Caroline Bailly, owner of L'Atelier Rouge | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY L’Atelier Rouge

HOMME GARDEN

June 19, 2016

Plants have always been of interest to have within your home or office space whether they're flowers, succulents, etc. We sat down with Caroline Bailly, owner of L'Atelier Rouge to find out how to create the perfect arrangement as well as how they are the perfect gift for men whether's it for your boyfriend, Father's Day or just because!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Have you always been interested in flowers - what is your background in the floral industry?

CAROLINE BAILLY: Yes my Mom was a botanic specialist in France and flowers have always been part of my life. Even though I have a food and beverage background through the course of my career, I was hired as Events Director by the famed Olivier Giugni who was a wonderful floral mentor and taught me a lot.

AM: When did you launch L'Atelier Rouge?

CB: In March, 2010.

AM: How can we create the perfect floral arrangement?

CB: When you design a floral arrangement I feel that emotions are very important and you want to share / create a story when designing.

AM: What kinds of flowers should we always have on hand?

CB: I feel like answering all of them! This is a challenging question as I feel that there is always a certain flower for a specific purpose and the message you want to send. (i.e. Peonies are soft / sweet and delicate. Calla lillies are more structured and clean.) So to keep it simple you would want to have different sizes of heads, different textures and at least 3 colors to add more depth to your designs. Right now, I would say that I always want to have some proteas / peonies / roses / sweetpeas and orchids on hand.

AM: Succulents seem to be a popular trend - what is it about them that are making them have such a moment?

CB: I think that the beauty of succulents is that they do last and add texture and muted colors to your home. They do not need a lot of maintenance and you do not need to be a floral expert to have fun with them.

Arrangements created by L' Atelier Rouge's Head of Floral Design, Takaya Sato

AM: When it comes to florals, and men, how can we choose an arrangement that is perfect for them?

CB: For me a more masculine arrangement is structured, geometrical and not overly colorful. Ornithogalum / Calla Lillies / Lady Slippers / Tulips and exotic flowers such as anthurium are my recommendations.

AM: Are flowers an appropriate gift for Father's Day and what do you suggest?

CB: Totally, I love the idea of offering a plant such as an interesting agave as an alternative to succulents or a creative orchid garden for the office as a father's day gift.

AM: What are popular florals that are perfect for the summer?

CB: Sunflowers / daisies / chamomille and dahlias are some of my Summer favorites.

ORANGE BLOSSOM

June 17, 2016

Our June cover girl is a part of one of our favorite Netflix shows Orange is the New Black. Vicky Jeudy plays Janae Watson and is back for season 4 with a number of shennanigans with our favorite girls in Litchfield.

We took a moment to sit down to find out more about Vicky, what's she's working on and what we can expect from the new season which is available on June 17th!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you wanted to be an actress?

VICKY JEUDY: I realized I wanted to be an actress when I was in college. It was a profession that I always found intriguing and wanted to pursue. It's storytelling of humanity.

AM: We love getting to know more about your character each season and hope to find out more about Janae Watson - what was the audition process like?

VJ: The audition process was great. My representatives sent me the audition material and I prepared for it. I went in and gave it my best.

AM: After being with you on set for our cover, we know you have an infectious smile and bubbly personality, how are you able to get into the character of Janae and what is the process like?

VJ: Aw! Thank you for that compliment. When I get into character I'm thinking of Janae's thoughts, how she is feeling in a particular situation and what is she trying to accomplish? I believe all of the characters are relatable and the audience can connect with feelings of loss, despair, happiness, etc.

AM: How long do you guys film for each season and what's an average day like?

VJ: Usually it takes 5-6 months for filming. An average day consist of reporting to work, greeting everybody, I'll grab breakfast and head straight into hair and makeup. From there my cast mates and I will gather together for rehearsal with the director and then we are ready to shoot. It's a huge blessing to work with an entire team of people that are professional and friendly. Working on the set of OITNB feels like I'm surrounded with love.

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

VJ: I'm thrilled for season 4 and I can't wait for the public to see it. It deals with heavy headline news. I hope it brings insight to the audience and soften their heart about particular matters.

AM: Outside of OITNB, are there other shows, movies etc. that we will see you in?

