S1. E6. | #TRIBEGOALS WITH ADAM CAROLLA

Over at Athleisure Studio, #TRIBEGOALS dropped their latest episode! When you think of Adam Carolla, Loveline comes to mind immediately. He co-hosted this relationship focused call in show with Dr Drew Pinsky on MTV and you learned a lot of information while having levity throughout the show. He is also known for The Man Show, being a host of a number of TV and radio shows including, The Adam Carolla Project which focused on home improvement on TLC. In addition to appearing on Dancing with the Stars, The Celebrity Apprentice, his voiceover work, his own sangria line known as Mangria writing a number of books and more – his passion for cars is undeniable! Last month, we interviewed Adam at The Chicago Auto Show where he shared where his passion for cars emerged, Paul Newman, working on cars, Exotic EVs and of course his bromance with Jimmy Kimmel.

SUSTAINABLE BY DESIGN CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN

Before the holiday season, we attended an intimate dinner to toast Christopher Raeburn Global Creative Director of Timberland. We have been a fan of this designer since her collaborated with Victorinox years ago and he is constantly working with brands as well as his namesake with the vision of producing pieces that are sustainable and also speak back to its origins. We took some time to chat with him about his passion for design, the importance of sustainable fashion and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the moment that you knew that you wanted to be a designer?

CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN: Design has been part of my life from a very young age -- I’d say 5 or 6. My dad was very technically-minded, and he constantly challenged me and my two big brothers to think creatively. In fact, if we drew something, he would build it – anything from a treehouse to a robot. As you can imagine, it became somewhat of a competition among the brothers, but it got us all in the mindset of how things start as an idea and ultimately get made.

AM: Can you tell us about your fashion journey from where you went to school as well as other brands that you have collaborated with as we became obsessed with your designs when you collaborated with Victorinox?

CR: My journey began at Middlesex University in North London, where I earned a degree in fashion design. From there, I went on to the Royal College of Art in London, where I focused my craft on womenswear. And this really marked the the embryonic beginnings of the notion of Remade. Three years later, I showed eight pieces at London Fashion Week – all made from a single military parachute. This was before social media had really caught hold, and I decided to do something a little different by photographing pieces against lightboxes. This made a really strong visual impact, and drew quite a bit of attention in the fashion world. It ultimately earned me a British Fashion Award and GQ Man of the Year – for which I remain incredibly grateful and honored. And then, we were off to the races.

In terms of collaborations, Victorinox was one of my first and remains close to my heart. Others have included Moncler, Palladium, Umbro, Raffa, Eastpak and of course, Timberland!

AM: Tell us about your namesake collection Christopher Raeburn?

CR: The Christopher RÆBURN brand was born from a desire to create truly responsible and intelligent fashion design for a global audience. At the center is a design ethos of REMADE -- where we seek to find and repurpose surplus fabrics and garments to create distinctive and functional pieces. Alongside our REMADE pieces is a slightly broader – though still quite curated – assortment of items that reflect the two other tenets of the RÆBURN brand – REDUCED and RECYCLED.

In terms of product, our collections span menswear, womenswear, luggage and accessories.

Equally as important as the product itself is our collaborative approach to design, which comes to life in our REMADE studio in East London. We regularly invite the community into our space to truly engage them in the world of responsible design. Having this direct connection with the local community is a big part of what energizes me to keep innovating.

AM: What is your fashion aesthetic and what inspires you when you design?

CR: Functionality, authenticity, longevity are all words that jump to mind. It’s an archeology of sorts, but through a modern lens. I have a real passion for the past… for how things began, but also how they’ve evolved. And my designs reflect that… they’re original yet contemporary at the same time.

AM: We love your position on sustainability and reusing materials. Has this always been a cornerstone of your brand and why is this so important to you?

CR: Yes, responsible design has been part of my ethos since my earliest days at the Royal College of Art and my first shows at London Fashion Week. In some ways it was a happy accident – for those earliest looks, I simply fell in love with the surplus military materials. I bought yards and yards of fabric and got to work. The rest is history.

In terms of why it’s important to me now, you only need to read the news to know that we need to be more thoughtful -- as a global community – about what we’re making and what we’re consuming. We only have so many resources on this planet, and if can be part of the solution by putting responsible design at the center of my brand, then I’m proud to do just that.

AM: As the first Global Creative Director of Timberland, how did this come about and what is it about the brand that made you want to work with them?

CR: Our partnership has, in a way, been a long time in the making. Back when I was at the Royal College of Art, Timberland introduced its now famous Earthkeepers boot. It immediately caught my attention as something fresh and new and responsible, and I’ve had my eye on them ever since. More recently, I was doing some work with Timberland’s sister brand Eastpak, and we decided to take a meeting. And so our story began. We introduced our first collaboration capsule in Fall 2018, and shortly thereafter I took on the role of global creative director for the Timberland brand.

My design philosophy revolves around responsible design, which is right in line with Timberland’s commitment to make products responsibly and steadily increase its use of recycled, organic and renewable materials over time. Timberland also has a long heritage of about craftsmanship and utility – again, a good match for my own design sensibility.

As Timberland looks to the future, they intend to build the brand through the lens of elevated design, and a Creative Vision that harnesses the power of nature and the energy of fashion. Together, I think we can really push the boundaries of where Timberland can go as a brand. I’m incredibly excited to be part of bringing this vision to life.

AM: We know that there are portions of the collection out that you designed for the brand, but what is the timeline in terms of menswear and womenswear that we will see your mark on the brand?

CR: In FW 2018, we introduced our first Timberland x Christopher RÆBURNcapsule collection of apparel. For FW 2019, we will expand our collaboration to include footwear and bags, in addition to apparel.

