I get down to the NYSE. At noon, I'm off air for the day. I fill my afternoons with networking meetings. It can be hard on my schedule to make evening plans during the week. Typically, my husband and I stay home to make dinner together and watch a little TV: no financial news, more like “The Bachelor.”

AM: What's your hectic time of year in terms of covering the world of finance?

SE: The financial news calendar can be similar to the school year: quiet during the winter holidays, quiet over the summer, busy all the other times. But particularly these days, with Britain leaving the EU and the excitement around the Trump presidency, there's never a slow day. I never take more than a week off for that reason. When my husband and I got married, he had to beg me to take off more time for our honeymoon.

AM: How do you maintain balance between such a hectic schedule, being a wife and taking personal time for yourself?

SE: Multi-tasking. 24 hours just aren't enough. I'll be making dinner plans during the commercial breaks of my shows. I'll be trying to book interviews in between exercises at the gym. It helps that my husband also works in the same industry. We don't get to talk about what we're each working on, but we're understanding of the pace and scheduling challenges of each other's jobs. 

AM: What has been your favorite story to cover to date?

SE: When Japan suffered the devastation of the 2011 earthquake and ensuing tsunami, I traveled there to cover the aftermath of the disaster. Very quickly, the focus turned to the developing crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant. I would spend the days reporting and the nights doing live segments for daytime programs in the U.S. It was scary, exhausting, but also an amazing opportunity to be part of an unfolding, uncertain story that the world was watching.

AM: Who have been some of your favorite guests that you chatted with on air?

SE: Steph Curry, for sure. I've spent a lot of time with him, talking about the brand he's helping to build at UnderArmour. He's incredibly thoughtful and down-to-earth for someone living an insane level of success and fame. I also love interviewing Christine Lagarde, the Managing Director of the IMF. She's smart, poised and an incredible example for women everywhere. 

AM: When you're not on air, what can we find you doing?

SE: New York City will always be my favorite activity. I love to explore the city's restaurants, bars, shops and walk the streets as much as I can. 

AM: What's your personal style on air and how does that differ when you're out and about with girlfriends or date night with your husband?

SE: Early on, I found it was easier for me to stick with dresses rather than piecing together shirts, tops and pants. I like bright colors, interesting necklines, usually knee length... and always pair them with (very) high heels. There's a great wardrobe team at CNBC that helps me pull it together.

Outside of work, I'm much more laid-back. Leggings and t-shirts on the weekends, with my favorite Yeezy sneakers. My husband is a bit of a sneakerhead, so he makes sure I'm always current on the latest trends. For going out on weekends to dinner with friends, I still try to keep it pretty casual: usually Rag & Bone jeans and Rebecca Taylor tops are my go-tos. 

AM: What fitness studios do you enjoy going to?

SE: I belong to Equinox and try to get in to see my trainer as many times each week as I can. It can be hard to squeeze into my schedule. But the good news about waking up at 3:30am each day is that Equinox is relatively quiet at 2pm!
 

AM: What are three must-have beauty products that you swear by that keep your skin looking so great?

SE: Because I use so many products for my job on-air, I've recently been transitioning to more natural and chemical-free cosmetics. My favorite facial moisturizer is Belif Moisturizing Bomb. After scrubbing off a day's worth of camera makeup, this product leaves my skin feeling refreshed and moisturized, but not greasy. Speaking of scrubbing off a day's worth of camera makeup, Tarte Fresh Eyes makeup remover wipes are invaluable. Anyone who knows me knows my favorite beauty product is bronzer. Jane Iredale bronzing powder gives me a natural look. 

AM: What's currently on your playlist for your summer soundtrack?

SE: I'm constantly listening to the new Kendrick Lamar album... especially some of the slower songs like “Love and Loyalty.” Then again, my summer playlist features many of my favorites from recent years like Robyn, Charli XCX and Kesha. 
 

AM: Do you have charities or organizations that you support that you would like for us to know more about?

SE: Yes, I support the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an incredible organization that teaches the lessons of the Holocaust and confronts both anti-semitism and hate of all kinds. I have a personal connection as my grandparents were survivors of the Holocaust.

I also am involved with Room to Read, a remarkable charity that promotes girls' education and children's literacy in underserved communities in the developing world.

AM: If you weren't working in your current field, what occupation would you consider working in?

SE: If I wasn't covering finance and economics, I'd want to be working in finance and economics  They're what I love. My ultimate dream would be to serve as a central banker. They're the most powerful people in the world!
 

Our shoot of Sara Eisen took place at 1185 Park Ave at Penthouse A. Currently on the market, we sat down with Louise Phillips Forbes to find out more about this property!

ATHLEISURE MAG: There are so many great aspects to this apartment from its layout to the INCREDIBLE views from the penthouse – what can you tell us about this property?

LOUISE PHILLIPS FORBES: What’s not to envy in this exceptional home?! Breathtaking panoramic skyline views as far south as the Empire State Building and the Freedom Tower, and stunning sunsets over Central Park, provide the backdrop to this expansive penthouse with 4-bedrooms, 1-staff room, and 4.5-bathrooms, plus a beautifully landscaped, private wrap-around terrace and large picture windows providing terrace views from every room. With more than 1,700 square feet of outdoor space alone, it's simply paradise. Sun-drenched, bright and cheerful, this one-of-a-kind home has an extensive floor plan with grand, open rooms for entertaining complemented by ceiling heights over 11-feet. 
 
The bedroom wing offers a private escape with very spacious rooms. I’m especially enamored with the master bedroom suite!  It’s really rare to find one as big as this one. The peaceful retreat in the corner of the home provides double exposures and is lined with elegant Venetian plastered walls. It contains two substantial walk-in closets and a private entrance to the terrace. The luxurious spa-like en-suite bathroom features gorgeous natural stone tiles, a custom vanity, free-standing deep soaking tub with Jacuzzi jets, and a glass rain shower. It’s what I call heaven on earth and the perfect escape!

AM: What amenities are offered in this building for residents (common areas, services, etc.)?

LPF: Located in a prestigious residential area, 1185 Park Avenue was designed in 1929 by the renowned architectural firm of Schwartz & Gross, boasting an impressive Gothic triple-arch entrance with a circular driveway. Today, this New York treasure is recognized as one of the few grand courtyard buildings left in Manhattan. The friendly and professional full-time staff provide an unparalleled level of white-glove service and the amenities, include 24-hour doormen and staff, concierge, state-of-the-art fitness center, children's playroom, courtyard garden, bike room, private storage, and a pet-friendly attitude. 

AM: Tell us about the neighborhood that is directly around this building (Whole Foods, workout studios, eateries, etc.) and what neighborhood is this considered?

LFP: A premier residence nestled in the heart of Carnegie Hill, this elegant gem is conveniently located near Central Park and Museum Mile with easy access to world-class exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Guggenheim Museum, the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and the Jewish Museum, among others. Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue beckon with high-end boutique shopping and fine art galleries, plus there is an abundance of distinguished restaurants, charming cafes, gourmet grocers, supermarkets, Equinox Fitness Club, the 92nd Street Y, and many popular retail destinations.

AM: For those that are interested in purchasing this unit, how can they find out more information? 

LFP: It would be very easy to call this stunning apartment home given the grandeur of the rooms, an abundance of private outdoor space, and views throughout. To schedule an appointment, people can contact me directly and I will be happy to give them a private tour and discuss the purchasing details. I can be reached via email at lphillips@halstead.com or at 212-381-3329.
 
AM: Where can readers find out about additional properties that you represent?
 
LFP: Visit my website at and click on the tab for “My Listings”. You can view pictures, 3D floor plans, and videos along with detailed descriptions of each property I’m working with from downtown to uptown.
 

Read more from the July Issue and see Market Maker | Sara Eisen in mag.

OUR FEMPIRE WITH ALYSIA REINER

This month's cover is one of our faves - actress, producer, activist and SAG Award winner - Alysia Reiner. She has been in a number of TV shows and films and we have thoroughly enjoyed seeing her each season of Netflix's Orange is the New Black as the dynamic force Natalie "Fig" Figueroa.

In addition to our cover shoot in Tribeca, we sat down to find out more about what drew her to acting, upcoming roles that she will be in, the importance of staying connected to your significant other and family no matter your schedule and her role as an activist.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We had such an amazing time shooting with you for our June cover as we've been fans of yours for years! Tell us about your background and how you got into acting.

ALYSIA REINER: AWWW Shucks! I am a native Manhattan girl and had a hard time deciding if I wanted to be a scientist or an artist - I still love both, studying human behavior and why we are who we are - I'm just curious, I guess. I love to discover, to wonder, to research, it's the joyful part of acting, the discovery.

AM: You've had a number of roles in TV and in movies, but one of our favorites is Orange is the New Black. We binged the latest season, and as fans, tell us what the process was like in trying out for the part and what process you go through to take on the character of Natalie "Fig" Figueroa.

AR: I auditioned for Alex, then Polly, then they offered me Fig and I was over the moon. It was 3 lines and I just said yes. To take on Fig, I visited prisons, spoke to wardens, spoke to other prison officials and spoke to previously incarcerated women. I also watched a ton of documentaries about prisons.

AM: What are similarities and differences between you and your OITNB character?

AR: SIMILARITES: NONE!

DIFFERENCES: The list is endless - I am happily married, a momma, an artist, an activist...

AM: You play bad women really well - what role or person would you like to play that you have yet to do?

AR: The possibilities are endless!!!!!! Doing our photo shoot for this cover I picked up that book about style and had the hit that I want to do a biopic about DIANE VREELAND! I so want to play her, she's my style hero. Also, I want Lena Dunham to direct.

AM: This past year you not only starred in, but produced the film "EQUITY," which went to Sundance and got sold to Sony Pictures Classics. How does this role as a producer challenge you, and what are you looking to achieve?

AR: I was just reading Jill Soloway's essay in LENNY LETTER "Downtime Makes Me Anxious," and I'm the same way: I just love creating. I love producing because it challenges me and works different muscles than acting does. Just like parenting - or trapezing ( yes I have - check my Instagram) - I love trying new things and challenging myself. That’s why I went on Celebrity CHOPPED recently. I love telling stories, I love hiring more women and I love changing the
appalling statistics every time I do.

AM: Positive female role models is something that we are extremely focused on at Athleisure Mag - who were your role models that assisted you in being who you are today?

AR: I find new ones every day. I was about to give you a list of actresses, producers, amazing women I love and know, but really it's the people you don't know. Like my friend Allison's mom who had the coolest arts and crafts cabinet growing up. The woman on the subway who defended another woman when she was being sexually accosted. The every day strangers who stand up for what they believe in and are courageous and unique and amazing and inspire us.
They deserve so much love and admiration, they are my role models.

AM: Activism seems like a major cornerstone of your work (in the midst of everything else) - what organizations/platforms are you associated with and have any of them been because of roles that you have taken as an actor?

AR: I lost my dad to cancer and got very active with the Cancer Support Community - I love them so much. They provide free emotional, social, and psychological support for people with cancer and their friends and family. And yes I said FREE. I was so honored that they gave me and my husband this year's Founders Award For Support.

The Women's Prison Association became my "Fig's karma charity." I love working with them, have been volunteering with them for 5 years now, made a piece of jewelry with 100 of proceeds to them, working on a new idea with them now about employing formerly incarcerated women, and they gave me the Sarah Huntington Powell award. What the Geena Davis Institute does for women in the media is soooo crucial and I love supporting them every way I can. And there are so many others!!! This could be an entirely new article! ;)

AM: During the shoot, we loved incorporating a meditation shot into the cover story, how important is this practice to you and how did you get into it?

AR: I LOVE MEDITATION. ADMISSION: I did a lot more before I had a kid. But now, I do it with my daughter, I do it at home, on the subway, I have a meditation room at home. I listen to a meditation as I wind down from the day, floss my teeth etc. I always feel like I don't have time, but somehow if you make the time, time bends and gives you more, magically.

AM: What's your personal style when you're going to set, when you're going to dinner with your family and then hitting the red carpet for an event?

AR: I have no idea - you are the stylist - help!

AM: Who are your style icons?

AR: Diana Vreeland, DVF, Valentino, Vivianne Westwood, Jenna Lyons, Stacey from Alice & Olivia, Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett, Emma Watson, Livia Firth, Chloe Sevigny, Natasha Lyonne, I could go on.....

AM: What are 3 exercises or methods that you do to stay so fit?

AR: 30-60-90 by Kristi Molinaro, Soulcycle and INTENSATI TABATA

AM: When you're having a busy day running around in the city, what are 3 places in NYC that we may see you pop into for lunch?

AR: Ha! I never have time to go out to lunch!

AM: After hanging out with you, you have such a mindful nature about you that seems to permeate the way you approach life as well as living within it - how important is this to you from a mental, wellness, culinary and related lifestyle aspects?

AR: When we can incorporate mindfulness into everything, it just makes every moment sweeter. Everything is more beautiful - you even see art in a garbage pile. Rats become cute. And then, of course, people think you're crazy. I don’t care.

AM: A number of our readers either work with their significant others and/or are in the same field with them. What advice would you give to those readers to assist them in having couple time?

AR: MAKE DATE NIGHTS AND STICK TO THEM!

Appreciate each other. Write love notes. Talk about the relationship. Seek outside help before you need it.

AM: How do you take time for yourself as a wife and mother, actress, producer, activist etc?

AR: Ummm….I need to work on that. I really do. :)

AM: What projects can you share with us that are coming up that we may not know about?

AR: We just wrapped season 2 of BETTER THINGS - so excited! And I did guest stars on BROAD CITY, YOUNGER and ODD MOM OUT! I am headed to Chicago in a few weeks to shoot The Pages - a political thriller, and then shooting EGG in which I star with Christina Hendricks
and Anna Camp, and I could not be more excited! #LIFEISGOOD

Our shoot with Alysia Reiner of Orange is the New Black, took place in Tribeca in a historic building. We chatted with Louise Phillips Forbes, Licensed Senior Associate Real Estate Broker at Halstead Real Estate to find out more about this property, 119 Chambers St #2.

ATHLEISURE MAG: The layout of this apartment, as well as having an elevator that opens into the home, was definitely a great feature and made it fun to shoot our June celebrity cover - what can you tell us about this property?

LOUISE PHILLIPS FORBES: What’s not to love?! It’s the quintessential downtown New York apartment as depicted in TV and movies. A split-level loft boasting 2,240 square feet with 3 large bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, and soaring 14-foot wood beamed ceilings that take your breath away. Not to mention the awesome floor-to-ceiling windows facing south and the old-world exposed brick walls in the expansive great room that also has a wood-burning fireplace.
The open, contemporary kitchen is perfect for entertaining given the large marble-top breakfast bar, but it also features custom cabinetry and high-end, stainless steel appliances. A peaceful retreat, the master bedroom suite boasts a very large walk-in custom closet and serene spa-like bathroom with a double-sink vanity, deep soaking tub, and glass-enclosed shower. Stunning hardwood floors, recently purchased LG washer & dryer, ADT alarm system, and separate thermostats in each room

AM: What makes the building special and does it offer amenities for residents?