VJ: Yes! I did an amazing independent film called Armstrong and I can't wait for everyone to see it once it's completed.

AM: When you're not going to castings, table reads etc. - how do you find balance and giving yourself the personal time that you need?

VJ: My personal time is extremely important to me. It's where I refresh myself. I believe in hanging out with my closest family and friends that I adore, praying and having fun. I love bike riding, traveling, and exploring my city. It's so important to have a great time when going through this journey of life.

AM: How do you stay in shape?

VJ: I stay in shape by keeping active and eating healthy. When the weather is nice, I have a weakness for outdoor activities such as biking, walking, running, whatever it is I'm doing it. I also go to the gym, but I'd rather be outside.

AM: What is your personal style when you're out and about in terms of favorite things to wear?

VJ: I love to look naturally pretty, simple and classy at the same time. I adore hats, a sophisticated bag and amazing pumps. Those are my daily fashion go to.

AM: Do you have any charities or groups that you work with?

VJ: As of recently yes. I had the opportunity to observe the amazing work J/P HRO (Jenkins/Penn Haitian Relief Organization founded by philanthropist Sanela Diana Jenkins and actor Sean Penn) is doing in Port Au Prince, Haiti. Haiti is important to me because both my parents are Haitian. The organization has established schools, medical centers, community centers, housing and so much more. I'm excited to work along them.

AM: How are you spending your summer?

VJ: My summer will be spent on working, reading, traveling, and whatever I feel like getting into. It's never too late to discover more passions.

We shot our June cover at a stunning penthouse at 75 Wall St. With a great location and stunning views, we wanted to know more about this luxury property.

AM: The Hakimian Organization has developed a number of properties in the city, what sets 75 Wall apart from the rest that you own?

THE HAKIMIAN ORGANIZATION: 75 Wall Residences Atop Andaz is the most diverse and dynamic development in The Hakimian Organization’s portfolio to date. Since the condominium, which consists of 346 units, lies above 253 hotel rooms, retail space, and an onsite garage parking, residents share the benefit of having their own private space, alongside the privileges of staying in a hotel. The notable property, designed by the award-winning Rockwell Group, was named a Best Mixed-Use Development in the prestigious Americas’ Property Awards.

AM: 75 Wall is currently in the midst of a renovation, when will it be completed and can people purchase units now?

THO: The condominiums at 75 Wall are available for purchase now, with immediate occupancy. However, for the common spaces, 75 Wall has partnered with contemporary high-end furniture company, Ligne Roset, to make upgrades to the building’s lobby, 18th floor lounge and spacious rooftop, which offers sweeping views of lower Manhattan. 75 Wall is also adding a children’s playroom! This is all being done with no special assessment or increase in common charges, and will be completed this summer.

AM: With the Andaz Wall Street hotel as a neighbor, what are residents able to enjoy as part of their amenities?

THO: With the Andaz Wall Street as a neighbor, residents are able to enjoy the benefits of a hotel, right in their very own home! This includes hotel services such as room service, catering and the finest treatments from The SPA at Andaz Wall Street hotel.

AM: We shot our cover star, Vicky Judy of Orange is the New Black in one of your penthouse lofts. Tell us who was the interior designer and the thought process behind the decoration. Also, share with us some of the details of the loft in terms of the materials used.

THO: 75 Wall has just released its most luxury penthouses and condominiums onto the market, which includes the space Vicky Judy was shot in, PHL2. In addition to releasing this exclusive collection onto the market, 75 Wall also partnered with Ligne Roset to update the amenity spaces, as well as design the model unit that was used for the shoot. PHL2 has three bedrooms, and a space in the front that could be used for an office, or, as we designed it, for a children’s play space.

AM: The roof deck is stunning with amazing views, your condos are in a historic part of town and there are great amenities available to residents - what are your key selling points of this space?