In terms of the core Timberland brand, the first full collection designed under my leadership will be FW 2020. The process is well underway and we’re all incredibly excited about the direction thus far!

AM: At the dinner, we were able to see a number of stuffed animals from the large squirrel that greeted us, the mid-sized stuffed animals and even the leather little animals - can you tell us more about how these accessories became a part of your brand?

CR: I think it’s important to be a little playful sometimes, and not take ourselves too seriously. And that’s exactly what these animals stand for. But they’re also practical, and right in line with our commitment to reduce waste, as they’re all made from surplus materials.

These mascots have really grown to be part of our DNA, and something I’ve personally come to love. We give them to our partner stores as a thank you; we gift them to community members who participate in our workshops (and donate all workshop proceeds to the Worldwide Fund for Nature); and we place the inflatables in shop windows as a whimsical, yet meaningful attraction -- even the giant inflatables are made of surplus material.

It’s a funny coincidence that Timberland had already been doing the little leather animals on their own for years, using scrap leather from boots. So we’re again aligned on the notion of re-purposing materials, but this time in a fun and engaging way.

AM: How do you make time for yourself in the midst of all of the projects that you are a part?

CR: Haha who says I do?! In all seriousness, as I get older, I’m getting more disciplined and better about setting parameters. It also helps that I now have my brother Graeme on board, and a strong team surrounding us to free up some of my head space.

What’s also interesting is that I’m finding I’m in this unique and wonderful position where my personal passions and my work life are in balance. They don’t conflict but instead fuel and feed off each other. I’m definitely finding this in my work with Timberland. I’ll be totally energized working on a Timberland project for a few days; then I bring that energy back with me to the RÆBURN studio. And vice versa. And at every turn I am learning something new, which for me is a huge inspiration and motivator. So right now, there’s so much going on, but it’s an amazing experience.

AM: Tell us where you are based and where we can find you grabbing a drink/meal, working out and shopping?

CR: Our REMADE Lab is in the heart of East London, but I live in South London, in East Dulwich. I love the energy of East London, but I equally cherish my quieter time in Dulwich, where you’ll find some of the oldest woodlands, parks, and footpaths in the city. I grew up in the country, so this is where I feel most at home, and truly find my inspiration for the great outdoors – naturally, I prefer running outdoors whenever I can. South London is also home to my favorite museum, the Horniman Museum which is packed full of curiosities and well worth a visit.

In terms of shopping, I’m quite excited about the new retail venture, the Coal Drops Yard, which opened in late 2018. It’s an amazing development based in an area with real history, where trains used to bring coal from around the country to Kings Cross, North London, before the coal was dropped into canal boats to be transported to feed the cities’ industry. The whole area has been sympathetically restored and hosts some incredible independent stores.

AM: Who are 3 people that have been sources of inspiration for you in monumental areas of your life?

CR: Well, I've already credited my father but I’ve also been fortunate to have two older brothers who have been amazing pathfinders through life. Graeme, my (middle) older brother also went to the Royal College of Art and recently left Rapha (where he was lead designer) and now we’re working together at RÆBURN.

For other inspirations I look a little further afield and have always been inspired by the natural historian David Attenborough, who has done such an incredible job of highlighting the plight of nature to a global audience.

Finally, (and this is cheating a little), I’d recommend the BBC show “Desert Island Disks” as inspiration – different guests are interviewed each week and they select their favourite music, whilst essentially talking through their life learnings, and I always glean some great insights!

AM: With the end of the year behind us, what have been the good things have happened that you're really excited about, what are things that you thought that would take place in 2018 that you are moving into 2019 to accomplish, and what are things that are coming out in 2019 that you can share with us that we should keep an eye out for?

CR: Wow, that’s a good question – the truth is that there’s so much upcoming for both Timberland and RÆBURN it would be tricky to write everything down; what I can guarantee is we’ll be acting with real purpose, making great, meaningful products and really working to push ourselves and the industry to make things better…

PHOTOS COURTESY | Christopher Raeburn, left Christopher is standing next to Timberland's Global Brand President, Jim Pisani.

IG @Raeburn_Design

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Sustainable by Design with Christopher Raeburn in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | KAREN LORD PILATES MOVEMENT

If you're out in Venice, California we highly suggest checking out Karen Lord Pilates Movement. Its founder, Karen Lord comes from a fashion and art background and created this studio and method to connect the endless benefits of classical Pilates while delivering it in a contemporary and mindful package that offers a true connection to each person that walks through the door.

After her successes in New York, Karen wanted to expand to Los Angeles. This version of her studio started as a pop-up this past July, and they quickly saw a nice client base expanding quickly. Between people from New York who were excited to come in, or people who heard about Karen and her online videos, it started growing quickly.

When working out at their Abbot Kinney location, you will find a contemporary studio rooted in classical Pilates. In the studio, guests can enjoy 10 reformers in the space. Each trainer has their own style and many of the classes are designed to highlight that trainer's special approach to Pilates, but with the commonality that they are all guided by the unique approach of Karen Lord Pilates Movement. You'll experience the individualized attention from highly knowledgeable and truly loving trainers, but will be kept safe and guided throughout the entire experience. This studio is known for their individualized attention and focus in a well designed, clean and fashionable studio. In addition, this studio trains to the client's body and not the other way around.

In addition to group classes, private ones are also available each day. Clients can be matched with their ideal trainer depending upon their desires and needs.

Guests can enjoy changing rooms and bathrooms; however, showers are not available. Merchandise and apparel are for sale in the Love Shop- a well-curated collection of KLPM's favorite products and accessories.