LPF: Built in 1858, the cast-iron building at 119 Chambers Street was fully renovated using high-end materials and finishes and converted to a condominium in 2008. It’s a boutique building with just 5 units total so privacy is assured. Each apartment has a substantial room-size
storage unit and there is a fitness room downstairs.

AM: Tell us about the neighborhood that is directly around this building.

LPF: Tribeca is a very diverse and friendly neighborhood where the big city feels more like a small town, and Chambers Street is in the heart of it all. Very walkable and also bike-friendly, this area is filled with charming cafes and fine dining options, boutique shops and luxury
retailers, galleries, fitness clubs, and several local parks. There’s even a Whole Foods just a few blocks away, and Starbucks is on the corner of the block. Plus public transportation is very convenient with many local and express subways nearby, and you have easy access to the
West Side Highway enabling you to get just about anywhere in the city efficiently. It’s an ideal location for New Yorkers.

AM: Tell us about who represents this property.

LPF: I am very honored to be the broker representing this exclusive listing. I have been working in residential real estate for more than 28 years and currently hang my hat at Halstead Real Estate’s Park Avenue office, where I’m proud to lead the firm’s #1 team. My portfolio of clients includes buyers, sellers, and luxury developers all over NYC, and my career sales are in excess of $3 Billion. I consider myself more of an educator, than a sales person, and it’s a privilege to be a part of this process with people, after all, your home is the base upon which the rest of your life is built.

AM: For those that are interested in purchasing this unit, how can they find out more information?

LPF: It would be very easy to call this lovely apartment home given that it’s move-in ready. Simply bring your toothbrush! To schedule an appointment, people can contact me directly and I will be happy to give them a private tour and discuss the purchasing details. I can be reached via email at lphillips@halstead.com or at 212-381-3329.

AM: Where can readers find out about additional properties that you represent?

LPF: Visit my website and click on the tab for “My Listings”. You can view pictures, 3D floor plans, and videos along with detailed descriptions of each property I’m working with from
downtown to uptown.

Read more from June Issue and see Our Fempire in mag with Alysia Reiner of Orange is the New Black.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LENS | A CONVERSATION WITH ED CARAEFF

When you think of some of rock and roll's iconic imagery from festivals, album covers and concerts, you may have seen some of the work of photographer Ed Caraeff who was there for some of music's major moments! With the release of his work in Burning Desire: The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Iggy & The Stooges: One Night at the Whisky 1970, we took a moment to find out more about this photographer, how he got into the industry and where he is now.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about your background and how you became a photographer.

ED CARAEFF: I was fifteen years old, in high school and taking a photography course. My school was two miles from Los Angeles International Airport. During lunch hour, I went to the airport and took photos of a band called The Seeds returning from tour. A smartly dressed woman tapped me on the shoulder, handed me her business card and asked to see the
photographs when developed. That was the beginning of a career I never knew existed!

AM: We know that in addition to photography, you are noted for doing a number of album cover art for iconic artists. What albums that you created have been some of your favorites?

EC: After years of being hired to photograph artists for album cover art, I started to first Art Direct the entire album packaging. Soon after, I learned how to do all the Graphic Design work as well - size the photos with stats, spec the type, paste-ups, etc. Since I also did my own
darkroom work, developing b & w and color film, making prints, I was one-stop shopping.
Never had an agent, portfolio, business card or a listed phone number.

I did hundreds of covers, too many to mention. I like most all of them ... never hung any on my wall.

AM: Tell us about Iggy Stooges: One Night at the Whisky 1970 - how did you get to be involved in this and what made the Whisky such a key place?

EC: I was hired by their NYC record company. Whisky was THE place, World Famous.

AM: It seems like your career can be credited with being a great photographer as well as being at the right place at the right time! How did you get the iconic shot of Jimi Hendrix?

EC: Exactly, thanks for mentioning that. I'm a very good photographer, same today with my iPhone. It comes very naturally, fast, smooth, kinda like Jimi playing his guitar, or anyone doing
something effortlessly.

The burning guitar shot was taken while standing on a chair I had snagged in photographer's pit and then jammed it up against the elevated stage. I had just turned 17 and had an authorized photography pass issued by the Monterey Pop Festival.

AM: Why was the Monterey Festival such a pivotal moment in music history?

EC: With the 50 Year Anniversary next month there's many expert opinions, I do believe. For me, it was the furthest I'd ever been from home without my parents. The Summer of Love in Southern California. Lots of great images to capture and I had use of my family's friends high end German camera.

AM: Of the people who you have had the opportunity to shoot, which ones crossed over from a professional relationship to one of friendship?

EC: Members of Three Dog Night, Cheech & Chong, Sergio Mendes, Elton John.

AM: What can you tell us about Jimi Hendrix as we love that your imagery showcases him on stage as well as just hanging out - what is it about this artist that drew so many people to him?

EC: Jimi had the style, the swag, the coolness, and backed it up with the genius talent. One of a kind.

AM: Besides shooting one of Jimi's most iconic moments, do you have a story/experience that you shared with him that you can share with us?

EC: Picking him up at his two story motel on the Sunset Strip, smoking a joint and driving to John and Michelle Phillip's Bel Air mansion to party was a memorable evening.

AM: Beyond working with some of rock's biggest artists, you also worked with artists such as Marvin Gaye - what was that like?

EC: Marvin was one of a very few I photographed that I was in awe of meeting. I was a big fan. He was not in a good mood, going thru a divorce, obligated to release an album by his father in law's (Berry Gordy) record company. Motown hired me to "replicate a place in Jamaica that
Marvin had just returned from." The photographs were never published. The cover used on "Here, My Dear," is a funky b & w illustration.

AM: Do you still have artists that you have yet to work with, but they are on your bucket list?

EC: No. I left working with artists to working with food while a single parent with two sons living in NYC in 1985.

I was a photographer, art director, graphic designer for 14 years and then answered an ad in The Sunday New York Times to become a chef. I got the job on east 48th near 2nd Ave and started a career as hands on chef, restauranteur for 27 years.

When I thought to do my bucket list, only one thing popped up and it was instantaneous. I started working so young, still in school, and worked continually. I missed out on spending time after graduating and wandering and sleeping in my vehicle. Low stress, Zen, lifestyle.

AM: How do you view the photography industry now in terms of the use of digital and even being able to break into the industry to work with notable artists?

EC: I love digital, apps, social media. I like not having to worry if I have enough or the right kinda film! You just remember to have battery life.

For me, great way to express myself. In terms of breaking into that industry - I shudder to think.

AM: We hear that you're on a bucket list journey. What made you want to do that?
 

EC: I had a health wake-up call in 2012. Also, I attended funerals for two long time friends in the same week. Learned I would become a grandfather, twice, by both my children within a five month period. My Cardiologist said of my bucket list trip, "If not now, when?"

Then it took me a year and half to make sure I really wanted to do it. Followed by another year and half to find loving homes for my pets, got rid of ALL my possessions, sell my home and even sell my photography archive. Because that too is "work," though I love my work.

June 15 will be two years I've lived 24/7 in a vintage VW Westfalia Van named "Moonbeam."

AM: Can we expect additional books of your photography to be released, and if so, what artists will it be?

EC: Yes. Next month, my Jimi Hendrix photographs, "Burning Desire" will be available. I'm grateful for the books I have and the future is uncertain.

Stay in touch with Ed Caraeff's bucket list trip on Instagram via @thebucketlisttrip

All photos are courtesy of Ed Caraeff

MAI TIME WITH JEANNIE MAI

Our issues are always filled with our faves and range in various areas that we are intrigued and enlightened by. We've been fans of Jeannie Mai ever since she appeared on the Style Network's "How Do I Look"? Her approach to making all women feel beautiful and comfortable in their own skin is such a refreshing one in an industry that is not known for embracing these values.

We had the chance to hangout with Jeannie and shoot her cover at NYC's 575 Park Avenue while finding out more about her style career, being a fashion correspondent as well as being one of the co-hosts of FOX's The Real. 

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about your background as we remember you first from your days on Style Network 'How Do I Look' and your use of 'wearapy'. Share with our readers what wearapy is.

JEANNIE MAI: My mom taught me that my style is my business card. After I graduated high school I was teaching women in my hometown of San Jose on how to dress for their body type and helping celebrities perfect their makeup for the stage. I knew my message to brand your beauty needed to be taught to millions, so I moved to LA to promote that message. I was honored to take on being the host of "How Do I Look" and began teaching my philosophy about "wearapy" - the idea that you can change your opportunities from the outside in. 

AM: We know that you started as a MUA. Share your path from transitioning from a Celebrity MUA, to a Stylist to an on air personality.

JM: Makeup is the most inexpensive tool you can use to transform your image. Again, my mom was a key player in teaching me all the power that comes in owning what's most unique about me. I marketed myself well throughout the Bay Area as a makeup artist and stylist and was blessed to be at the right place, at the right time...while I stayed prepared for my moment. I went from painting faces of stars like Christina Aguilera, Cyndi Lauper, and Alicia Keys to styling them whenever they needed because at the time there were no assigned stylists from record labels. While I enjoyed helping celebs, empowering everyday women was my passion. So I moved to LA to begin sharing my message on television.
 
AM: You have a number of shows you're a part of! Tell us about The Real - what was the process like to getting a spot as one of the co-hosts and what is it about this talk show format that is so exciting for you?
 
JM: The Real is the sickest celebration of authenticity and girl power in a daily talk show. I am thrilled to work beside Tamera Mowry Housley, Loni Love, and Adrienne Houghton - we are a dream team. Don't get me wrong, it's hard work and we don't rest until we put our hearts out there at our Girl Chat table every single day. But what's most exciting is listening to our fans and hearing the incredible stories of lives being changed and affected through our stories of truth and progress to be our best.

AM: The fashion industry is glamorous, but it's also one that many find is harsh in terms of over photoshopping, representing diversity, weight etc - we have always been struck by how you represent and carry the message of women being comfortable in the bodies that they are in - do you feel that you are a role model for this and what led you to representing this acceptance/platform?

JM: I am the best role model for me. At 38 years young I embrace all it took for me to really enjoy the body I'm in and the woman I live to be. I wouldn’t be keeping it real if I didn't say I haven't touched a photoshopping app or struggled with my image, but being a woman means owning the right to do what makes you fabulous as long as it helps you serve your mission in life. 

AM: We love #MaiTips - share 3 of your tips with us on achieving great effortless summer style and what are 3 tips that we should consider when we go to summer weddings?  
 
JM: I have 3 tips that can work for both!

1. Invest in head wraps, scarves, and hair accessories. It’s the most effective piece to pull an outfit together, frames your face, and is always a classic stylish touch.
 
2. Before leaving the house work on the best poses and stride with your outfit and shoes. After all, it’s all about making an entrance and a lasting impression in pics!
 
3. Use deodorant not just under your arms, but behind your knees, inside your elbows, and down your cleavage as well. Nothing worse than feeling sweat after sitting in the sun, especially at a wedding, but a little help in those areas help you feeling dry and fresh day to night.
 

AM: You're always on the go, what are your must haves to travel with in terms of makeup, snacks and style finds?
 
JM:- Makeup: Minnavi skin care masks are a must for hydration and luminescence, they have a time release of nutrients that keep my skin in check through any type of weather. I use them religiously before any red carpet or date night with the hubs!
 
- Snacks: Chia seeds are necessary for energy and digestive health & Dang coconut chips are delish as a healthy fat and sweet!   
 
- Style Finds: I am addicted to eyewear. I purchase glasses from every city I visit, and love how every style frame can add instant sophistication to my looks.
 
AM: With the summer upon us, how can we get a great glow for our skin to have that sun goddess kissed look?

JM: See my Minnavi skin care tip above. No really, these masks save lives. Prep it with Tulura skin oil (both the serum and the oil set) and I swear you will skip foundation. 

AM: Do you have any travel plans this summer?

JM: I'm thrilled to be executive producing and shooting my series of "How Do I Look Asia" in Singapore that will be airing in 33 countries, and taking mom to Sri Lanka and Korea after. The girls and I from "The Real" will be going on vacay this summer, and my besties Jerrod Blandino and Jeremy Johnson from Too Faced Cosmetics and I will be headed to Italy immediately following that trip. 

Did I mention I’m obsessed with travel?
 

AM: As a busy woman, how do you achieve a balance between work, life in general and assessing your own needs for personal time to recharge?

JM: First and foremost I start my day with a prayer of expectation of what's to come, and I end my day with gratitude for the unexpected. I feel that balances me for anything to come that day. Second, I prioritize spending time with what’s most important to me, like my husband, my family, the outdoors, great friends, and a really good Old Fashioned at the end of it all!

AM: What projects are you working on at the moment that you can share with us and where will we see you next? 

JM: I have an exciting project I'm working on with my awesome Mama Mai, I'm writing a book, starting a YouTube series, and we have a whole new side to "The Real" coming out for you next season!

AM: If there are additional items that you would like to share with us, please feel free to share!

JM: I appreciate the heck out of Athleisure Mag for taking this time and can't wait to hear more from your readers. Please do connect with me on my socials so we can keep in touch! Mad love.
 

AM: We loved creating this shoot for so many reasons and another character that plays throughout the luxury apartment's unit 1507 at 575 Park Ave, which had great touches that brought an additional layer of character to our cover shoot! We interviewed Louise Phillips Forbes, Licensed Senior Associate Real Estate Broker at Halstead Property in Manhattan.

LOUISE PHILLIPS FORBES: It’s simply stunning! I absolutely love the renovation that was done here. There is an abundance of designer details and high-end finishes that discerning buyers really appreciate.  Plus it has open city views, including Park Avenue, and sun-drenched rooms throughout so it’s a delight to be in day or night.  It also has a well-proportioned floor plan with separate bedroom wings providing ultimate privacy.  Entertaining here is a pleasure with a loft-like great room that beautifully combines living and dining. The living room boasts a decorative fireplace and thoughtfully designed custom built-in bookshelves, while the dining area is complemented by a built-in banquette flanked by crafted custom display cases. The bold designer choices in the kitchen are very chic, featuring a stunning mosaic tile floor, dark custom cabinetry, black granite counter tops, and high-end appliances. It looks like something right out of the pages of Architectural Digest.

AM: Tell us about who represents this property.

LPF: I am very honored to be the broker representing this exclusive listing.  I have been working in residential real estate for more than 28 years and currently hang my hat at Halstead Property’s Park Avenue office, where I’m proud to lead the firm’s #1 team.  My portfolio of clients includes buyers, sellers, and luxury developers all over NYC and my career sales are in excess of $3 billion.  I consider myself more of an educator than a sales person and it’s a privilege to be a part of this process with people, after all, your home is the base upon which the rest of your life is built.

AM: The interiors of this property really made us feel at home, who were the interior decorators of this space?

LPF: I agree, it is a sophisticated aesthetic but still very warm and inviting, a home you feel comfortable in.  That is credit to the current owners, an elegant husband and wife team who love to entertain and appreciate family time. They had a vision for the renovation and made it a reality.  She is a graduate of Parsons School of Design so it’s her impeccable taste reflected in the interior design choices throughout, but he also has a discerning eye and would consider himself a collaborator in the final result.  I’ve had the pleasure of working with them on several transactions in the city and I’ve thought each of their apartments was designed to perfection, but this one is very special.