THO: 75 Wall’s location is definitely a huge selling point. The building is within walking distance to South Street Seaport, the Fulton Street Transit Center, and latest shopping mecca Brookfield Place, in addition to staples like Dean and Deluca, making it a prime choice for those looking to immerse themselves in all that lower Manhattan has to offer. Additionally, residents are able to enjoy the benefits offered by the building's latest onsite services and entertainment provider, Luxury Attaché, a premier concierge management company that is introducing music and art classes, children’s exercise programs and story time events into the space. Other programs include spa and salon services, event planning assistance, dry cleaning pick-up and delivery, refrigerator and pantry stocking, technology installation, and personalized entertainment and nightlife recommendations. The rooftop lounge and terrace is set to go under renovation as well, and will soon include outdoor and indoor entertainment spaces with fireplace, bar and kitchen.

AM: What elements are core Hakimian details that you tend to include within your buildings for those that seek out your developments?

THO: With our properties, we put an emphasis on lifestyle, outfitting each building with everyday luxuries that make them stand out. Whether it’s a partnership with a service that offers exclusive entertainment options, premier in-house workout classes, or furnishings from an award-winning design company, The Hakimian Organization strives to deliver unique indulgences to every property we have.

AM: What is next for The Hakimian Organization in terms of residential properties that we should include on our list for those on the market?

THO: Next up, The Hakimian Organization is looking to build a few properties on the emerging Long Island City. This includes 41-31 27th Street, a 15-story, 45-unit rental building with interiors by David Howell Design; and 33-01 38th Avenue, a six-story, 94-unit rental designed by Greenberg Farrow. The Hakimian Organization is also developing Long Island City’s 44-16 23rd Street into a new retail space, slated to open in 2017.

MAGIC HOUR

June 15, 2016

When you mix old school with the new, it's a great time had by all. We headed out to Brooklyn for the Magic Hour! This included outdoor roller skating, cool beats and Talib Kweli for a Sat afternoon.

ATHLEISURE MAG'S JUNE ISSUE IS OUT!

June 14, 2016

And we're live! The June issue is ready and we're so excited to unveil that we have Vicky Jeudy from Orange is the New Black on the cover! She plays Janae Watson in this Netflix show which goes live on June 17th and we enjoyed shooting with her. This issue also has a number of celebrity fitness trainers including Ky Evans and Tony Horton. We also have an indepth interview with Kevin Kerslake Director/Executive Producer of AS I AM: The Life and Time$ of DJ AM. Make sure to flip through the digital issue now!

YOU TOO CAN BE AN ORIGINAL

May 30, 2016

by Ed Maguire

Do you believe that some people are just born creative, and others just aren’t? That there are some people that are born to lead and the rest of us are destined to follow? Is there some rare quality that makes some people have an impact, while others can’t? A new book by Adam Grant, The Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World blows the lid of these assumptions. Yes, you can be creative in ways you never thought, you can even change the world – you just have to have faith in your own ideas and be willing to learn the right way to bring them to success.

Adam Grant is a professor of business at the University of Pennsylvania, who’s known for being accessible and really people smart. A friend of mine gave me his prior book Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success as a gift (appropriately). The premise of the book is that success is not just a matter of hard work, talent and luck, it’s increasingly about interactions with other people. He looks at people along three types – Givers, Takers and Matchers. He looked at how different types of people became successful in life and in their careers. Takers are those that that often get the most credit for accomplishments, building on the contributions of others that may not get recognized. Takers tend to be more calculating about the returns they get for their efforts. Givers often donate their time and resources without expecting specific payback. In some circumstances, this doesn’t always work to their benefit. Matchers tend to network between the two types. What Grant found was that Givers often see indirect payoffs over the longer term because of the goodwill and trust they build up over time.Adam Grant’s analysis is inspiring, because he lays out how you can do well by doing good. There is a method to the madness.

In Originals, Adam Grant makes an important point – that you should not be overly concerned with following conventional wisdom if you have an idea you feel passionately about. He uses an example that hit painfully close to home: Warby Parker, the successful eyewear startup named as the most innovative company in the world in 2015 by Fast Company. He was approached by the co-founders of Warby Parker in 2009 to be an early investor in the company – and he passed on the opportunity. It was the worst financial decision he ever made, so he decided to understand what went wrong.