In addition to this studio, Karen will be the headline Pilates instructor for Wanderlust this year in Squaw Valley as well as Seattle. There are a number of collaborations with local and national brands that will be coming up. Whether you can attend the studio or not, Karen Lord Pilates Movement will be releasing videos online in the next month so anyone worldwide can train with Karen.

KAREN LORD PILATES MOVEMENT

1729 Abbot Kinney Blvd

Venice, CA 90291

karenlordpilatesmovement.com

IG @KarenLordPilates

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure List | Karen Lord Pilates Movement in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

THE DROP OUT

ABC Radio

Spotify

When Elizabeth Holmes was charged by the SEC for defrauding investors, blood testing startup, Theranos shut down. These actions took place due to Wall Street Journal's John Carreyrou who began peeling back a number of questions people had about this company. Many questioned how Theranos went about its business, how it marketed itself especially with a method of obtaining blood, that technically would be a game-changer never actually worked or was used by them!

Over the next few weeks and months, you will see various media outlets telling this story, but ABC Radio's podcast which is hosted by chief business, economics and technology correspondent Rebecca Jarvis walks us through a number of people who worked with Elizabeth in this six-part series that took three years of invesigation! You'll hear various depositions that were obtained by the network, interviews from her family and more.

Throughout the podcast, you hear about how she created the company, how she crafted her message, how she was able to raise staggering amounts of money to fund her company from major investors as well as how she garnered accounts for her blood testing machines into Walgreens and ultimately, how everything started to crumble due to a fractured culture and secrecy that plagued the company.

CONVERSATIONS WITH A KILLER: TED BUNDY TAPES

Netflix

In the True Crime world, many are going back to some of the biggest cases to find out more information on those who created horrific crimes. Currently on Netflix, they are focused on Ted Bundy, who sexually assaulted and murdered at least 39 women in multiple states in the 1970's. It wasn't until days before his execution in 1989 that he actually confessed in detail to his crimes.

In this documentary, never before heard interviews are released as well as archive footage within this four part series.

ATHLEISURE KITCHEN

Athleisure Studio

Apple Podcast

From the creators of Athleisure Mag, we're pleased to share another show from Athleisure Studio.

We all have our favorite dishes and places to eat. Many of us enjoy cooking and are consistently evolving by learning from cookbooks and our favorite culinary shows. In Athleisure Kitchen, we delve into cooking with your favorite chefs, restaurateurs, General Managers, food personalities, brands, and more to find out their journey to food, their unique approach to creating their culinary world and how they have extended it and themselves as cherished by the world.

You can listen to the launch of our first episode with Season 14 winner of BRAVO's Top Chef, Chef Brooke Williamson who is the owner of Playa Provisions, The Tripel, Triplikit, Small Batch Icr Cream, Hudson House, Da KikoKiko is influenced by her love of seasonality and locality.

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Streaming in mag.

BINGELY BOOKS

WISH I WAS HERE

Lannoo Publishers

Many of us have bucketlists, wishlists and places where we allow our visions of wanderlust to roam! There is something about having a destination that we envision ourselves being in that makes the day to day grind much more manageable to go through. This coffee table book was created by Lannoo Publishers and has some of the most covetable places on Earth placed within its pages.

A number of top international photographers showcase the most beautiful hotspots to surf, dive or enjoy life. Over 200 pages with breath-taking beaches and spectacular photos under, on, near or at the water which will only encourage you to get ready for your next vacation.

THE GUEST BOOK

Sarah Blake

Flatiron Books

The Guest Book is such an exciting book and won't be out until May of this year, we suggest that you pre-order this book now. In this novel, you learn about the 3 generations of Milton's as they appear in 1936, 1959 and then in the present day.

Who would think that a simple word "no" would not only hurt Kitty Milton in 1936 as well as for the rest of her life, but would also create a rippling effect for future generations? Kitty and her husband Ogden come from families that are considered the backbone of the country. Not meant to be more then just uttering it at one point in their lives, they enjoy their decadent lives living within their comfortable world - change is beginning to take shape in other areas.

As we move onto 1959, we move from Maine to NYC where we see Kitty in the next phase of her life and two strangers emerge within her family. One has garnered the attention of her daughter while another makes them evaluate the state of their family and what it stands for as change continues.

This change is so present that the very finances of the family are at risk now that Kitty has passed on and in finding out how they can keep the island due to not being able to afford, it they must dig into their family history to uncover myths that threaten the image of the family.

THE MAGICAL CITY

Lizzie Mary Gullen

Michael Joseph

When things get too hectic and you need to take time to just relax, there is nothing better then having a coloring book nearby where you can organize your thoughts by drawing. We're loving this coloring book because it is a merge between applying colors to a city while being transported to inspired locations.

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely Books in mag.

SOMETHING YOU SHOULD KNOW | NEW YEAR, NEW SLEEP, NEW YOU

We've been working within 2019 for a few weeks now, and whatever our goals are, it's still early enough to make a few tweaks on a number of our activities. We got the chance to catch up with Terry Cralle, RN, Clinical Sleep Educator to talk about sleep. We all know that this is an important activity, but we really wanted to find out what we could do to get more sleep as well as additional elements of this important health cycle!

She broke down the importance of our initial steps in getting great sleep, how we can optimize our bedroom for better sleep, whether we should go comando or not (and the benefits either way), how we should take eight and the ease of great sleep.

A New Year is upon us and for many of us, when it comes to our New Year’s resolutions, it’s “here we go again.” Will the gym membership go unused by mid-January or will the dieting trail off, as it usually does, as the days tick by? Whether it’s weight loss, new fitness goals, completing that degree, a new job or better financial decisions, there’s a lot that can and should be accomplished in the new year – but the question is: How do you get motivated and see resolutions through to completion? What would help ensure success with these goals – no matter the time of year? Is there a “secret sauce” that can help people achieve their new year goals – not to mention career and life goals?