AM: What amenities are offered in this building for residents?

LFP: Built in 1927, The Beekman is an elegant residence designed by George F. Pelham with an Italian Renaissance style that embodies a global lifestyle. Pied-a-terres are permitted and the full-service, white-glove amenities include: 24-hour doorman, concierge, valet, maid service (five days a week and monthly thorough cleaning), fitness room, central laundry room, private storage, engineering staff, and an onsite building manager who is terrific. Situated on Park Avenue at 63rd Street, the building is also home to the alluring French restaurant, Vaucluse, Chef Michael White's masterpiece serving impeccable food with an interior fashioned by Meyer Davis, that beautifully integrates contemporary design elements with the natural grace emblematic of Provence.

AM: Tell us about the neighborhood that is directly around the building.

LFP: The coveted location is convenient to Central Park, fine dining and charming cafes, luxury boutique shopping, art galleries, museums, and gourmet grocers. Plus Equinox is just one block away and there is public transportation nearby if needed.

AM: For those that are interested in purchasing this unit, how can they find out more information? 

LFP: It would be very easy to call this lovely apartment home given that it’s move-in ready.  Simply bring your toothbrush ;)

To schedule an appointment, people can contact me directly and I will be happy to show them the apartment and discuss the purchasing details.  I can be reached via email at lphillips@halstead.com or at 212-381-3329. 

AM: Where can readers find out about additional properties that you represent?

LFP: Visit my website and click on the tab for “My Listings.” You can view pictures and videos along with detailed descriptions of each property I’m working with.

Read more from the May Issue and Mai Time with Jeannie Mai as well as more info on the unit we shot in via our chat with Louise Philips Forbes of Halstead in mag.

POWER LAYER WITH MEGAN FOX

When Megan Fox hit the big screen, we were struck with her beauty. Without question, she has lit up a number of blockbuster franchises, including Transfomers as well as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This mother of 3 to 90210’s Brian Austen Green is now the Global Brand Ambassador, designer as well as the Co-Founder of Frederick’s of Hollywood! With a Spring 2017 collection that is out now, she is also currently designing the first Frederick’s of Hollywood X Megan Fox premier capsule collection for holiday - we’re definitely going to have to put this into our rotation of looks. It almost seems like this new addition to her portfolio is completely expected as she has been obsessed with Marilyn Monroe (she even has a tattoo of her), who used to work with the brand as well. 

We chatted wit Megan to find out how this mom does it all as the face and lacy mogul to the brand as well as how she was able to rock out the sexy looks in just a few months of giving birth!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Prior to joining Frederick’s of Hollywood, had you ever felt connected to this brand? 

MEGAN FOX: I was raised in a very conservative religious family, which didn’t allow me to express myself, and I always fought against that. I finally moved to L.A., at 17 for pilot season. I remember going to the Frederick’s store on Hollywood Boulevard and being excited! They had stuff in there that I would have NEVER had access to where I lived with my family. I mean, that’s what you do when you have a really strict family, you rebel and you do whatever makes their skin crawl. I wanted the sexiest stuff I could find! It was a very empowering moment for me, to use my money that I earned and buy things that no one else might see me wear — but I was going to wear them and feel powerful.

AM: So how did this partnership between you and Frederick’s of Hollywood come about?

MF: I had a meeting with Authentic Brands Group, who acquired Frederick's, and they were going to be relaunching the brand, and part of that meeting was about not just wanting to pay me to be the face of a company, but to give me part ownership, which would come with some creative control and the ability to design my own collection. Most people don’t get that kind of an opportunity. I didn’t see myself as a lingerie designer, but I thought it would be a fun challenge.

AM: Speaking of design challenges, how are you tackling creating the line for those that wear it?

MF: In designing something, it needs to be something that looks good on every shape and size. You want someone who is a 32A to be able to wear the same thing who is a 36G. Everyone wants to be able to wear something that makes them feel sexy and empowered!

AM: What do you forsee in your partnership with Frederick’s of Hollywood?

MF: You can say that I’ve lived in lingerie for most of my career. I understand how you can wear it for intimate moments as well as on the world’s stage! I’m always supportive of empowering women, especially when you’re talking about lingerie as it has a history of existing solely to excite or engage a man, and the woman is lost in that process. We need to change, or reverse that--not Frederick's alone, but society in general. We also need to make lingerie something that you can wear; something that’s daywear or nightwear to wear with clothes. I don’t want some thing that I can only wear on special occasions. Those things are fun, but I do want access to stuff that I can wear and make fashionable.

AM: So after having your third baby, Journey, you did the photoshoot for the Spring 2017 campaign that was shot by celeb photographer, Ellen Von Unwerth in the Hollywood Hills, how did you get camera ready?

MF: I have been a client of Harley Pasternak’s for years! I worked out in a healthy way during my pregnancy. I know how active I can be so that I don’t overdue it and then modified as needed. Because of that, I was able to ease back into working out pretty quickly. I did the same exercises pre-baby that are a part of Harley’s Five Factor workouts (There are 5 phases: a minimum five minute cardio warm-up, a lower body sculpting exercise, an upper body toning exercise, then an abdominal sculpting exercise, and finally, a five minute cool down. We tried to have her do minimal impact. Post-baby there shouldn’t be a lot of jumping up and down). When I couldn’t leave the baby to come to the gym, I did his video game (Harley Pasternak’s Hollywood Workout). I eat really well and love using the blender. He has a number of smoothie recipes and my favorite is the red smoothie, which is whatever berries are in season, Chai tea, a scoop of protein powder and little bit of almond milk. 

AM: How was it shooting the campaign post baby? 

MF: It’s an interesting challenge, because it doesn't matter how cleanly you eat or how much you work out or how well you take care of yourself — you’ve still just had a human being pass through your body and things are not going to be exactly the way they were before. I was a little worried, but then I put them on and I had this moment where it made me appreciate my body. I hadn’t been wearing lingerie before that, and I looked in the mirror, and I was like, the fact that I look this way after having a baby is a miracle, and I was thankful, and it gave me a little boost of confidence.

As a woman, you wouldn’t anticipate it having that effect but I think every woman should put it on at home before they’re ready and you may be surprised to see your body in ways they weren’t anticipating.

AM: So we know that you rock lingerie like none other, when you’re not wearing that, what is your style? 

MF: Every time I have a baby, I feel more comfortable in my body. After gaining and losing the weight, I feel accomplished about getting into better shape so I go through a phase of wearing super sexy stuff! But the practical part of it is that there is no time to plan your outfits, what happens is you end up in a lot of activewear!
 

Megan mentioned that she works out with celebrity fitness trainer, Harley Pasternak and does his Five Factor Workout. If you're looking to stun like Megan (who has been named as Most Beautiful Woman by Maxim), we suggest including this into your routine as this is a sample of his noted workout!

WARMUP: Five minutes on the bike or treadmill

LOWER BODY: Skater Lunge

Cross your right leg behind your left leg as you bend your left knee into a half-squat position. Extend your left arm out to the side and swing your right arm across your hips. Hop a few feet directly to the right, switching the position of your legs and arms. Repeat on opposite side.

UPPER BODY: Supine Triceps Extension

Lie face up on a bench with your arms raised straight above you, a weight in each hand; slowly lower them to the sides of your forehead and repeat.

ABDOMINAL SCULPTING: Superman

Lay on your stomach with your legs and arms fully extended. Slowly, contract your lower back and raise your legs and arms off the ground. Then lower them back down.

COOL-DOWN: Five minutes on stationary bike

Do 20 repetitions of each upper body, lower body, and abs and cycle through those three exercises non-stop, repeating that circuit four times. NOTE: Each day of the week she would come in and do different body parts at least three days a week.
 

Read more from the April Issue and see Power Layer with Megan Fox in mag.

WE ARE SPORTSCENTER

We grew up watching ESPN to catch highlights of our favorite games and to see what was going on in the world of sports. Without a doubt, SportsCenter is the essential destination to stay in the loop on whatever games are taking place in the world. Regardless of the time slot that you're viewing it on, it's the anchors that become extensions of your sports action, friends and family. 

There's always something amazing going on in the world of sports; however, we were pumped to head to the headquarters of ESPN during the NFL's Free Agency and right before Selection Sunday of March Madness! Being in the midst of the energy, history, bumping into sports analysts, former coaches and more was definitely exhilarating and a lot of fun!

We are thrilled to profile and share the journey of these anchorwomen of SportsCenter, from what stations they came through, what their timeslot of SportsCenter is like, how they feel the state of women in sports/sports media is and how they balance life. We enjoyed shooting, styling and chatting with them in their world (at work, working out and outside of work) and sharing it with their fans! 

Although we didn't talk to all of the anchorwomen of SportsCenter, we enjoyed walking in the shoes of Sarina Morales, Toni Collins, and Dianna Russini - three women who lead busy lives covering up to the minute stories, prepping before they are on air and living their lives.

ANCHORWOMAN | SARINA MORALES

SPORTSCENTER @ 7AM

ATHLEISURE MAG: We see you on SportsCenter and everyone has a story of how they got to this point, can you tell us where you're from, what college you went to, what stations you came through and whether these jobs were in sports coverage or other areas?

SARINA MORALES: I’m from the Bronx, New York. Woot woot! I went to Syracuse University. Whose house? Newhouse. As for my job path, that’s a good question. I don’t even know how to answer this because mine was definitely the road less traveled. When I started at ESPN someone was like 'Oh, where did you come from?’ And I was like, ‘Oh, I’m from New York City.’ And they were like, ‘No, what station did you work at?’ And I was like, ‘Oh, I came from National Geographic.’  They were just like, ‘Oh … OK.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, what’s the big deal?’ But I had never progressed on the so-called natural track.

A little background: I practically moved to London after graduation because it was 2008, the market crashed and I couldn’t get a job. When I came back to New York, I applied to be Nike's field reporter. It was a new position where I would get to interview all of their Nike athletes. Ethically, traditionally, you didn’t take these jobs as a journalist. But I understood what Nike was trying to achieve, being that they’re pretty innovative and creative with the way that they approach commercials and their technology and whatnot; this was a brand actually allowing a reporter to get inside access and create content.

I worked for Nike for a little over a year. And then after Nike I applied to News Channel 12 in the Bronx thinking. 'All right, here is my moment. I'm going to get a reporting gig and start my career in journalism.' And apparently that Nike job hurt me in a sense. They thought it was branded. They were like, ‘Well, you’ve interviewed all these celebrities, why would you want to work in local television?’ I was like, 'because I want to grow my work as a reporter and I want to start my career in sports.’ They said no and I ended up working at an investment bank to pay the bills.

The path from there was disjointed: Sideline reporter for Verizon Fios on the side, covering high school basketball in Staten Island. Then TruTV as a digital coordinator where I worked on shows like ‘Impractical Jokers,’ which was super fun, but I had limited job growth.

A year after working at TruTV, I came to a crossroads where I had an offer from CNN’s new morning show as a production assistant and an offer from National Geographic Channel as a social media coordinator at the same time. It was a risk for me to turn down the CNN job, because again, since graduating from Syracuse, all I wanted to do was to be a sports reporter, and yet, something in my gut told me to take the job with Nat Geo. So I moved to Washington D.C. 

At the time, the VP who oversaw the marketing department said to me, ‘Listen, I know you want to work in sports, I know you want to be a sports reporter and be on TV, but I think you can find some fulfillment in this position. If you can work in sports in this job, do it. If you can do so some on-camera work and do interviews, then do it.’ So I did just that. I would tweet from the Nat Geo Wild account on Sundays like, ‘All right, the Chicago Bears aren’t playing all that well, but we’ve got real bears playing really well on Nat Geo Wild.’ 

I looked at the job so differently. I was helping grow the social media accounts for their Sunday programming.

In the year and a half I was with them, I was promoted from a temporary, to full-time social media coordinator, and ended up being a manager of the social media accounts at Nat Geo. I worked on the Nat Geo ‘90s special, I grew their Facebook page on Nat Geo Wild from 300,000 followers to 6 million in just over a year that I was there.

I was just so fully involved in the social media job at Nat Geo that people were like, ‘Let’s give Sarina some opportunities to host the talent show. Let’s give Sarina the opportunity to be the face of this ‘Explorers’ contest.’ And it was that contest that caught the eye of Rob King at SportsCenter at ESPN. He brought me in for an interview. He saw that video I did for Nat Geo because I uploaded it to YouTube.

And ESPN, what great timing, kind of saw that I had some value with my background in social media, my background in journalism and my background in sports that that would be a really good combination to come and work at ESPN.

So, no stations, just a lot of random jobs that kind of made me a good fit for ESPN.

AM: Were you an athlete in college and if so - what sport?

SM: So, I never made it to the collegiate level playing softball or baseball or volleyball - I played those throughout highschool. But I did play baseball in the Bronx for 10 years growing up. From age 7 to 17, I played. You know, at first it’s cute, right? There’s a little girl playing and there might be a few sprinkled around the league out of an 8-10 team league. There were fewer and fewer of them as I got older. By the time I was 14 there were two and they were both on the same team – it was me and this other girl. And then 15, 16, 17 I was on my own. I played in a league outside of my highschool.

I thought I was going to play college softball until I popped my hamstring my junior year, which is usually when athletes get recruited to go to college. I practiced with the baseball team at DeWitt Clinton High School my junior and senior years. So I was practicing with the baseball team, playing on the softball team. I came back and I had a really strong senior year playing softball, so I got looked at by other colleges, but no D-1 schools. At that point, I realized that if an injury like this can come pretty easily and take me out for a season, then I really need to focus on academics. So no, I never played college-level softball, but my dream before really focusing on journalism was to become the first female to play for the Yankees. I was going to take Bernie Williams’ spot in centerfield for the Yankees. It didn’t happen, so I went to Newhouse instead.

AM: When did you first realize that you loved sports and how did you know that that would be a career for you?

SM: The first time I realized I loved sports was – I can’t remember the precise day – I guess I was 5- or 6-years old and I was watching Saturday morning cartoons with my father. I was sitting on the couch with him. Usually, my mom would kick me off the couch and have me go play Legos or whatever after Saturday morning cartoons were done because she didn’t want us watching TV all day. My dad would stay though, because on weekends they would have afternoon Yankee games – Saturday or Sunday 1 o’clock games. So one day, I sat next to him and stayed. I was like, ‘I’m not going to move. I’m going to see what’s going on. I’m going to sit on the couch with Pa.' It was good family time, so maybe my mom decided to not kick me off the couch. Once I realized I what I had achieved, I was like, ‘All right. I beat the system. This is good.’ The wise 5-6 year old in me hung out watching baseball with him, and naturally, I just started asking questions. The inquisitive mind wanted to know: ‘What’s that white thing called?’ And he’s like, ‘That’s a base.’ And I was like, ‘What does that do?’ And he was like, ‘Look at this 5-year old child asking random questions.’ I was like, ‘Who is No. 23?’ He goes, ‘Oh, that’s Don Mattingly!'

I asked him enough questions and I beat the system to where on weekends I was always sitting down after cartoons and watching afternoon Yankees games with my dad.  So it was great that after a couple of summers my dad was like, ‘Maybe I should put my daughter on a team.’ 