The co-founders of Warby Parker found their idea by asking why eyeglasses had to be so expensive? They did some research and found an industry that was 80% dominated by one company – Luxxotica – that charged high prices because they had so little competition. None of the founders had a background in eyewear, or fashion, or e-commerce – but they started up the company because they saw they realized there was another way to do things. They were all students at the time, and they worked on the idea in their spare time while working at internships. To Grant, they seemed unwilling to take the big risks typically associated with startup founders – quitting to go all in with guns blazing. This was enough to convince him not to invest. But what he found later, after doing more research, was that many successful startup founders hedge their bets and proceed cautiously – because what they are actually doing is reducing risk!

One of the key insights from Originals is that experts – and related experience are not always the best source of original ideas. The most innovative ideas often come from people with skills and experience from different areas. He tells the story of Rick Ludwin, a television executive who had experience in variety shows and specials and his unlikely experience creating new kind of sitcom. Ludwin had experience writing jokes and selling them to Bob Hope, but he had never written a sitcom or developed one. He pushed an unconventional idea through, hiring writers who had not worked in sitcoms before and his project ended up being the most successful comedy of all time: Seinfeld.

It does help to be get familiar with failure - the more ideas you try out, you’ll have a better chance of success. Composers like Beethoven and painters like Picasso owed their success in large part to the fact that they were prolific enough that even a small proportion if their output were masterpieces.

But don’t feel bad if you don’t wake up every day and attack your deadlines. Timing is important, and procrastination can also be an invaluable technique when you’re trying to collect your ideas. Coretta Scott King tells the story about Martin Luther King’s “I have a Dream” speech. King worked on it the whole night before without sleeping a wink and he knew it was going to be important. After months of preparation and a written speech – what happened? During the address, the singer Mahalia Jackson shouted from behind him “Tell em about the dream Martin” – and he pushed aside his notes and launched into his vision for the future. In front of all those people and cameras – he winged it.

What Adam Grant has found is that there is not one road to happiness or success, and there are as often exceptions as rules to conventional wisdom. Early movers don’t always win, and you don’t have to take the biggest risks. There are a plenty of ways you can hack your own creativity, and sometimes the best
opportunities come from what looks like failure. You can be a pioneer – or you can be a settler. You can be a young genius – or an old master. You can be a lone wolf – or you can be a social animal and still succeed. The key is to always think twice about whatever you do – and it never hurts to get a second opinion.

There are a few things that anyone can do to stimulate their own creativity:

1) Have a hobby. A study of Nobel Prize winning scientists by a team of 15 University of Michigan researchers found that winners were 2X more likely than average scientists to play a musical instrument; 7X greater than average to be involved in arts or crafts; 12X more likely to be a writer and 22X more likely to be a performer.

2) Get your peers involved in evaluating your ideas. The best ideas can be vetted and improved by soliciting feedback and ideas from peers.

3) Immerse yourself in a new culture: Living overseas for a while can change your perspective and give you new touchstones for creative ideas.

So the conclusion here is that you should never be too hard on yourself if you don’t think you’re cut out to be creative or for success. There’s always a path, and each person’s path looks different. To be an Original is not as difficult as it sounds – after all there are over 7 billion of us on the world, and no two will ever be alike. Embrace it.

Ed Maguire has worked as an equity analyst covering the technology sector since 1999 for a variety of firms including CLSA Americas, Merrill Lynch and CIBC. Previously he led sales for independent music distributor Twinbrook Music while working as professional musician performing on bass, violin and keyboards, composing, arranging and producing a variety of styles of music. Ed holds a B.A. in Music from Columbia and an M.B.A. from Rutgers in Finance and Management Information Systems. He lives in Millburn, NJ with his wife Lily, their two kids and the dog Spock.

His & Her Kicks

March 5, 2016

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL FARKAS — PHOTOGRAPHY | PAUL FARKAS

Fold Festival 2015

August 6, 2015

Festival season continues with a new city being added to the list. FOLD Festival kicked off Aug 4th for its two day event of musicians across genres coming together to perform at Martha Clara Vineyards in Riverhead, NY. Athleisure Mag attended this inaugural festival which focuses on Grammy winning producer and musician Nile Rodgers' love for Freak Out Let's Dance. Check out exclusive behind the scenes as well as performances that took place on both days.

The festival included performances from an array of musicians including Pharrell Williams, Keith Urban, Chaka Khan, Duran Duran and Janelle Monae.