The First Step is Sleep

The answer is a resounding “yes!” There definitely is something that can help us see our resolutions through, achieve successes and realize our full potential. It’s called sufficient sleep. Yes, it’s often disregarded or overlooked – but it shouldn’t be – as it is an incredible performance enhancer and game changer, especially for those who have not used it to their full advantage.

Sufficient sleep, often overlooked as an indulgence, rather than a biological necessity, can easily become the catalyst for seeing any goals through to success. Adequate sleep can provide what our bodies need, directly affecting our ability to succeed at what we set out to do.

There are many ways to optimize sleep. Here are easy things you can do now that can impact the way you view sleep and the way you get sleep.

Start by Optimizing Your Bedroom for Better Sleep

The bedroom is for sleep. Period. It is no secret that the bedroom environment can have an enormous impact on sleep quality and quantity. Are stacks of bills piling up on the dresser or is there unfolded laundry waiting to be put away? Has your bedroom become a storage room for unused exercise equipment or stacks of magazines? Has your mattress seen better days? How about the clutter spilling out from under your bed?

You may be pleasantly surprised by how a few tweaks will help transform your bedroom into a relaxing, serene, inviting and sleep conducive sleep sanctuary. See for yourself whether transforming your bedroom leads to better sleep quality. Consider the following for better sleep and better wake quality:

• Do your bright red or purple bedroom walls make a statement? Bold colors may be affecting your sense of serenity and relaxation at bedtime. Consider borrowing a color palette from nature (think soft sky blues, pale forest greens and even the silver from moonlight) or light neutrals to soften things up a bit.

• How does your bedding look and feel? White bedding is often associated with luxury and cleanliness. If the thought of crisp, clean white sheets makes you want to crawl into bed an hour earlier, even better.

• A plant or two will not only look pretty, but can help improve bedroom air quality. According to NASA research, some plants act as natural indoor air purifiers, including the snake, English ivy, and spider plants. (Note that some plants can be toxic to children and pets.)

• Clutter, junk, and piles of stuff create visual chaos — which is distracting and stressful, not to mention dust-collecting – all of which can negatively impact your ability to relax and fall asleep. Go minimalist by taking out extra stuff – even furniture. An organized, neat and sparse bedroom is more relaxing and conducive to sleep than one that is cluttered, disorganized and overwhelming.

• Bright overhead lights should be avoided in the evenings and before bedtime. Have soft lighting options available in your bedroom and consider motion-detecting night lights to help safely navigate 3 a.m. trips to the bathroom.

• Let’s face it: getting into a well-made bed feels wonderful at the end of a long day, and for many, an unmade bed is an eyesore. A survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) found that respondents who made their beds daily were 19 percent more likely to report quality sleep. However, there is some controversy about a made bed trapping in moisture and thereby worsening dust mites. If you like the look and feel of a made bed, consider pulling back the bedcovers as soon as you get out of bed in the morning to let your bed air out and then making it up at least an hour later. This may also be a good idea if you have pets who like to sleep on the bed during the day. If you opt not to make the bed, at least straightening the bedding can help give the bedroom a neater appearance.

PHOTO CREDIT | UnSplash

Give Some Thought to PJs – or Not

While this aspect of sleep is rarely given a second thought, let’s take a moment and consider how we feel during the day when we rock an outfit that looks great, feels comfortable and fits well – it really contributes to us having a good day as opposed to a not so good one. It goes the same with sleep. For optimal sleep performance, real pajamas that you only wear to bed are ideal. Don’t wear the same clothes that you work out in or go shopping in. Avoid tight or constrictive clothing that have uncomfortable straps, tags or anything that will bunch up or twist when changing position during sleep.

Changing into comfortable and designated sleepwear is a critical component of an effective sleep strategy. In fact, the term enclothed cognition is a term used to describe “the system atic influence that clothes have on the wearer's psychological processes.” Changing into designated jammies can give your brain the cue for “it’s time to go to sleep,” rather than “it must be time to hit the gym.”

There are many types of pajama fabrics available — silk, flannel, linen, cotton, even cashmere — so choose what feels best for you and your sleep style. (Do you sleep hot, cold, with lots of covers, without?) Surprisingly, wool can be ideal for a variety of sleepers. Published in 2016, research in the journal Nature and Science of Sleep found that wool did a good job at regulating body temperature — keeping the sleeper in what is known as “the thermal comfort zone.”

Sleeping in your birthday suit is another option. It is said that sleeping naked can help prevent overheating – result ting in deeper sleep. Buff sleeping is also reported to increase the storage of brown fat, the type of fat that burns calories. It is thought that increasing brown fat may help with weight loss, while improving insulin function and glucose levels. An added bonus is the fact that the skin-to-skin contact that naked sleep lends itself to creates a boost in the feel-good hormone oxytocin (often referred to as the love hormone), which contributes to increased feelings of intimacy and bonding. In fact, a British survey of over 1000 couples found those who slept in the buff reported happier relationships than those who slept in PJs. Alternatively, sleeping in as little as possible may be a happy and healthy compromise for those who don’t want to go totally commando.

PHOTO CREDIT | UnSplash

Take Eight

Statistically speaking, far too many of us fall into the category of not sleeping enough. According to the CDC, one third of the adults in the U.S. report that they usually get less than the recommended amount of sleep (7-9 hours a night). Insufficient sleep is a serious and costly problem associated with many health conditions — including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression. Insufficient sleep is also linked to motor vehicle crashes and workplace accidents.