I caught this one ball that was hit to me one game and I earned my spot in leftfield for the first baseball team I played for. We won the championship my first year playing baseball for the Marlins. It was the best feeling to win and to beat everyone and know we were the best team. The best feeling was the smell of the grass, dirtying my white pants and putting stirrups on and kind of started to learn superstitions. I had to have my stirrups washed with my socks laid out before the game a certain way. My dad would buy me new cleats almost every season and I had to have my batting glove on one hand and not the other. It was the best feeling in the world to have that ball, catch it where the glimpse of sun would hit it as it falls into your leather glove. It’s just the best feeling. And that awesome summer breeze and the ice cream truck music would play and people would be shouting different things. You’d see people peeking through the metal fence to watch at Harris Field in the Bronx. I just fell in love with it. There’s nothing better than the noises and the smells and when that ball connects with that bat and the timing is just right, when you’re using aluminum bats, that clink is both scary and then exciting. Because it's like, OK, you're either running to catch that ball in the outfield and diving to make the best catch ever or you’re the one making that contact and you know it’s going to drop in the perfect spot and you’re going to get to second base. So, I knew by 6- 7-years old that I wanted to be in sports somehow.

The career was going to be, Bernie Williams, see you later: Here comes Morales, starting center field for the Yankees. I still didn’t decide on a walk-up song or anything.

AM: Even in 2017 we still focus on women in media - especially in sports and how we continue to break barriers - where are we in our journey as a collective?

SM: I think we’re in the middle somewhere. The norm is now a woman is allowed to be on TV and talk about sports. And that is something that is becoming more normal. But it's all forward-facing jobs. I’m just seeing at ESPN us getting female producers. It is becoming normal to see two female anchors hosting SportsCenter together. Forget what tweets they’re going to receive and the criticism that they’re getting, it is something at least more normal and accepted. It’s funny, a friend of mine said the other day that we had hyped up a lot having four females on ‘Around the Horn’ for the first time ever this year, in 2017. And we hyped it up. It’s a big deal. And it is. It’s a huge deal to have four females being guests on Around the Horn. But we are in 2017. So we’re definitely not to the point where it’s normal to have that, which is absolutely ridiculous with the amount of females covering sports now. Forward-facing talent, we’re getting there. I don’t think we’re anywhere close to equality in terms of  
we're still going to see all the criticism.
We’re still going to get more comments about our looks than about what we're actually saying an the words that we use. I don’t think you really hear a lot of women doing play-by-play.

The producers, people who are making business decisions and higher up producers making larger content decisions, I don’t think there’s been a lot of opportunity for women there. And until there is someone that breaks that mold, the first person that does it is going to have the most difficult time. I'm so impressed by someone like Linda Cohn or Chris McKendry or Robin Roberts, Hannah Storm and Suzy Kolber - these women were pioneers. It's just so difficult, I can’t even imagine. But they made it so that it is normal for me to be on SportsCenter. Which is crazy. It’s just the generation before. So, I would say we’re in the middle if not lower middle. Low meaning we haven’t gotten anywhere and high meaning this is the best and it’s equal all around. So we’re not there yet. We’ve made improvements, but women in sports media are far from the norm.

AM: Who were your mentors that assisted you in getting to where you are today? 

SM: I would say I have two mentors, now three. But my first was Harold Tamara. I interned for him while I was at Syracuse. Harold did not go to Syracuse, but I worked with him in digital media one summer when I was in school and he was so supportive as a mentor because he pushed me to think critically. He was the one who told me to get on Twitter. He was like, ‘If you want to do storytelling, then here’s another vehicle for you to do storytelling.’ He put me on to do interviews for different digital projects that he was working on and he just took chances on me. He showed me so much respect and taught me to think in unconventional ways. He pushed me to go study abroad. He pushed me to think critically, to think ethically. And so, Harold long term is still a mentor to me today. He’s helped me when I think about stories. He’s helped me when I did an interview with Laurie Hernandez recently. He talked me through the piece that I wrote for The Undefeated.

Another mentor is Hayes Tauber who was one of the people that hired me at National Geographic. He said, ‘Take the job at National Geographic. Be the social media coordinator here and then move up and make the space that you need and make the job that you need it to be so that you feel fulfilled and we can help you grow personally.’ And right now, Adnan Virk who is on ESPN is another mentor to me. He’s the one who has kind of made sure that I’m meeting with the right people at ESPN. He’s being critical of my work and giving me support when he thinks I've done well and talks me through questions that I’ve had being new in the journalism space – or I should say ‘conventional’ journalism space – because I when I look back at my work, I’ve been practicing certain aspects of journalism this whole time. It just wasn’t conventional. He’s been very supportive here at ESPN.

It’s funny that it’s been three men who have made the most impact but I’ve said this many times before, I think women can’t be their own cheerleaders because we’re fighting for our own selves to make space. I can say that Linda Cohn has certainly been a mentor to me in giving me advice here and there, but for long-term purposes it’s been three different men and again, that’s critical because those are the
guys who can speak up for women because they have a voice that women don’t have still.

AM: SportsCenter is such an iconic show - tell us about what you do, your time slot and what's a day like on an off the set?

SM: My job for the last year at ESPN has been co-hosting on SportsCenter A.M. with Kevin Negandhi, Jay Harris, Jaymee Sire and the newest and very valued member, Randy Scott.  So there are five of us on the show. It's been a year now, or just over a year, of being a part of that show and working with great producers like Mark Eiseman; Heath Henry – he’s the CP of the show; Scott Clark helped us launch the show.

It was the first time we ever did such an early SportsCenter. It will be part of SportsCenter and ESPN history and that is such a big deal. So, every day I wake up at 3 o’clock in the morning. I get ready and I’m in to work between 4 and 4:30 in the morning and I’m looking at the rundowns. It’s a three-hour show, so there’s a lot of stuff that needs to get in there, but we get to digest and break down the bigger stories in sports, which is great.

Plus, we’re the first SportsCenter that people are waking up to. We used to just re-air Stan Verrett and Neil Everett overnight until the 9 a.m. SportsCenter, so this is great that we’re starting at 7 a.m. I go through the rundown when I arrive and see all the stories that we’re going to talk about. I’ll write in leads to video. I’ll do some extra research for some of my shot sheets that I’ll use to talk through highlights. If there are things that aren’t in there, this is the time before the show to question it. Like, ‘Hey, overnight I saw X, Y, Z …’ There was a day that Simone Manuel became the First African American female swimmer to win a gold medal in swimming at the Olympics. To me that was a huge deal. Yet her story wasn’t in the top of the show and I felt strongly about her being on the top of the show so that was something that we had a discussion about after she won. Michael Phelps had also won his Xth gold medal, but at the time I thought that was really important, her making history. There was a time when you had segregated pools, now you have this woman, the first black woman to win a gold medal for team U.S.A. in the Olympics. I felt like that was so important and needed to be in the top of the show because, again, as SportsCenter, as the first show in the morning, we set the tone for everyone else in sports that day and to have that understanding  is important. We have to really hold ourselves accountable to set the tone for the rest of the sports day. So, it's a great position to be in. I suggested the story, we got that in. So that is the first part of the day. From 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. it's working on the show and executing all of that on the show. After that, we have a post-show meeting. I might have some meetings that will take me to maybe noon and then I’ll go home and take care of my personal life and naps and start my work day, again, at 6 o’clock, 7 o’clock at night where I regroup with the producers on a big e-mail chain about who is going to be on our show the next day. I put on the TV, I watch SportsCenter or I put on whatever game I want to watch and take some notes. I go on the internet and see what stories are growing. And then whoever is our guest that day, I’ll put together some questions for them. So we start the production process overnight and we have a great overnight crew that also puts in stories. They’re watching games for us if we’re not up to watch them. So the workday is broken into two parts. It’s a long day and it takes a lot of work, but because we have such a great crew and everyone is working and putting into the show, it kind of makes you feel like the work that you do matters.

AM: How do you juggle your personal life against the demands of ever changing news?

SM: It’s super difficult to juggle the two and I’m really bad at juggling, so there’s that. It’s really about the people that you keep around you. So luckily for me, Jaymee Sire being on the show with me is one my first friends that I had at ESPN. ESPN is such a huge company. There’s about 4,000 people just on the Bristol campus alone so being where you’re working, a lot of people just end up being friends with people at work. And at that point, there’s an understanding of, ‘Sarina is getting up to work at 3 in the morning, she can’t go have dinner with us.’ That’s a basic understanding. Dating is very difficult. I think that finding someone who works in sports and understands sports has been extremely valuable to me and also we can talk about everything.

Dating someone who understands my job and the demands has made it a lot easier because if that wasn’t the case, I’d be pretty miserable. My family, my mother has been super supportive. She’ll watch the show from her phone. My boyfriend wakes up every morning to watch the show and watch it with me, almost. As he wakes up, he watches it and gives me feedback on things throughout the three hours. If he sees something that he thinks works for the show, he’ll send it to me overnight. So having someone who knows the workload, who understands the sports world, who understands my job makes it a lot easier to then fit in those personal spots in the rest of my life. It’s so much more clear and easy. And again, having Jaymee, who is one of my closest friends here and at ESPN, to work with her Monday through Friday, to have our dinners on Wednesday nights, once a week we meet up and just kind of hash out and relax and the understanding of, ‘Hey, let’s have dinner at 4 o’clock,’ is not an odd thing to request because we’re both on the same schedule. So it’s really about the people that you keep in your life and those people have been very, very, very supportive. I couldn’t do all of these things without supportive people. That has made my life so much better and made my career and my career growth stronger in a lot of ways because I’ve had people who are strong for me when I can’t be.

AM: Who are your favorite teams?

SM: Oh, easy. The Yankees, Bronx Bombers, let’s go, pinstripes. The Knicks, which has been tough over the years but I always brag about the ‘90s Knicks with Charles Oakley and Anthony Mason (R.I.P. to Anthony Mason) and Ewing and Starks, that team, what the Knicks did for me was just taught me to just be such a hustler and to work hard. Just that mentality of New York. And the Yankees have always been an example of how to win. Being a kid and a Yankees fan, it taught me the winning mentality of you can be down in the ninth inning and win the World Series if you have Mariano Rivera pitching for you. So I learned a winning mentality from the Yankees. The hustler in me is definitely from the New York Knicks.

And the Giants, they’re just a stress factor, but it makes the football season really interesting. And obviously, clearly, probably the most influential team in my later years is the Syracuse basketball team. My eyes were drawn after the 2003 NCAA championship that they won. I applied to Syracuse in 2003 and it was apparently the hardest year to get into Syracuse, the year that I got in, because everyone applied and everyone wanted to go to Syracuse after winning a basketball title. So that was huge for me. Syracuse Basketball, another stress in my life, but for the better and going to the Final Four last year was such a great experience. Syracuse basketball keeps me busy all year round.

AM: March Madness is here - what's that like and how does it affect your normal day to day as you head into the office?

SM: March Madness is the greatest thing that’s ever touched the world of sports, besides the Yankees. I love March. It’s my favorite month. It’s one of those things where you just never know what’s going to happen. The games are exciting. I love watching these Cinderella teams trying to make their way to the second rounds, to the Sweet 16, to the Elite Eight. And it’s one-game elimination. It’s a genius, genius way to get basketball fans excited. The Thursdays and Fridays that they have all the games, that weekend, it’s great to work at ESPN, because I usually would have to take off from work for those days to watch all those games and now everybody has got a TV at their desk. You can just watch these games and it’s been so great to work at ESPN where everyone will have their TVs on. Everyone will watch them around lunchtime in the cafeteria so it’s like a joint force of excitement. People are all watching like, ‘Oh! Put on this one! This game is crazy! Oh, this one is close!’ There’s always a buzzer beater. There’s always one where it’s like, ‘How did this one happen?’ I had Michigan State last year going to the Final Four and with them losing in the first round, it made me feel a lot better about life because even though my bracket was messed up, then Syracuse had a shot of actually making it to the Final Four. So, it’s just so great. It makes my job more interesting and I’m very grateful to have the job because I get to watch sports and this is like the best time of the year to watch sports.

I actually went down to Brooklyn to take over the Syracuse social media accounts for the ACC Tournament. So here’s an example of this time of year making my job a little stressful. I went on SportsCenter that morning at the normal time, so got in at 4-4:30, did the show, left at 10 a.m. and drove over two hours to Brooklyn to watch Syracuse play Miami and I did a Syracuse Athletics Snapchat takeover, being the super fan that I am. I got to take in the game and be a storyteller again and that was a cool perspective, because I was able to panic for my team as well as show what panic looked on other fans’ faces as well. And then after the game, I had an even longer drive back to Connecticut to do the show the next day, I mean, I worked a very, very long 16-hour day to take in college hoops, but it’s so worth it. To be there live, that was a close game Syracuse had against Miami. We lost, but seeing Jim Boeheim at the press conference after the game and hearing typical Jim Boeheim comments, it was all great, it was all worth it. And it was fun to be able to do storytelling again via Snapchat.

AM: For this feature, we included Dianna and Toni - how much, if at all do you cross paths in terms of being on set, working on projects etc?

SM: Dianna works in the evenings, and Toni works on the shows right after I do. So it’s sort of like me and then Toni and then Dianna as far as like the timeslots. So because of that, I don’t have opportunities to work with them directly on any specific projects, but it is nice that we can throw support at each other. I tossed to a great piece that Toni Collins worked on just the other day, with the Dominican Republic World Baseball Classic team and how important that team is to the community and raising money and just the community feeling good about themselves as something that gives the community hope. After the show she walked past me in the hallway and said, ‘Hey, thanks for promoting my piece.’ I was like, ‘Absolutely.’ Again, we don’t get to work on projects necessarily, but we can support each other, because it’s a rolling day. At least we have it spread out. It’s not like they threw all the women together in one time of the day. We’re spread out so we can take the day and support each other throughout a 24-hour period.

AM: During our shoot, we shot you guys working out - tell us about your workout routine and how you stay fit? What are 3 exercises that we should do for tones arms, abs and legs? 

SM: It’s difficult for me to work out with these hours because I used to wake up and work out first thing in the morning. But because the sun isn’t out, I don’t run outside before work. So after work I’ll usually try to get in a run. Especially during spring and summer, I’ll run outside. I did two half marathons last year. I can’t even count anymore, how many half-marathons I’ve run. I ran the New York City Marathon I think four years ago. So, running is my escape and it kind of fills  the competitive void that I have, that I used to satiate playing baseball. Running for me has been a great sport that I’ve found that I can work on individually. I’m trying to pick up golf and I’ve been doing a lot of yoga in the early evenings. So I say a mixture of yoga and running have been my two things that I do to keep in shape and to keep mentally healthy as well. I think those two sports are good for both. I also go to the batting cages, too. You can find me in New Britain hitting 80mph balls on a good day.
 

Three things that I do: For legs, I would start with any squat. I’m big on squats. So, jumping squats or something with a weight, holding a dumbbell and doing a squat. Sitting in a chair position I think is great. Or any kind of jumping in general I’m big on for your legs, because it also exhausts the rest of your body. You’re getting your heart rate up. Another all-body workout is jumping rope. I’ll even do it in front of the TV in my apartment while I’m watching a game.

For abs, I do an elevated crunch. So I just balance myself on either a Bosu ball or a place where I need to keep my balance and then do a crunch that way. I think planks are great for that as well and a lot of workouts that I do for my legs and my arms also I use my core to keep myself balanced. So if I do a squat on a Bosu ball, then I’m also working on my core in that way. So I think a lot of the workouts that I do are core focused, even if I’m not doing a crunch of some sort. I also think yoga is really good for my core as well.

For my arms, I’ll do pushups on a Bosu ball. Those are great. Or with a medicine ball, doing one-handed pushups. They’re awesome. Again, I think they help the core a lot.

AM: Who do you like to listen to when you work out vs when you're out and about?

SM: When I work out, I usually try to listen to – depending on the run I do – it might be something really calm like Coldplay or it might be something really high energy, like we’re going Jay-Z or we’re going home. But it depends on the day and the mood I’m in. If I’m out and about, if I’m driving on a long road trip or something, I usually try to put on a podcast. I know a lot of people listen to podcasts when they work out. I have a hard time doing it because I just want to kind of zone out and hyper focus on my breathing. But I do love to put some really good high-energy music on when I’m using weights. If I go for a long run or in yoga, obviously, I’ll do something that’s a little more mellow so I’ll zone out. There’s been a couple races, like I’ve done four-mile races, where I’ve literally played the same song on repeat the whole time just to help me reset and go back into this zone of hyper focus. Music is very helpful for me when I work out, so if anyone has new music to send me, I’ll gladly accept.

AM: You're always on the move, what do you eat for great energy to keep you going and what do you love to splurge on?

SM: The secret to success is overnight oats. It’s awesome and for me is also good because I’m allergic to wheat. So I get gluten-free oats and again, because I’m so tired in the mornings when I wake up, the most I can do is make my coffee. So I don’t really want to think about making anything else or preparing in the morning. So with overnight oats I'll get some gluten-free oatmeal and I’ll pour in either soy milk or coconut milk, rice milk, really any type of milk that you want to use, and pour that in with the oats and put some honey, cinnamon, some nutmeg and some vanilla for taste and I'll let that sit overnight in my fridge, and in the morning if I have some raspberries or blueberries I’ll throw that on top and put it in a mason jar and just put the cap on it and take it with me and eat it when I get to work. So that’s a very easy breakfast. It’s filling, it’s healthy, I’ll put some chia seeds or flax seeds in the overnight oats as well, and it tastes good. I’ll eat that a lot in the morning and that kind of gets me through the show at least. Because I’m up and I forget to eat sometimes. I’m waking up at 3 o’clock in the morning and I’m working until 10. That’s 7-8 hours and you’re eating one meal. So for me, that’s super helpful because it’s filling and I try to start my appetite as soon as possible so I can get into a routine of not eating too late or overeating at one part of the day. So I would say that’s the key.

My splurge? Definitely French fries. I have a major problem with French fries. They’re the best thing that man has created. And I’m not using a hyperbole statement here. French fries are amazing. All of them. You got the steak fries that are great. Curly fries – shoutout to the curly fries that were big in the ‘90s. I love sweet potato fries. Who doesn’t want a sweet potato with a nice garlic aioli? Fries are great. They’re really great. A salted potato? You can’t go wrong.

AM: We see you on air - what would you say your style is on set versus when you're out and about with friends?

SM: Style on air, I try to keep it classy, San Diego. I try and also have my unique spin to my clothing. So I love jumpsuits.  It’s freezing in studio, nobody knows this because people seem so warm on air, but we are freezing in studio. Some of the guys don’t get cold the way women do. So, I try and wear pants a lot, which apparently is very unique for people who watch television and are used to seeing women wearing dresses – just check my @ mentions. So I try to change it up and wear more pants. Pocket Square Fridays are my favorite days, not just because it’s Friday but I get to wear a suit and kind of add my own personal touch with the pocket square which I also don't think you see on TV too much.

But, you know, it’s just as classy as possible. I don’t try to distract the audience by what I’m wearing versus what I’m saying. I wear a lot of black but I know I need to wear more color. And then off camera, the first thing I thought about is my camo T-shirt. There’s this one camo T-shirt that I bought at a London thrift shop when I lived there in 2008 or ’09 and I still have that shirt almost 10 years later. It’s like one of my favorite shirts. But like a camo T-shirt, some jeans and a pair of really cool kicks, that’s like a classic put-together outfit for me. A lot of black but there’s always a splash of color. There’s some pop of color that I’ll add to my outfit. But I try to keep it classic because it’s easy. When you think of the super geniuses of the world, like a Steve Jobs, he always just wore the same T-shirt and jeans. He didn’t really think too hard about what he was wearing. So I think for me that I try to get clothes where I can just take one thing, put it with another thing and they always go together no matter what two things you grab from your closet.

AM: Being able to be on ESPN's campus, we have some favorite places that allow you to truly take in sports history, where or what are your favorite spots? 

SM: I think the newsroom is cool, seeing where stories break. I was sitting in the newsroom when Tom Brady’s Deflategate suspension was upheld and the newsroom went crazy. I think I heard one person scream. So to think about all the news stories that have gone through that newsroom over the years in Building 4, that to me is super cool. ESPN has with its reputation that if a big story breaks, people are putting on ESPN. Just the way that they’ll put on a CNN or an ABC or NBC, ESPN is the place to get breaking news in sports. So I think that’s really cool to walk into the newsroom sometimes and see all the different anchors and knowing that I'm part of this history. That’s a really good, cool feeling.

AM: What's your favorite story that you worked on?

SM: I guess my story with Laurie Hernandez, which is more recent. There’s a couple reasons why that’s my favorite. One, my favorite thing to do is interviewing. I love it. I enjoy being an anchor on the morning shows but I just really love sitting with someone and doing an interview and doing the work behind an interview – the research and trying to think of questions they might not have been asked. Or the way I deliver the question – whether I take a pause or I add a joke, or what’s the question that’s going to get them to be like, ‘Ah, yeah, I never thought about that,’ or to get a different answer. That’s a cool puzzle to solve as a reporter.

I had an opportunity to interview Laurie Hernandez right after her Olympic run down in Brazil and the success that she had. She was a success story out of New Jersey, she was a Latina. I felt like I could relate to. So I got to do a sit-down interview with her and her mom and her dad for a feature for One Nación, the special that we had on ESPN. It was her family story and the pride and the support that was poured into this young woman, this athlete. It really made an impact the way that you see these athletes as singular magical creatures, like superheroes. But the superhero can't be super without the support and I talked about that with her family. Her mom and dad put all their energy towards her because that was what they saw – she had a special gift. And her brother and her sister, the modesty and the lack of jealousy or anything on her family’s part to see how much she wanted to be an Olympian was inspiring. What an impressive thing.

To be an Olympian, to be a great athlete, to be these superheroes that we see in sports, that we idolize, there’s so much happening behind that one person. You can’t be that person without the support group. So for me, that was a really powerful story because that family didn’t come from money, that family’s superpower was the love that they had for Laurie and to see that firsthand was powerful for me because I felt like in some ways me becoming a SportsCenter anchor was the result of all of the love that my family had given to me.

The second part of why this is my favorite thing I’ve worked on is because I got to do a writing component that came to me during the interview and it was based on a question that I had put together from observations that I had made with Gabby Douglas and some of the racist comments and critical comments fans and media made towards Gabby when it came to her being a black female athlete and her hair and the way that she carried herself, or for not smiling. So I asked Laurie about the criticism that Gabby got and her observations there and how that impacted her as a teammate and did she also receive criticism in a similar way being the only Latina that was on that Olympic team. And she said to me that people were critical of her because she didn’t speak Spanish and they said she was a ‘fake’ Puerto Rican. And to me, that again touched something, a personal spot for me because I didn’t grow up speaking Spanish – except with my grandparents. My  dad was made fun of when he moved from Puerto Rico to New York City, because he couldn’t speak English. So the first thing that my dad did was to make sure that I spoke English so that I wouldn’t be made fun of. Which is pretty sad when you think about it, right? Couldn’t we be bilingual? I would probably be way more bilingual had my dad taught me the language that he knew first, but he was made fun of as a kid. 

For me, I still identify as being Latina. I still identify with Colombians and with Puerto Ricans. My family culture and traditions are something that’s really important to me and that make me feel safe. A good plate of Titi Glady’s rice and beans and pasteles is the most comforting meal I could have. So for her to be criticized for being a fake Puerto Rican when I myself am not necessarily fluent, it hurt me. So I was able to pitch this idea as Laurie being a fake Puerto Rican to The Undefeated and I had a writing component to the interview, which I thought was great. So to be able to stretch my skillset a little more and do a longer form writing piece was challenging but something that now I want to do more of because I was able to do that with the Laurie Hernandez interview.

AM: Do you do any charities/philanthropy?

SM: I donate a lot of clothes – except for the camouflage T-shirt that I have – but I donate.  Also, I volunteer myself to speak to students on a regular basis, which I kind of forget that I do because it happens so frequently. Some student will say, ‘Hey, can I send you an e-mail?’ or, ‘Can I call you to ask you questions about your career?’ This probably happens now once a week where I’ll gladly take 30 minutes to an hour out of my day to talk to a student if it's going to help them with their career and give them some insight to the business. I speak to Syracuse students.  I’m going to probably two or three career days in the Bronx this year and I also read to younger students recently for National Reading Day at a local school in Bristol. And then Habitat for Humanity, I volunteered with that group to help Katrina victims when I was a student at Syracuse. So I’ve continued to work with that group. I donate money to Planned Parenthood. Also, the Red Cross, during Hurricane Sandy, that was something I was part of with that group to help people that didn’t have electricity or food nearby, I brought food to those communities in Brooklyn who were hit hard by the hurricane. I’ve continued to work with the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity since those two tragedies.

AM: Please share anything that you feel you'd like to share!

SM: Sports is life. In sports, it’s a team effort. And if you don’t play on a team, you’re still part of a community. Even when I’m running by myself, I feel like I’m part of a running community. When I run past someone on a trail, I wave to them because I can relate to a community of other people who are running. The real ‘runner’s hi.’ So there’s that. And on teams, you obviously have community. Looking at the way that sports and outside influences like politics have all sort of intersected, it makes you think about the American dream where we’re supposed to have this idea where you make it on your own. I think that if you look at what sports tells us and shows us, clearly the most successful people don’t do anything on their own.

And when you look at women in this industry, you can’t do it on your own. When you look at winning a World Series or an NBA title or anything, you can’t do it on your own and I think that's a really strong lesson that sports has taught me.

As strong as you can be mentally,  the strength that comes to you, whether it’s an opposing team or to fight the institutionalized barriers that are set in place, whether you’re a minority or a woman or whatever it is that keeps you from getting a job or something, if you look at the foundation of sports, it’s about community and being supported, and we need to think about that when we look at other facets of the world.

I also think sports teaches us that while in the outside world we’re supposed to be so good with multi-tasking, if you focused on one thing you would do more justice to that one thing and do better in the bigger picture if you were able to do one thing really great. So, again, hyper focus with sports, you can’t play the field and you can’t hit at the same time. I think that there are a lot of lessons that we can apply in our daily lives and we can learn from any game, whether it be football or baseball or basketball or track or whatever.

The ideas of community, of work ethic, of leadership, of support, of being mentally and physically healthy and challenging yourself to what’s the next thing – setting goals. I think people don’t take sports so seriously, but if you look at the power that sports gives us as something to cheer for, even if you don’t play it, it gives communities hope that they can be supported by this team. There are heroes created. I don’t think athletes think enough about the impact that they create on their communities and how important that is because you give hope to the next generation. I think sports, and covering it, has been a real blessing because the foundation, the fundamentals of what any sport is, Sports are really the fundamentals that we should be applying to our daily lives.

ANCHORWOMAN TONI COLLINS

SPORTSCENTER @ 11AM

AM: We see you on SportsCenter and everyone has a story of how they got to this point, can you tell us where you're from, what college you went to, what stations you came through and whether these jobs were in sports coverage or other areas?

TONI COLLINS: So it's been a quick journey, but a fun one so far and God willing a long one! I went to the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. I played soccer there, majored in Media Communications with a minor in Sports Management. After college I found it hard to get a job so I interned at Univision in Miami, where I did everything from interning with their special events departments that mainly includes their TV Specials. But it wasn’t fancy haha, it was printing papers, umbrella holding for stars, getting coffee, transcribing interviews. Then I got moved to the networks magazine show Primer Impacto as an intern… and their reality show Nuestra Belleza Latina followed. I was there for about six months because I had applied at a sports radio station in Tampa and got the job! I was a board operator for almost 6 months. I had an opportunity to cover the Superbowl that year in Tampa, as well as the local Pro and college sports.

In the meantime I made a fake demo with several stand ups and sent it to several stations. Mcallen, TX local Univision and Fox station hired me off that! So I packed my bags, not knowing anyone and moved to Mcallen. I was there for 2 ½ years. I couldn’t have asked for a better first market. I covered it all! From Drug busts, murders, immigration stories, daily border stories, weather, sports. I reported for both the local Univision show at 5pm and 10 and the Fox newscast at 9. I also became the anchor for Fox toward the latter part of my time there.  While in Mcallen, an opening for Univisions' local Dallas sports anchor opened. I auditioned and was hired by Martha Katan.

That was by far also the best year of my life. 2011. Dallas Mavericks went to the NBA Finals and won it! In baseball the Rangers went to the World Series, and even though we lost, it was an unforgettable journey to cover the team and the local beat in the DFW area.
 
During that year, Univision Network launched their sports network and allowed local anchors to audition. I did and got that job. We launched the sports network and I was there for about a year. Then ESPN, my dream, called me to audition. I didn’t do so well the first time, but they gave me hope. At my second audition months later, they told me I could have potential in English, mind you my whole career for the most part has been reporting, anchoring and writing in Spanish. It was an opportunity I could not pass up so I said yes and came aboard on the digital side of ESPN. After 2 years I was “called up” as I like to see it hehe to do updates on the TV side. It’s been a year, but every day I keep learning and trying to get better and do well in English with the opportunities that come my way.
 
AM: Were you an athlete in college and if so - what sport?

TC: I was! I played soccer all my life. Had the chance to play for the Mexican Women’s National team U19  and for my college Mount Union.

AM: When did you first realize that you loved sports and how did you know that that would be a career for you?
 

TC: From the first day I played soccer. Probably when I was 10. It’s a feeling I can’t describe when it's you and the soccer ball and you can create opportunities, score, or hear the cheers and especially make my parents proud. Career wise, I knew I wanted it from way way back. I grew up in a newsroom. My mom is an anchor and reporter and my childhood was in a newsroom or in the field with her because she couldn't find a sitter so I tagged along. You know when people say, "Oh I want to be a vet or a doctor or a policeman!" … I never had those thoughts, I have never had any other desire then to be a reporter. I saw how amazing my mom was at telling stories while growing up and what a difference one can make telling a story, it’s all I want to do and get better at that as I continue to grow with ESPN.

AM: Even in 2017 we still focus on women in media - especially in sports and how we continue to break barriers - where are we in our journey as a collective, in your opinion?