Sleep fuels the body and brain in many ways – helping with learning, memory, problem solving and judgment. Sufficient sleep is particularly helpful for the developing brain. In fact, recently at Baylor University, students were given extra points if they met “The 8-hour Challenge.” The challenge entailed averaging eight hours of sleep for five nights during final exams week. The results from the challenge were published in an article in the journal Teaching of Psychology and demonstrated that the students who got the extra sleep performed better than those who did not participate. Researcher Michael Scullin noted that one of the students who got the extra sleep re marked that it was the “first time my brain worked while taking an exam.” Another student stated that "there’s plenty of time to set aside for sleep and still get everything done and you feel so much better doing it.”

The Baylor challenge reminded me of a group I worked with several years ago. They were Wall Street executives who prided themselves on sleeping as little as possible. (“I’ll sleep when I’m dead” was their favorite saying.) They laughed about all of the 3 a.m. emails they sent to each other and how often their work kept them up late, woke them up in the middle of the night or sometimes kept them up all night. Yet this group was convinced that they could not be successful if they took the time to get adequate sleep. In fact, they were under the erroneous impression that they had successfully acclimated to running on empty, and not only that, they were doing just fine. However, this attitude reflects the lack of insight that typically accompanies sleep deprivation – people think they are performing well, when in reality they are not. They don’t realize, see or feel the degradation in their performance and/or have lost their point of reference to feeling rested and restored upon awakening or even hitting the ground running.

I challenged this group to rethink sleep – to throw out all of their preconceived notions (sleep is a time-waster, sleep is for the lazy, I can’t take time for sleep if I want to climb the corporate ladder, etc.) and view sleep more as a performance enhancer than as a sign of weakness. I urged them to view sleep as a biological requirement – not an indulgence for those without a work ethic. I emphatically stressed to them that sleep and success were not mutually exclusive.

The only way to demonstrate this was to challenge them to extend their sleep time – shooting for eight – for a week at least, but ideally for two weeks - and see if they saw a difference in how they performed and how they felt, both physically and mentally.

I was not surprised to find them more than pleasantly surprised at the improvements in energy, productivity, general well-being, efficiency, accuracy, outlook, and communication when they were well-rested. As I had explained, we perform much like an intoxicated person when we are not getting the recommended amount of sleep on a consistent basis – not to mention, it’s terrible for our physical health. Unhealthy weight and a lack of exercise (no energy, no motivation) go hand in hand with insufficient sleep.

Sleep: Easy as One, Two, Three

Make 2019 a year to remember by ringing in the New Year with resolutions you can keep. Three easy steps are all you need to start the year off on the right foot – and keep it there. Three easy steps will help you see all of your resolutions through while keeping you healthy, energized, motivated, focused and happy. So go clean your bedroom, slip into (or out of) something cozy, and hit the hay at a decent hour for a change to grab eight hours of restorative sleep. That’s it. See for yourself the difference these few changes make. Then go tackle those resolutions. You may have the most productive year ever!

IG @CralleRN

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Something You Should Know | New Year, New Sleep, New You in mag.

COMMUNICATION ESSENTIALS WITH DR. V

When it's coming from a place of love and concern, we're all about a straight shooter. We've been team Dr. V since we first saw her years ago on BRAVO's LA Shrinks, where we were introduced to this Clinical Psychiatrist that was never shy to tell you how it is and to call you on your crap! We continued to follow her as she appeared on a number of daytime, primetime and reality TV show spots, including as a host on WE TV's Marriage Bootcamp. We took some time to talk with Dr. V about her job as a Clinical Psychologist, the power and importance of communication, her new book Bad Advice and of course being on Marriage Bootcamp.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We fell in love with you on BRAVO’s LA Shrinks as well as on the The Real Housewives of NJ and on WE TV’s Millionaire Matchmaker and Marriage Bootcamp! Can you tell us how you came to Clinical Psychology as a career and then how you were able to parlay that into you being on Reality, Daytime and PrimeTime TV?

DR. V: You know I knew from a very young age that I was very equipped to solve problems. So I kind of went from the stoop to the screen. As I sit here talking with you, I think about how I used to sit on my neighborhood stoop and solve problems. It was a very working class neighborhood where all the houses were connected – row homes. So it was the kind of place where people would gather out front in front of people’s stoops.

I remember being super young like 4-5-6 and hearing people discuss their lives in very intimate ways! I mean a lot of shit goes down on the stoop for sure! So I would listen and it seemed like people would have this idea that somehow their problems were unsolvable. At a very young age, call it naivete or hopefulness, I never saw it that way. I always thought that the problems could be solved and I would go into my own head and solve the problem.

Like I’d be like, “wait let me tell you how shit goes – this is not a big problem.” I would go inside myself and be like, this is easy guys, it can’t be this hard. By the way, this is very different than giving advice. Because when you’re young, you’re able to use and even when you’re older – you use what’s called Executive Functioning in your brain. It’s when you’re able to re-engineer problems. I think that at the end of the day to get back to your first question, I had a very early development of that in my brain of Executive Functioning and being able to see problems and than rearrange them, which is different then giving advice. I don’t even like to give advice by the way – I stay away from it.

AM: We like that you make that distinction because hearing you say that – definitely is a difference and to do so at such a young age and to understand that is phenomenal.

DR. V: It’s the idea that solutions and advice are different. I think that when you come from it at that perspective, how can we work together to find a solution as opposed to “I’m the expert, I know better than you and you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Fuck that – we can work together and find solutions. I think that at the end of the day, that’s how I got started in Psychology and it was at that young age – I knew I was able to re-engineer my own problems and other people’s problems.