TC: I think we are making great strides! And one day, it won’t be a story or a headline. Just normal. Linda Cohn told me once, just look at everything in a positive light. It may not be perfect, it may not be fair, but its up to you to see it in a positive light and focus on that and how one handles the reality and how one can help the journey moving forward in a positive way.

AM: Who were your mentors that assisted you in getting to where you are today?

TC: I have so many in front and behind the camera. ESPN anchor/reporter Claudia Trejos. She became my mentor and friend when we worked at Univision Sports and now we are together again at ESPN…She is amazing! One of the most respected sportscasters in sports TV. Jack Obringer, he’s one of my bosses. The man is honest and bless his heart because he has to deal with me haha, but in all honesty his constant feedback from my segments, shows, and stories here at ESPN help me grow, learn, and put perspective about where I am and where I need to be to succeed.  My mother. No words will describe how much I look up to her as a professional. She is unbelievable. To this day, I don't know how she did it! She was able to raise my sister and I, be a mother, be a  professional, a wife, and a fighter.

AM: SportsCenter is such an iconic show - tell us about what you do, your time slot and what's a day like on and off the set.

TC:  Yeah! I do updates for the SportsCenter show Coast to Coast from 11-Noon. I also am a reporter for both ESPN in English and ESPNDeportes. A typical day starts at 6:30 and ends around 3pm. However, so many things pop up such as meetings or if I’m working on a story and we voice and edit etc. Also I do some of the Voice Overs for the Sports Center out of LA so squeeze recording those during the week. I have so much fun reading those haha “SportsCenter brought to you by…”

AM: How do you juggle your personal life (dating/marriage, friends, family and personal time) against the demands of ever changing news?

TC: Well if we are honest. It’s tough. Dating is non existent haha and its ok! It’s a blessing in disguise right now as I’m trying to grow and learn the most I can. If I'm not at work, I’m with my girlfriends from here at ESPN, Griselda Ramirez and Alexis Nunes or my friend from back in the day in Mcallen, TX who lives in NYC a drive away, Janice Perez. That’s on weekends, but they are the balance I need from work, thank God for them!

Family wise it’s tough, but thankfully my mom being in the same field understands I can’t make it for holidays or birthdays etc. I try to go home every 5 months or she tries to come up, but she’s also so busy!
 

AM: We know you love Barcelona for soccer, who are your other favorite teams?

TC: Barcelona for life because of my father. He was from Cataluña and loved Barcelona, he passed away a couple of years ago so Barca means so much more than just a team. I do love the Steelers, Texas Rangers, Club Leon from Liga MX .. For hockey I’m totally on the band wagon and I’ll admit it, but I’m a Maple Leafs fan! I’m Mexican American and their star rookie Auston Matthews is as well. I find it so freaking awesome he is dominating a sport not really associated with Mexico. It’s so cool to see how all the sacrifices he and his family have gone through are paying off! 

AM: For this feature, we included you, Dianna, and Sarina - how much, if at all do you cross paths in terms of being on set, working on projects etc?

TC: I get to see Sarina more because we cross paths when I go in for makeup. She is typically done with her show and I’m just heading in. Dianna, I  always catch her doing her thing on SportsCenter! I wish we got to spend more time together, but given our schedules its so hard! So when we do have the time it’s always a blast! Like this one! It was so much fun to spend time, laugh and catch up!
 
AM: During our shoot, we shot you guys working out - tell us about your workout routine and how you stay fit? What are 3 exercises that we should do for toned arms, abs and legs?

TC: Oh man I’m so bad on my own I have help form a trainer. Nate Pagan. Bless his heart too because he’s got quite the task! Hahaha For legs, squats and deadlifts are a must. For abs, we religiously do hollow holds and planks, and for arms, simple and to the point…. bicep curls and tricep extensions.
 
AM: What do you like to listen to when you work out vs when you're out and about?

TC: When I work out, I love to listen to fun, fast paced music. When I’m out believe it or not. Spanish and country music is a must! I’m a Latina country girl for sure! haha

AM: You're always on the move, what do you eat for great energy to keep you going and what do you love to splurge on?

TC: I always have a Quest Bar or a bag 

AM: You're always on the move, what do you eat for great energy to keep you going and what do you love to splurge on?

TC: I always have a Quest Bar or a bag of almonds on me. I tend to go to the cafeteria too to see if they have snacks or a piece of fruit. I am Latina therefore I love carbs haha, love love love bread, so combine that with my love for Italian food and I splurge on pizza! Give me pizza and I will love you forever!
 
AM: We see you on air - what would you say your style is on set versus when you're out and about with friends?

TC: Off camera I’m very chill. Steelers/Rangers/Mavs/Barcelona cute shirts and jeans. Love my Adidas sneakers too. When I'm on air, I tend to do a ton of dresses. It’s really hard for me with style because I’m such a tomboy. I really count on my mom still to help me out. She has such style! Its amazing and love what she picks out for me. But yeah I live in dresses and heels on tv and off tv sneakers tshirts and jeans.
 
AM: What's your favorite story that you worked on?

TC: So far it has to be the one I just finished in the Dominican Republic called Striking Out Poverty. Water is the primary need of the poorest communities in the most rural areas of the Dominican Republic. Growing up in the small modest town of Villa Mella, Pittsburgh Pirates’ Gregory Polanco is well aware of what the needs are in his home country. Polanco is one of 40 Major League Baseball players who have partnered with “Striking Out Poverty,” a campaign launched by the organization “Food for the Hungry” to raise nearly a million dollars to help nine of the poorest communities in the Dominican.
 

ANCHORWOMAN DIANNA RUSSINI

SPORTSCENTER @ 7pm or 9pm

AM: We see you on SportsCenter and everyone has a story of how they got to this point, can you tell us where you're from, what college you went to, what stations you came through and whether these jobs were in sports coverage or other areas?

DIANNA RUSSINI: I was born in the Bronx, New York, but eventually moved to New Jersey. I attended Northern Valley Regional at Old Tappan. I was a 4 sport athlete in high school, a decent one. I played soccer, basketball, softball and eventually ran track. My goal was to play Division One soccer. Not one school was interested. So I had a coach reach out to George Mason University to get me a tryout.  They agreed because I think they felt bad. I walked on and made the team, barely. The head coach kept me, but at the end of the season he said, "I’m just going to let you know that I am going to cut you in the fall. You’re not good, you’re too little, too skinny – you don’t have enough muscle or skills.” So I said, coach give me one more spring season before the fall season and let me try out again. That spring I gained thirty pounds of muscle and was the leading scorer on our team. That fall, I made the team and eventually earned a scholarship. It was an incredible experience. I really had no business being on that field playing with some of the most elite players that I have ever played with in my life! They’re all still my friends to this day and we all joke about how bad I was, but they were the reason I was able to rise above and push myself.  They all believed in me.

While I was in college, 9/11 happened. I was a freshman and I had only been at George Mason University, which is in Fairfax, Virginia, for about a month. My father was in Tower 1 that morning. He got out – which was a blessing. But, he drove down to Virginia to take me out of school immediately. Because at that point he was going through a lot of different emotions and I’m sure that one of them was,  let me get my family all together. So he took me out of school and we sat and watched the news for hours and hours and hours – just like many New Yorkers did. 

Everyone has stories from that day. My University  was 5 miles from the Pentagon – which was another target. It was just bad timing. I still reflect on that day and it was the worst day of my life. But I feel blessed that the people who I love were able to get out. It was a moment that I realized when I was watching the news that I had had an interest in being a journalist. I knew I liked something about reporting, but I didn’t know what it was. At that time, I was 18 or 19 and I wasn’t too sure. Then after 9/11, I knew that that was exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a local news reporter and to be like those brave reporters who were down there reporting and being a messenger to the people. Those men and women were so important that day!

The next summer, my father suggested I get an internship at Channel Seven Eyewitness New in Manhatttan. Well, I put in for an internship and you know how it goes in NYC. Everyone applies to them because here are 1,000 schools. I drove up from school after practice and I was the last one to get an interview. The assistant news director Bill McFarland who wound up giving me the internship, told me that it was because I asked great questions. I’ll never forget when they called me to tell that I got it. I knew that once I got the internship at Channel 7, because we know how good of a station that is, that everything was going to come together. They supplied me with everything I needed to become a journalist.

come together. They supplied me with everything I needed to become a journalist.

From there, I did sideline reporting in college and I had to put together a tape. Mine was awful, but this little station called News 12 hired me in Westchester County, New York. I worked there and broke a couple of crime stories. The News Director at WNBC in New York heard about me through the grapevine and inquired. I met him for dinner, we talked about my process, and my goals to be a NYC local news reporter and he said, "how would you feel if I could make your dreams come true right now?" So at the age of 24, he hired me as the youngest General Assignment Reporter in NYC – which was so cool!  A few months later, he was let go as the news director as were many of the people he hired. That’s when our sports anchor Bruce Beck suggested I get into sports. So I packed my bags and moved to Seattle, Washington and got a job there. From there I moved back to the East Coast and I went to the NBC affiliate in Connecticut and was a Sports Anchor and news reporter. While I was there the News Director from the Washington D.C.’s NBC affiliate was driving through CT, got tired, got a hotel room, flipped the news on and I was anchoring. The next day, he called my boss and said, can we hire her as a sports anchor in DC. It was good timing. WRC NBC Washington is one of the most respected local news stations in the country. I went there and a few years later, ESPN approached me about working as a SportsCenter anchor and I took the job!

AM: Even in 2017 we still focus on women in media - especially in sports and how we continue to break barriers - where are we in our journey in your opinion?

DR: We’re a little better – not great. I think the thought is, there are so many women on television or writing for newspapers/blogs in sports, it must be an even playing field now. It's not.

The respect that women receive in sports has improved in some areas, but we still have a long way to go. Here’s a concrete example. 

Two weeks ago I was in Indianapolis at the NFL combine (a place where future NFL players work out in front of coaches, owners etc). Reporters have the opportunity to get out there as well to meet with all the people that  are in the league. It’s an invaluable environment to get quality facetime with decision makers. There’s one or two steakhouses everyone hangs out in after dinner. It’s incredible, you can be standing next to Jerry Jones and Bill Belichick at the same time if you are there at the right time. One morning, I ran into a NFL head coach walking by Starbucks.  He said, "I heard you were at the steakhouse last night until 1am." I said, "yes I was, why is that an issue?" He said, "you know as a woman, it looks really bad to be out past midnight with men in the NFL." I responded with “What do you mean. Everybody is out – what are you talking about there were 100 people in there.” He said “you don’t want people assuming that you’re doing anything unprofessional. Being out late could be dangerous.” 

I could feel my face turning bright red, I was infuriated. What does staying out late have to do with being unprofessional? Dangerous? Is there a rule that networking has a curfew? I quipped back at him “because I’m a woman, I have to go home while my male competitors get the opportunity to hang out and network because they are men? Why don’t they go home! They get a few more hours in front of the coaches because they’re men? That makes zero sense to me.”

He felt bad and apologized while adding, "you always want people to respect your credibility and you never want them to think that you're getting stories any other way." Which I said, "if that is what people want to believe, that’s their problem – not mine!" Here we are in March 2017 and there are still these issues for women. I don’t blame him – it’s just part of the culture. When Adam Schefter or Chris Mortensen break a story nobody questions how they collected the information, but every time a women breaks news in sports, it’s always “what did she do to get that” and it’s unfair to women who are doing it the right way. So when you ask me to reflect on the barriers, my response is there’s still a thick one between men and women.
 
AM: Who were your mentors that assisted you in getting you to where you are today?

DR: That is probably the most important part of my journey! You are not able to be successful in this industry without great people around you. I’m really lucky because because I have many mentors for different reasons, but my family is the reason I have been
able accomplish many of my goals. I have two very different parents. My father is very cerebral, thinks things through. I then have my mother, who is a spitfire, competitive, and filled with love and personality. They have kept me grounded and focused every single
time I take another jump to another station or another level in this business. My brother and sister are both married and I have in-laws and my entire family is all-in on my career. They don't miss a SportsCenter, they watch every single show. My brother in-law follows me on Twitter to see what I am talking about and they call and text me. In terms of me, where I’m at in my career, I keep pushing it harder because if I don’t reach the goal or get to where I want to go to – I have these amazing people that I can fall back on – my family. 

AM: SportsCenter is such an iconic show - tell us about what you do, your time slot and what's a day like on and off the set?

DR: I anchor SportsCenter during the evening hours. Sometimes the 7 pm SportsCenter or the 9 pm. Those shows have tons of highlights and most games are going on during those hours. It’s our job to update the viewer when they come over to us. Most of the time, my highlights aren’t even done yet because the game isn’t done yet! So I will just give you an update on here what’s happening in the 3rd quarter for Knicks/Bucks – here’s the score and here’s what happened. So it moves – it’s the fastest moving show at ESPN. This requires you to be organized, prepared and requires you to have a free spirit. You have to be ok that it’s not going to be perfect.

Off the air, I get in hours before and I start researching the game and thinking about what the storylines are for the games going on. I work with an amazing team on how to best prepare and give the best information to the viewer for when they tune in. I'm usually on for a minimum of 2 hours and for a maximum of 4. It's a lot of live television. It kicks your butt and it makes you really good!

AM: How do you juggle your personal life (dating/marriage, friends, family and personal time) against the demands of ever changing news?

DR: Ah that’s so cute, you think I have a personal life. Just kidding. It’s a work in progress for me. My family is all in New Jersey still so I try to see them once every two weeks. I also have a great group of friends back home that keep me sane. They keep my life balanced and healthy. Also when I started at ESPN, I was introduced to another ESPN host, Cassidy Hubbarth and we became really good friends immediately. When we hang out, we talk work for 30 minutes and we’ll say, “hey I caught you last night you need to do this” or “hey I saw you last night on the sidelines at the Rockets game – I loved your interview.” It’s great to get feedback from someone I respect, but also trust. We do everything we possibly can to keep things positive and to not talk negatively about anything at ESPN. That’s really important to our friendship, being positive.

From there, we’re just Cassidy and Dianna. We text all day and both worship Jennifer Lopez. For us she embodies what we want to be: classy, powerful, successful, and cool.  When we are actually in the same city at the same time, we go out to dinner or just walk around Manhattan. I’m a better sports anchor because I met Cassidy. She also reminds me that I’m not defined by this business. It’s ok to love it and be passionate about my work – but there is also more to life. She’s a big reason why I am so happy at ESPN.

AM: Who are your favorite teams?

DR: Ok this is the worst part! I’m a die hard NY Jets fan, I'm proud to be a New York Yankees fan, I'm a Knicks Fan, and Islanders fan. I'm a new Portland Timbers fan and I'd say for women's basketball I’m a Seattle Storm fan because I love Sue Bird.  

I anchor SportsCenter during the evening hours. Sometimes the 7pm SportsCenter or the 9pm. It's our job to update the viewer when they come over to us - it's the fastest moving show at ESPN.

AM: March Madness is here - what's that like and how does it affect your normal day to day as you head into the office?

DR: This time of year makes all the hard times being a sports anchor worth it. The environment in the newsroom, on set – the energy at this time of year is at the highest! Mostly because every one has a school that has a hand in the game and you want to cheer for it. It’s a great way to show that sports is a great way to unite people. I get more excited to go to work and sometimes I don’t want to anchor because I want to watch the games! That’s always a hard thing for me, but it’s so much fun and it never gets old. It’s something you look forward to every year. I can’t wait for it to start!
 

AM: For this feature, we included you, Toni, and Sarina - how much, if at all do you cross paths in terms of being on set, working on projects etc?

DR: Not at all. That was the first time that I had seen Toni in months. Toni and Sarina are morning people and I’m a night time anchor. When Toni is getting ready for bed I’m on TV so we don’t get to see each other and so I have to make an effort when I want to see the morning people and so do they. We all get along really well and I have to say that as much as it is competitive and we want to be the best and do whatever it takes, the women of ESPN do a really good job of supporting each other and understanding that there is room for everybody. 

There is an understanding where we need to stick together as we’re not where we need to be. 

AM: During our shoot, we shot you guys working out - tell us about how you stay fit? What exercises should we do for toned arms, abs and legs?

DR: I am a big body sculpting person! I hate running – if you told me I had to run for 5 mins, I would leave the shoot – that’s how much I hate cardio! I have figured out for my body type that I have a lot of energy and I’m intense. So body sculpting is the best avenue for me. When I was in Washington DC, I did pilates reformer every single day – 7 days a week for 3 months and then it was 2-3 times a week for the rest of the year. It changed my body completely and ended up toning my body. It elongated my body, I felt taller and leaner. If there was one workout that works for me that I would share with your readers, it's Pilates Reformer – you should try and it’s addictive.

I try, because I’m so busy, to take opportunities to work in little things during my day. For example, I have to walk from the newsroom to the cafeteria – there are these long hallways and I look crazy and I don’t care sometimes – I will do lunges there, when I walk to the car in the grocery store because I won’t get a  chance to go. For me my lower body is something that I am always working on and it’s the weaker part of my body. For my upper body, my favorite workout is to row.  My back is so much stronger. As for butt workout, besides the lunges – my go to is to get down on all fours and to do the raises.

AM: I do them all the time!

DR: They’re great right? Do you want to know who taught me to work out?  My mom as she would do the raises in the kitchen when she cooked! She'd lift her leg when she was flipping pancakes.

AM: As soon as I saw you do the lifts in our shoot, it brought me back to when I was little, when I would “workout” with her and she did those! I knew your mom taught you that retro move!

DR: It’s SO retro and I’m so glad you called me out on that!

AM: What is on your playlist? 

DR: I love Beyonce – you can put any song on and I feel like I’m going to take on the world. I don’t know what it is about her music but it gets me all the time. I love The Weekend. Anything poppy will get me going. Sia songs - “The Greatest.” I listen to this as I drive into work and I’m like, “I’m going to rule the world,” anything that fires me up, high energy with great beats. I’m a big podcast person. When I’m really zoned in at work, I’m a firm believer in keeping the process going during my day. This means, I anchor at night, I wake up, get coffee, and I go to the gym and I keep the process going by listening to sports in my ear while I work out. To add balance to my life. I listen to podcasts that are not sport specific too so I know what's going on in the arts, the economy, politics, pop culture etc.

AM: You're always on the move, what do you eat for great energy?

DR: Oh wow, you’re right food is really important and I am really lucky that ESPN has a great cafeteria. I’m a big grilled vegetable/grilled salmon person. When I first started, I ate a hamburger every single day. One day, the chef said to me, young lady have you ever thought about grilled salmon? I was like why and he said, I don’t know all this beef it may not be very good for you. I had never had it before but he said I bet you’re going to love this and I did. He changed my whole diet and so now I do grilled salmon and broccoli everyday and it’s delicious. I’m a big coffee person and I have learned through friends and my mom that if there’s one key to success when it comes to diet and exercise, it’s water! Water changes your life. If there is any take away from talking to me its this DRINK WATER! I see a difference in my skin, my body, my mind - everything changes. 

AM: What would you say your style is on air versus when you're out with friends?

DR: SO my style on set is categorized as sassy fun professional sporty. I don’t want to ever distract from what I am discussing so I keep it very plain. You’re dressing yourself 5 times a week and its hard to get it right all the time! The key to TV is to wear something that doesn’t distract. Simple solid colors, dresses are always a go to for me.

AM: Being able to be on ESPN's campus, we have some favorite places! Where or what are your favorite spots?

DR: My favorite places – the makeup room, because the women we have on our staff are incredible. They are so talented and supportive and sometimes you just need a second to breathe! That room is just the place. Those women who I now call friends should charge for therapy! It's where most women feel comfortable and you can let your hair down. I love my coffee so Starbucks is my place and the baristas are my best friends at ESPN. I'm always rushing and on the phone and they know what I like! In the summer time, especially in CT, one of my favorite things to do is to walk from the newsroom to the cafeteria when the sun is starting to set and I love to look around and remind myself that I work at the worldwide leader. It’s the best way to recharge myself and to remind myself that this is a lucky break that I got and it’s up to me to make it into something. 

AM: What's your favorite story that you worked on?

DR: My favorite interview that I have been able to be a part of – Kelsey Plum, a women’s college basketball player. She broke the record for most points scored in a career. I got to interview her after she did it! Her grace, humility and awareness of the moment inspired me. I also had the chance to have lunch/dinner with Josh Norman and D'Angelo Hall from the Redskins on camera. They were so open and honest.

AM: Do you give you time to charities?

DR: Yes! So it’s not really charity but giving of time - I really enjoy speaking to students and to women in the work-
force, sports or not. I make a point to volunteer my time to schools in NJ. I visit my little sister’s classroom twice a year. It's the most rewarding and fulfilling that that I have participated in my life. Every one always thanks me so much when I come to their classroom or convention, and I’m always like no, no thank you! I do feel tht you have to pay it forward and share the message.  I like to share the message of mistakes that I have made and I’m comfortable with that. I'm saying that I'm a mess, but a mess on a mission.

Read more from the March Issue and read We Are SportsCenter in mag

WHEN STARS ALIGN

The Spring issue is here, and with that comes the Spring Equinox, warmer temperatures and the next season of ABC's Dancing With the Stars! This star studded show includes our cover girl dancer/choreographer Lindsay Arnold who is paired with 2 time World Series winner, MLB Cubs' catcher - David Ross! Of course, we talked with her in the days leading up to season 24 to talk about what we can expect, her background as a dancer and how she keeps it all balanced!

ATHLEISURE MAG: We have seen you on  DWTS and are excited to see you on the upcoming season this month! Tell us about your journey in dance and how it led to being on DWTS?

LINDSAY ARNOLD: My mom put me in dance class when I was 5 years old and I immediately fell in love! I started competing when I was about 8 years old and that's when my parents and my coaches realized that this was something I should really pursue. 

Ever since I can remember, dance has been a part of my life and it has been such a family building activity! I am the oldest of 4 girls and we all dance. My parents who are not dancers opened a dance studio for us to train at, so that we could have a very family inclusive environment. Right after I graduated high school I auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance and made it to the top 20. Competing on that show and making it to the top 8 really boosted my confidence as a dancer and made me realize that I could truly do anything I set my mind to! Not long after I finished SYTYCD I got a call from DWTS asking to be a professional on their show which was an easy yes for me!! I had watched DWTS since season 1 and had always dreamed to be on the show so I was extremely grateful and felt so blessed to have been given the opportunity. 

AM: Last year, we interviewed fellow DWTS dancer, Kym Johnson, about how she stays in great shape. What are your workouts like outside of dancing and what dances do you do to stay in shape? How is this different when you're working on DWTS?

LA: My favorite workout to do outside of dance is pilates. I have been doing pilates since high school and have found that it helps so much with not just strengthening muscles, but lengthening them as well, which is important as a dancer! The best dances to stay in shape are the faster paced upbeat ones. Jive is always a dance that gets me sweating and my heart rate pumping! 
 

AM: Who have been some of your favorite partners that you have danced with on the show?

LA: I honestly do not have a favorite partner because each one of them has been a completely different and amazing experience. Alek Skarlatos had zero dance experience and also had zero experience in the celebrity world. He was someone who was basically thrown into the spotlight and had a lot of things happening around him that he was not used to! It was a great learning experience for me to not only teach him how to dance, but help him cope with and learn how to handle the different social and business situations that would come his way. Wanyá Morris was one of my faves because he was so much fun and was an extremely great dancer! When I danced with him there were times when I felt like I was dancing with another professional dancer, which is exciting as a pro because it means you have done a great job at teaching. Calvin Johnson was my favorite because it was so rewarding as a teacher to watch him progress every single time and see the hard work pay off. Not only did he improve and become a great dancer, but he truly is one of the nicest, most humble, and all around incredible people I have ever met. 
 
AM: What is currently on your playlist when you're hitting the studio to dance?

LA: I love country music and find myself rocking out to Maren Morris lately. She has such a sass to her and I love listening to her lyrics, they have such a good story to them. 

AM: What athleisure wear brands do you enjoy wearing?
 
LA: Lululemon, Body Love Athletica and Fabletics 

AM: What style of dance would you say is your favorite?

LA: This answer changes daily.. honestly depends on my mood! If I am feeling happy and energetic, then jive or cha cha. If I am feeling a little feisty or upset paso doble or tango. That's the best thing about dance, it is that you truly can express your feelings through movement and it's such a great release! 
 
AM: Tell us about this season's DWTS' partner - David Ross - what's he like to work with and how is he different from other partners that you had on the show?

LA: David and I have only been working together for a couple weeks now, but it's crazy how quickly we established such an amazing friendship. He is such a down to earth and genuine guy and we get along so well! He works so hard and truly wants to do well in this competition, which is all I could ask for as a teacher. It's funny and I tell him this all the time, but he reminds me of my dad in so many ways they have very similar personalities and I love that about him makes me feel like I'm with family.

AM: If you could choose your next DWTS partner, who would you like to be paired with?
 
LA: I have always wanted Channing Tatum to be on the show. Step Up was one of my favorite dance movies growing up and he has some serious moves in that movie! Not to mention that he is extremely attractive, that always helps ;) 

AM: What's an average week like when you're on DWTS as there is so much going on with choreography, dancing, planning costumes and more!

LA: The weeks can get pretty crazy as there is so much going on and so many things that need to get done! I'm gonna give you a little schedule of what a week looks like starting with Tuesday because that's the first day of rehearsal for the week. 

Tuesday: I will get my music and dance style for the week and start to choreograph the routine on my own. David and I will rehearse 4-6 hours and I will teach him most of the choreography (typically 75 percent of routine). 

Wednesday: I will continue to finish choreographing dance on my time and also talk to our wardrobe department and production designer to discuss costuming and also staging (props, lighting, stage orientation, etc). David and I will rehearse 4-6 hours and I will try to finish teaching him the rest of the choreography. 

Thursday, Friday, Saturday: David will do rehearsal 4-6 hours on each of these days working on finishing up any choreography, and then perfecting the dance and working on details. 

Sunday: David and I will go to the set at CBS studios and have our camera blocking. This is the time where they will work out all of the camera angles that will be used to shoot our performance and also give David and I time on stage to practice. Each couple usually gets 25 minutes on stage for camera blocking and then we will have a wardrobe fitting. We will rehearse 3-4 hours after camera blocking then go to bed to get ready for show day! 

Monday: SHOW DAY. Call time is 7 am and i go straight to hair and makeup for about 3 hours then I have a short 15 minute practice on stage with David then we have a full dress rehearsal 1:30-3:30 and live show 5-7. 
 

AM: What are your power foods when you need a lot of energy?
 
LA: I try to always have healthy snacks with me during rehearsal because I definitely need to be eating throughout or else I lose energy. I love bananas, almonds, avocados, and if I have time to prepare before I leave for work, grilled chicken is always something that will give me some energy. 

AM: What's next for you or where should we keep our eyes out for you?

LA:  I am enjoying my time on DWTS right now but I am extremely excited to see what the future holds for me. I have danced my entire life and absolutely love it, but am definitely interested in venturing out to other areas of the entertainment industry. Modeling, acting, singing are all areas I am interested in and hopefully you will see me involved in those things very soon. 

AM: What are you excited about for this season of DWTS?

LA: I am so excited to see the improvement in my partner David. He definitely came in to this competition with no dance experience It's only been a couple of weeks and I have already seen him improve so much. My favorite part about this job is watching someone step out of their comfort zone and succeed in something they never thought they could do! I don't care if they are the best dancer in the world I just want to see them gaining confidence in themselves and trying something new. 

AM: When you're in the midst of the madness of DWTS, how do you take some downtime to check in with yourself and after the season has ended, what do you do for me time?

LA: The biggest support in my life that helps me stay grounded and stay true to who I am is my husband Sam. He is the best remedy for a stressful day and always knows how to help me relax. Family time is truly the best thing in my life and is something that I am so grateful for. After the season has ended I love to go back to my hometown, Provo Utah, and get up into the mountains somewhere where it's quiet and peaceful and spend time with my husband. We love camping, hiking, fishing, anything outdoors.

Read more from the March Issue and see When Stars Align in mag.

COCHON555

We Chatted with Chef Chris Szyjka as he had recently joined to participate in legendary cooking classic, Cochon555. 

When we entered Cochon555, New Porc City 2017, we were instantly swept away into fierce competition for whole pig cooking. Brooklyn, New York marked the first stop for this multi-city battle, where the ultimate champions will be crowned in the Grand Cochon in Chicago later this year. 

Cochon555 is an intense event for top chefs to celebrate heritage pigs one bite at a time. Created in 2008 as a response for a lack of educating of heritage breed pigs, this ‘nose-to-tail’ competition is dedicated to supporting family farmers and educate chefs and diners about the agricultural importance of utilizing Old-World livestock. Mom and Pop, farm-to-table, BBQ and Michelin Star restaurants are all worked with and share one core value: they source products responsibly. 

The Sunday afternoon event was an epic culinary experience featuring heritage breed pork dishes of all kinds with chef-crafted tastings, along with 40+ types of boutique wines, craft cocktails and artisanal brews. On its eighth year, the Cochon555 US Tour is aligned with modern day good food movement – notable chefs, barrier breaking women and men, artist-like butchers, spirited bartenders and brazen pastry talent. Together the ticketed educational event showcases are enjoyed and shared, building a space for safer, honest food. A portion of all sales benefit The Piggy Bank Charity, helps family farmers with a foundation to gift heritage breed pigs in exchange for business plans. It supports existing farmers requiring genetics to diversify bloodlines or rebuild herds as a result of disease or natural disaster.

The inaugural NYC event, New Porc City featured five chef entrants: Chris Szyjka, Chefs Club By Food & Wine (Heritage Foods USA Old Spot pig); Nicole Gajadhar, Saxon & Parole (with Spring House Farm Large Black pig); Ryan Bartlow, Quality Eats (with Dogpatch Farm Mulefoot pig); Greg Baxtrom, Olmsted (with Autumn's Harvest Farms Berkshire pig); Aaron Hoskins, Birds & Bubbles (with The Piggery Mulesoft pig). Indeed, Chef Chris rendered valiant efforts. Chef Nicole from Saxon and Parole took the NYC prize and moved closer to victory. Each made narratives and tasty preparations that enticed and captured our senses. 