Taking that a step further, I sought after higher education. You had pointed out Clinical Psychology which is different the Counseling Psychology and other forms. Clinical Psychology just means that it’s research based and as a science lover, I love doing research. But at the end of the day, it’s really just that I was dumb enough to take the longer route – that’s really what’s happening! You tack on another couple of years for your dissertation, so a lot of doing the same things, just the degree of Clinical Psychology which is a PHD has more of a research focus where Counseling Psychology has more of a counseling focus – talk therapy. So that’s really the only difference there. I love research, I love doing it, collecting other people’s research. Anyone of those degrees, they can also share that same love of research – it’s just required as a PHD in Clinical Psychology to do the research for the degree.

So how I found myself, I was there on the stoop re-engineering everyone’s problems and I gained enough confidence to tell people what if you did this or what if you did that? And I think that coming from a very working class Italian neighborhood where there was a sense of community, the volume was turned up and we never had enough of anything but love and emotions – I think I developed a way of communicating that I had to be super clear. I had to make my point super clear and it has to land! Because for Uncle Rocky to take in my advice or my solutions – it has to land. Because of that, that was Prime TV talk as it has to land and it has to make an impact. If not, it’s not entertaining or there is no reveal or whatever entertainment words we use.

I think that is how I find myself in front of the screen and I battle on a regular basis – my own shyness. I know it doesn’t come off that way, but I am a very shy person.

AM: We would have never guessed that!

DR. V: Oh yeah! I am incredibly shy and I have had to really talk myself through my own levels of courage. Obviously as I have gotten older, it’s gotten easier as I will be 47 and I am sitting in this bath of “I don’t give a fuck” – but I battle this on a daily basis in front of the camera. I battle this by getting so into the process that I forget that the camera is there. I immerse myself into the person that we are talking to or the project that we are dealing with and I really have to forget that the cameras are there and I am able to cope better with my shyness and I can hone in on the person I am talking to?

AM: How important is communication with the person that you are talking to whether it’s a significant other, a friend etc?

DR V: Well communication defines the relationship. It is the key to every aspect of our lives. Communication, if we were to think of it as our form of expression and creativity, it leaves us room to be able to take in feedback about our communication. Your sense of self expression isn’t my way of self expression. The way that you communicate is not the way that I would creatively do so. The words that you choose, the metaphors that you give and how you choose to communicate with someone else is really quite magical. Communication and how we communicate in the world defines who we are, defines the relationship, defines our friendships and really is the most important ingredient in life!

I don’t like when people say, “that person can’t communicate effectively.” It just means that you can’t hear their message. Communication is co-created. We don’t realize that as humans we help each other feel things. As we sit on the phone with one another, we help each other feel things and this is what sets us a part. We’re almost contagious to each other. Communication seems like it’s such a simple word, but to me it’s more then just that word and it embodies so much more! It embodies the self expression, how you perceive yourself and others – it’s creative. It’s a creative endeavor.

AM: It’s a great point as for years we use to say, “this person isn’t an effective communicator.” One day we thought, we should try to figure out what this person is saying as they are making a point, they seem to believe it, perhaps we’re just not getting it. So we started re-engineering. Hearing that this person said x and then trying to get the meaning behind it really makes us understand what you just shared as they had a different method and that it is a creative process to understand what is being said.

DR. V: Right and then from that place, you’re able to go to where I excel with solutions! You’re able to find the solution. If someone isn’t communicating effectively if we use that word, you’re immediately put on your heels, you’re set off, you’re turned off – when you categorize it in that way. We need to be more curious and ask more questions instead of having this knee jerk judgement. There is nothing more that makes things go wrong then taking a cruise on the SS Judgmental! Once people begin judging each other, things go wrong. When we get curious and ask questions, you’re better able to understand the person you’re talking to. If you’re curious in a genuine and relaxed way – I have been in situations where I was curious but being a bitch and I was asking questions only to hide my annoyance and that wasn’t good! But when you do it genuinely, that person gets curious too and then they relax too!

So when we talk about communication, it’s obviously one of my favorite topics – I see it differently. Usually when people are bringing it up, they mean it in a, “we just don’t communicate well” kind of way. That’s when I say, “we have to ask more questions.” We’re allowed to help each and other. My husband and I have been together for 22 years and I think it was about 5 years in where I would create narratives for him. I would write him in an email, which is a little condescending haha – I’m not going to lie. This would take place during an argument where he would go to his respective work and I would go to my respective work and I would say let me help you. In quotes I would write what I wanted to hear and he would write back, “wow I didn’t know it was that easy as I would have said that to you. I just couldn’t find those words and didn’t know the words you wanted to hear.” This would go on for 3-4 years about what I needed to hear. A lot of people would say, “that’s not genuine – he should know what you need to hear.” But no, not at all. Sometimes it’s ok to help people figure out how to love you. Because that is a creative endeavor. Many people say that men and women have different language styles, but I don’t believe that. I think everyone wants the same thing. Both men and women want to be loved and to love – everyone wants it. How people get there is very different and men aren’t pushed or taught to be emotional leaders, “boys don’t cry” – this sort of toxic masculinity has infiltrated our society to a point where it has stopped men’s growth to express how they’re feeling. Men get this bad wrap for not expressing how they are feeling and women feel like they have to consistently be the emotional leaders or that we’re all emotional brains and we’re crazy – no it’s just that you don’t understand her – she’s not crazy.

AM: We were going to ask about the difference in love languages between men and women. But we like hearing how you were able to articulate what you said and what you wanted to hear reminds us that when we're talking to our significant other, we’ll say that we know you said x, but what I actually here is y. This makes the conversation a lot longer to break down the components of what’s said vs felt vs what we should do.

DR V: Right it becomes a creative endeavor. When you’re saying what you heard and what was felt it actually entails a vulnerability. So not only are you attempting to have better communication, but your partner is learning about you, who you are, what makes you tick and your deepest vulnerabilities which invites them to do the same. When we talk about men and women and their differences, men are not able to show their vulnerabilities as a society. They are uninvited to that party usually. So when they get with someone who is an emotional and has a creative expression of how they use language and are able to communicate what you feel, these men are like, what the fuck?

I have so much empathy for that struggle and form of expression and I don’t believe that we’re talking in different languages. Everyone knows what it’s like to be sad, hurt or to feel vulnerable and both men and women feel that. It’s how we express those emotions that matter.

AM: With us being firmly in the New Year, a lot of people are looking at their resolutions, being their best selves etc. What is the best way for people to optimize their lives without feeling the pressures of changes that may not have taken place or come out the way that they had hoped?

DR. V: Wow well patience is it’s own kind of confidence. It takes patience with other people and ourselves to attain goals. It’s a trust in your self and in the process. If you have fallen off of the wagon or have fucked up, it’s never wrong to start again. It’s always right to start again!

AM: So you released Bad Advice last fall. What led you to writing this and tell us more about this book!

DR. V: Look, I was just tired of hearing things repeated back to me – bad advice. Theories are very important! How we walk through the world and how we define our world is through theories and words. If those theories aren’t correct and are in fact, scientifically wrong – where does that leave us? I was inspired to write this as I’m just irreverent in general and I love to punch holes in things. I just got tired of hearing these one liners that seemed to have blown up even more so on the Internet like: “Just be yourself”, “You can’t love anyone until you love yourself”, “Expectations lead to disappointment” or “Follow your bliss” – it’s like birds flying! Because we’re passing around this bullshit more and more, I got curious about it. Is it really true that you can’t love anyone until you love yourself? Is that true? In the event that you need to hear, just be yourself – does that help? Is it helpful? Do expectations lead to disappointment – is that true – I got really curious! I found these statements and of course, I have my own hypothesis. I collected pieces of Bad Advice that enjoy the shit out of me and I debunked them in the book with heart and humor and it’s a super fun read. It’s one of those books where my hope is you get done reading it and you say, “you’ve never thought of it that way.” Then I have done my job as an author. My favorite books were always those that I would close them and be like, “Oh my God I never thought of it that way – that is so interesting.” You’re able to affect how people view the world.

AM: How long did it take for you to put that together?

DR. V: I would say that while the writing process was 2 years, it’s a lifelong project for me. There were so many pieces of Bad Advice that I didn’t include that I am still collecting them.

AM: Will there be a part two?

DR. V: Yes! I feel that I have been doing this my whole life. I am a very curious person and I always ask myself, how do I know this to be true and forget about bad advice – I’m just curious about the world. What we know – how do we know this to be true and forget about bad advice. Who is the messenger – who is saying it, why are we saying it and who is coming from? I ask myself things like this all the time.

AM: How can someone identify when bad advice is being given to them?

DR V: When it denies your humanity. When it denies what you feel. For example, “Nobody can make you feel bad without your permission” – that’s a chapter in the book. That is like the worse advice that I have ever heard. I get it. My mom used to say it to me when people would make fun of my name. We say it because we want to help people but what it does – I mean when was the last time you gave someone permission to hurt your feelings?

AM: Um never!

DR. V: EXACTLY! Like I will give you permission to hurt me? It doesn’t make sense. So when it denies your humanity and how you’re feeling then you know it’s bad advice!

AM: You’re so right. I mean I can see why we say it because we’ve all heard it from other people who meant it from a good place. But when you think about it, it’s kind of taking a knock at you and you’re internalizing it!

DR. V: You’re right and so for a split second, you’re put in a an area of denial and those emotions come back double fold because you’re trying to hold back from what you really feel. When it comes to relationships, “you can’t really love anyone until you love yourself.” Look, we are meant to love people that is what humans do. So you’re going to love people and your self doesn’t give a fuck about what you think of you. It also creates a “series of events” first I love me, then I love you it implies that love is linear and it’s not – it’s co-created. But we hear love yourself and we’re all the while being conditioned to self hate! Self hate is very real, but the concept of self love – no one tells you how to love yourself. Do you know why? It’s because it’s impossible to love yourself the way that you would love someone else because it’s not supported by brain circuitry. You’re going to love other people and that’s just what will happen – it’s what we do. It denies your humanity – you will love people regardless – you may not love them well, but that’s not what we’re talking about.

AM: How do you prepare for your work on WE TV’s Marriage Bootcamp, especially with all of the different personalities that are involved? How do you ultimately get them to the relationships that they desire?

DR. V: Well bigger personalities require bigger jolts. They require different methods. So, the goal of Marriage Bootcamp is to provide a cellular experience which jolts the system. What I love about the show is that my goal isn’t to keep the couple together. It’s my hope, but it’s about choice. Is this the person that you should be with? It’s about re-engineering that problem – is this the person for you? With all the evidence given to you over the last 10 days, do you want to be with this person? It’s about giving the couples the information they need about themselves and the relationship and asking them to make a choice.

My hope is that they do, but then again staying together is not always the right choice. It may be that they need to live a part. This is what I love about the show – our stakes aren’t in whether the couples stay together, but that the right choice is being made for the person and the couple.

How I prepare for the show, well before those 10 days, I get a lot of sleep. I don’t sleep for 10 days!

AM: We’ve been a fan of the show for years, but we can only imagine how it must be to be there in your position. With such big personalities how do you take the space you need so that you can do the best work for them?