In our upcoming feature, see Chef Chris preparing the final touches to his menu. Chef Nicole Gajadhar’s full menu and winning feast (with piggy banks, festive carnival tents, flying cotton candy pigs bearing her name and all). Also we have a glimpse of Chef Ryan Bartlow with ‘Quality Cochon’ coat, bringing out a full deli-style creation in all of its glory. We have a moment from the Punch Kings challenge, where Bryan Schneider, from Quality Eats dropped inherently award-winning cocktails, served in shiny gold trophies and find Kool Keith enjoying judging festivities. We see the Somm Smackdown and winner Nicole Hakli from ACME taking the win and DJ Lord from Public Enemy scratching some beats on the 1's and 2's. Our set ends with a dramatic frame of a whole heritage pig being artfully butchered and auctioned for charitable causes by Erika Nakamura and Jocelyn Guest from White Gold Butchers, and a nod toward Williamsburg’s Weylin Hall glorious ceiling, constantly delighting us all evening. 

Read more from the Feb issue as well as the full Cochon555 in mag feature.
 

ATHLEISURE KITCHEN | DOS CAMINOS

We're only a few weeks away from the official start of Spring. Restaurants are the perfect seasonless escape as our favorite dishes, beverages and ambiance awaits us. Dos Caminos, a popular Mexican restaurant with locations in NYC is part of the BR Guest Hospitality group, and is known as a place to enjy savory and sweet options along with an array of cocktails that are always perfect to enjoy for lunch, happy hour, dinner or late night drinks.

This month's food editorial, shot at the Park Ave location, shares key dishes that can be enjoyed on your next visit. We chatted with Executive Chef Ivy Stark about how she came to work at the restaurant and why this is a haven for New Yorkers and tourists!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about your background and what led to you become a chef.

IVY STARK: I grew up in Colorado and loved to cook from the time I was a young child. My father was a hotelier so I sort of grew up in the business. I remember loving going to the restaurant shows and seeing the displays of chaud-froid and ice carvings and being enthralled. After studying history in college, an eating tour of Europe convinced me that I wanted to wanted to be a chef. I  returned to the U.S. and started cooking school in New York.

AM: Prior to being the Executive Chef at Dos Caminos, where else have you been and how long have you been at Dos Caminos?
 
IS: I've been at Dos Caminos for 14 years, before that I worked at the Border Grill and Ciudad in Los Angeles, and then moved back to New York and worked at some great fine dining restaurants such as Sign of the Dove, Cena and Amalia.

AM: What is it like being a chef at Dos Caminos and what is a day in the life like being there?

IS: It is amazing being the chef here. I have a wonderful brand to work with and a great staff that's my second family. Typically, I spend the day in the kitchens overseeing the food going out to the dining rooms. I will spend some time in the test kitchen doing research and development for new menu items and specials, and then I do have to do some administrative work, reviewing schedules, food costs, working with vendors to ensure we get the best products.

AM: What elements of your cooking style have influenced the menu? 

IS: My style is to be creative, but to respect authenticity, and the foundation of Mexican cuisine I have learned from great traditional cooks in my travels through Mexico and my ongoing study of the ever-evolving Mexican kitchen. I love bold flavors, and beautiful colors presented simply and naturally. 

AM: How does the Dos Caminos menu reflect the seasons?

IS: We are dedicated to keeping our menu seasonal and change it four times a year to reflect that, only using in-season produce. In addition, we look at the seasons in terms of textures, temperatures and flavors - lighter, cooler fare in the summer and heartier fare in the winter.

AM: During the winter and early spring, what can we look forward to on the menu? 

IS: We are in the process of working on our spring menu right now, we will be looking at what we can do with ramps, asparagus, spring radishes and onions, fava beans, pineapples, and strawberries. New York weather is fickle, sometimes spring comes around in March and sometimes we have to wait until June.

| LEFT Prickly Pear Margarita | RIGHT El Camino Margarita | 

AM: What classics are mainstays on the menu and which ones get updated from time to time?
 
IS: The Dos Enchiladas - roast chicken enchiladas with mole poblano is a longtime crowd pleaser, as is our Shrimp Quesadilla; guests come in to order these specific items so we leave them alone. We are always looking at ways to items to reflect dining trends, but we listen to our guests' feedback. If they want us to leave something alone, we leave it alone. We have a seasonal guacamole that is updated four times a year based on the best available produce. We always have a rotating assortment of amazing seasonal ice creams and sorbets. Those are a couple of items that you can count on changing.

| Cazuela de Camarones | 

AM: What are your favorite dishes on the menu - from appetizer, main dish, sides and dessert?
 
IS: I am asked that question all the time and it's really a bit cruel - it's like asking who is my favorite friend! With that said, today if I were dining at Dos Caminos I would have the guacamole, persimmon salad, grilled Mahi Mahi tacos, Mexican street corn, and the sweet corn flan to finish; tomorrow I might choose a different menu. 
 
AM: Is there a secret menu at Dos Caminos?
 
IS: There is - we have a secret shrimp guacamole, a chicken quesadilla, and a very special brunch item - the quesadilla benedict.
 
AM: One of our favorite times to swing by is during Happy Hour - what are key beverages that we should try on our next visit?
 
IS: You can't go wrong with our El Camino margarita, we use freshly squeezed juice for our sour mix and there is no substitute. I like mine up, very cold, with salt. We also make a killer red and white sangria.

| LEFT Persimmon Salad | RIGHT  Elote de Calle | 

| Mahi Mahi Tacos | 

| Sweet Corn Flan | 

Read more from the Feb Issue as well as see Athleisure Kitchen's Dos Caminos in mag here.
 

I WANT YOUR HEART

Our cover shoot took place at DOGPOUND, NYC's hottest new gym. This boxing haven brings celebrities, Victoria's Secret Angels, models, athletes, and those that are truly enthusiastic about perfecting their look. DOGPOUND has become the prime location where this all comes together through their focus on training members through personalization of their individual goals.

After spending the afternoon shooting here for our anniversary issue, we had some questions for this temple of fitness. What started from a group of workout buddies, has grown into DOGPOUND founded by Kirk Myers.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Can you tell us how DOGPOUND came to be before coming to your present location in Tribeca? 

KIRK MYERS: DOGPOUND was originally called Kirk Fitness. I was working as a personal trainer, but my business started growing really rapidly. It was then I met Breylis Pena, who wanted to become a trainer, and we formed a group in the morning made up of clients who wanted to workout but didn't have a lot of time during the day. We started calling ourselves DOGPOUND. At the time we were renting space out of multiple gyms, but it wasn't long before we outgrew the spaces--even getting kicked out. So, we decided to build our own. 

AM: What is DOGPOUND and what is the meaning behind the name? 

KM: Some of our clients started bringing their dogs to the workouts. 

AM: What is your background and what led you to create this studio? 

KM: I was a chunky kid, but my health took a pretty big downturn when I suffered from heart failure. I knew I would need to make some pretty serious changes. I started working out, I started to see the results, they wanted to work out with me. My training business started to grow. I started at 23, and I've always been an independent trainer. I realized that in order to be the top trainers in the world, we needed our own home base. 

AM: It's clear that beyond being a studio and a method, that it is a culture - what about it has made it a destination for models, celebrities, etc as a place to get the physique that your members want? 

KM: I think there's a couple reasons why. It's because we are so passionate about what we do, and people see that and recognize it. That type of energy is infectious. We are in an up and coming neighborhood, we want our clients to feel safe and comfortable in the space and we are results oriented. We've created a community, so most of the celebrities and models who workout here, their friends workout here too. 

AM: On the same note, how do you select trainers that you onboard to the DOGPOUND family? 

KM: We hire passionate and positive trainers. That's our number one and number two. Our roster of trainers is pretty diverse. It is not really about what you've accomplished, but where you want to go. You really want to be a trainer, you really want to help people? That's the kind of trainer we want. We can develop the trainers and give them the education they need. We have our entire boxing program. No one ever boxed before the program, but we brought someone in who was a world class boxer and he taught us how to box and now we have a boxing program. You have to want to learn. Some of our top trainers weren't trainers when they started. We look for trainers who want to constantly seek improvement. Just like our clients come here to be a better version of themselves.

AM: We like that those who are members of your gym have the ability to be trained by a number of your trainers, what was the thought process behind that and how do you feel that that is beneficial to them? 

KM: Because it’s always been my own business, I've had long term clients. The issue is that they can get bored working out with only one person. Not only do the clients get bored, but the trainer gets bored. When you have a team, you can offer strengths that you don't have personally in your service. It creates variety. Just today, I had a client who likes boxing, but I don't box, so I had him warm up with some boxing techniques with another trainer. Another client has a knee bothering him so I had a trainer that has more physical therapy background work with him. Workouts don't get stale. And, simply for a time standpoint, it allows for clients to make sure they can fit their workout in. If a client want's to workout but their only availabilty is at ten, but I'm booked at ten, they can work out with someone who has an opening at that time. Here you can always get into workout with somebody. 

AM: Besides the location at Tribeca, are you planning additional locations? 

KM: Yes. 

AM: Do you sell apparel that is branded with DOGPOUND or other brands? 

KM: As of right now, you can't really get apparel unless you come directly to the location. It's available only at the gym. 

AM: What types of workouts are offered at DOGPOUND? 

KM: Boxing, HIIT, Strength Training

AM: How important is offering nutrition as a service? 

KM: It's extremely important. I think nutrition is 70% of your fitness goal. 

AM: Clearly, you're a busy man, when you're not working, what can we find you doing on your "off time"?  

KM: Relaxing and snuggling with my Pooh Bear. Oh, and watching the Raiders. 

AM: When did you introduce the Machine Gun? 

KM: Four years ago. 

AM: What does the studio look like? Any signature decor? 

KM: It was designed by Fabien Baron. Black, white, and concrete. Very sleek look. 

AM: I know you have a varied clientele but could you generalize a bit and give me a brief description of the folks who go there? 

KM: There are finance guys and girls, artists, athletes, celebrities, models and a lot of people who just want to get results. 

AM: Can you be more specific about how the various disciplines are combined? Are you going from holding a yoga pose straight into a resistance exercise straight into a jump squat? 

KM: Just want to paint a clearer picture of the progression of the class.  The only class we offer is boxing, but we always start a one on one session with a dynamic warmup, but the workout is specific to each person's goals. All of our one on one programs are individualized. If you are a dancer, there will be more flexibility, toning and core work, but if you are looking to join the 1000lb club, there is going to be more strength training and heavy lifting.

Read more from the Jan issue.

ATHLEISURE MAG; JAN 2017

Our Jan Issue, the Anniversary issue is out tomorrow but you can take a peek now, right here!

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | Paul Farkas

TIMBERLAND TAPS VIRGIL GADSON OF SYTYCD FO SPRING CAMPAIGN

This Spring, Virgil Gadson from FOX's So You Think You Can Dance will be in the footwear campaign for Timberland. Virgil is known for his hip-hop style which he performed on the show. He will be promoting Timberland's boots that are comprised of the SensorFlex™ comfort system. (three-layer outsole that delivers constant support, active cushioning and dynamic flex.) This is in the brand's Killington Chukka (men's boot worn by Virgil) as well as Kenniston 6-inch lace-up boots (for women).

The Philadelphia native appeared on the show as both a dancer and choreographer. He is also skilled in dancing ballet, jazz, modern and tap dancing. The ad campaign will debut in the March and April issues of GQ magazine. It will also be placed in the bus, subway and digital outdoor ads in key markets.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Timberland

KISS ME AT MIDNIGHT

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ATHLEISURE MAG: Nice shooting here, what amenities are offered at Nine52?

NINE52: Every detail of Nine52 has been designed to accommodate the modern city dweller’s needs and to provide the comforts and services of a luxury building. The full-service building is attended by a 24-hour concierge and offers a children’s playroom, a state-of-the-art fitness center with separate yoga and spinning rooms, private storage units, an expansive interior courtyard with a tranquil fountain, a large resident lounge with a bathroom and entertainment area with a full kitchen, a wine cellar with dining area and a co-working space complete with two conference rooms and individual workstations. Atop the building sits a fully furnished and landscaped rooftop deck complete with 360-degree views. Residents may also use a complimentary bike service offered, which includes twenty single-speed Joulvert bikes. The vast amount of amenities is incomparable to other buildings.

AM: What is the concept of the layout?

NINE52: Developed by Gaia Real Estate, Nine52 offers 155 residences with architecture by SPIVAK Architects and interior design by Erik Galiana. Danny Fishman, Managing Partner of Gaia Real Estate not only wanted to target “attainable luxury” for residents, but also include as many amenities within the building as possible. Gaia has a very large rental business and did a lot of research when planning this building – they did a survey with a few thousand tenants and asked them what they wanted.  Ultimately, instead of creating something they thought people wanted, they used direct results to actually give them what they are looking for - which, one of the top things was a co-working space. In terms of style, they wanted to keep it very "New York". 

AM: What are its selling points?

NINE52: Nine52 provokes a sense of discovery. This striking building in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen – a neighborhood rich with history and intrigue – features a brick façade and winding, maze-like corridors that lead to thoroughly modern and new condominiums. Like the city itself, Nine52‘s duality of space blends old with new, masculine with feminine, metal with wood, and thoughtful design with unique details to create a harmonious whole.

Comprised of studio through three bedroom and garden duplex homes, each residence is well-appointed with rich finishes, such as stained white oak floors, oversized windows and sleek kitchens with custom lacquer cabinetry and Caesarstone countertops.  Each home is also equipped with a washer and dryer.  

There is also a large array of floorplans, which helps cater to a wide variety of buyers and is unlike anything else available in the neighborhood.

AM: What is building's occupancy?

NINE52: The building is open and is now fifty percent sold.  Residences are priced from approximately $819,000 to more than $3,000,000. Park River Properties is the exclusive sales and marketing agent for the property. 

AM: What is the neighborhood draw?

NINE52: Located between 9th and 10th Avenues, with entrances on both 51st and 52nd Street, Nine52 conveniently located just steps from Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Times Square and shopping outlets at Columbus Circle, and residents will find a magnitude of resources and sought after destinations, including renowned museums, educational institutions, and a vast assortment of fine dining and shopping.

Read more from the Dec Issue

PROJECT RUNWAY JUNIOR X BUTTER LONDON | EPISODE 3

It's another week of Project Runway Jr and in this week's challenges, contestants broke off into pairs to showcase Avant Garde looks. It's always hard when people work together (especially when you're not used to it) - but one partner that has been great in each episode is beauty sponsor, Butter London. You can see some of the products that were available for the winning look below.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Project Runway Junior

LA BIENVENIDA A GUATEMALA

Read more from the Dec Issue

SEASON'S GREETINGS FROM ATHLEISURE MAG

We want to thank everyone who has made Athleisure Mag such a success as we close out our first year of issues, shoots, interviews and so much more! Whether you're spending time with friends or family - have a Merry Christmas and holiday and we can't wait to continue sharing our athleisure lifestyle with you in the coming new year!

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Paul Farkas