DR. V: Well I’ll tell you. I have been in the field for – I started volunteering at Mt Sinai at 20 – I’ve been doing it a long time, 25 years. You really do learn how to separate yourself and it came naturally over time for me. I know when I need to restore myself and when I begin to become a judgey asshole. I’ll say wow, “I really need to take a break because this person is really getting on my fucking nerves!” Because you can’t help people if you can’t find something to love about them. That is the truth. You have to find something about them that you love and that you like. If you don’t like them – you can’t help them. It’s an incredibly professional and profound thing to admit that this person is tapping into something in me that I don’t like. I need to take a step back and to restore myself and grow from that. That’s what I love about the work because I am consistently growing and being pushed to my own limits season after season after season. I love that – whatever field can I grow and learn in a fun and chaotic way haha!

AM: Everytime we see that you’re back for another season we’re like she’s still hanging in there!

DR. V: Haha Dr. V is still alive! It’s funny because when people are put in a therapeutic environment when they may attack me or say something to me – I feel their pain. They are really talking to pieces of themselves. I feel like I have a deep empathy for that.

As a side note. You know what’s funny about Marriage Bootcamp? That show is so fucking crazy and YET when I watch it on TV – they actually make the drama LESS! They don’t even need to make it more dramatic like a lot of reality shows do. They don’t edit it a certain way to make it more dramatic. I was there – I know that that was way more intense than what they are showing. I think that is what has made the show last for 13 seasons, because the drama is already there. So they don’t have to do much!

You get to see some of your favorite personalities in a different light. Like Brandi Glanville on Marriage Bootcamp was not the same Brandi Glanville on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. People who follow her and love her got to see her in a different way and that’s amazing to me.

AM: You’re based in LA – where do you love grabbing a meal/cocktail, working out and going out for a little shopping?

DR. V: Let me tell you – I love a good diner! I’m from Philly – I did my education in NYC and there is nothing to me that beats a good diner. Kitchen 24 in Hollywood is open 24 hours. I can go there and get egg whites and feta. If I am working late and I need to wind down, I can get a margarita at 3am in the morning – it’s the best place on earth – it’s like my mother’s kitchen! There is nothing like a good diner.

I love to cycle and I feel that at my age it’s so great because you’re not compounding your joints. I’m a big SoulCycler and I do that 2 times a week. For shopping, I love style but I’m not much of a shopper. I’m not one of those women that get up and say, “I’m going to go shopping.” I can’t handle that, but I do love shopping online. I don’t have to shop, they just send shit to me, “we think you’ll like this.”

AM: Are you a beauty girl and do you have 3 must have products that you enjoy using?

DR. V: Ok I want to tell you that I recently decided to go from a rose kind of color to more of a peachier color for my face, lips and eyes. I’m completely obsessed with Stila Cosmetics that has these Liquid Eyeshadows that are glitter! The Bronzed Belle for brown eyes and a little olive skin is so gorgeous! Girl, I got the small one - the travel one and I keep it in my purse – that’s how much I love it! That’s my shadow and I like that it is so glittery and pretty. I’m obsessed with MAC’s Spring Sheen Shimmer Blush and it’s the most beautiful, peachy shiny and luxurious look!

AM: We love a peach moment!

DR. V: I know! Peachiness adds a beautiful alive and awake color. The right peach shades just are natural but then you’re wearing makeup. Then I just recently changed from Chanel’s Foundation to Santees – no. 280 and it’s beautiful! I know you said 3 but the 4th one popped into my brain – so you know it’s the winter months and you want a little color on your face. I am in love with La Luxe The Face and it is an illuminating and self tanning drops. It can be placed in any moisturizer or even an exfoliant that you put on your face at night – you can control the color with the amount of drops you put in. I love that you can just have it in your moisturizer. I use it as night and I get up and I love that I wake up with color on my face! It’s beautiful and one of my favorite products!

AM: We believe that your vibe is your tribe from a #TRIBEGOALS perspective. Who are 3 people that you look to for inspiration?

DR. V: I find that people in my immediate environment are inspiring. When I am feeling unlovable and I can think of nothing good about myself, I turn to my husband. There is so much unconditional love I can turn to him and he is able to help me see me through his eyes. That is a really beautiful thing when you can count on someone to recenter you. Then, the hopefulness of children. I have a 10 and 12 year old boys and a 2.5 year old daughter. The hopefulness of kids is just so inspiring me and when I am feeling a little cynical, I hang out with them! That spark of hopefulness is boom right there! I am also 1 of 5 so I have a few sisters and one brother and there is nothing like the love that a sibling has! No one can get under your skin or build you up like a sibling. I feel that as I have gotten older, I have relied on my immediate relationships to bring a sense of purpose, meaning and fulfillment and I’m really happy about that. I value these relationships with my life!

IG @Doctor_V_

We enjoyed chatting with Dr. V and you can hear this interview at Athleisure Studio, our podcast network with one of our latest episodes of #TRIBEGOALS. Enjoy wherever you hear your podcasts including Spotify, Apple Podcast and Google Podcast.

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Communication Essentials with Dr. V in mag.

THE ART OF THE SNACK | THE DATE NIGHT MEAL WITH CHEF MARCUS SAMUELSSON

ATHLEISURE MAG: So we’re excited to have you in Athleisure Mag and Athleisure Kitchen, our readers have loved you for a very long time. Chef, with Valentine’s Day being this month and just date night dinners in general, what should we be making so that we can always stun our significant other?

CHEF MARCUS SAMUELSSON: Oh cool. I’m excited that you guys came today. For me, I feel very fortunate that I have been lucky to partner with Pure Leaf. Pure Leaf is always looking for great flavors and unique flavors that are super delicious. I think with this collection, Pure Leaf has found something really cool and interesting. Hibiscus, being African you find this all over the Caribbean and Africa. Sometimes, it’s known as Sorel. A beautiful flower that has that beautiful floral note that has become a really big trend in restaurants. What would be more fun than to be able to bring that trend setting food back home to a cocktail or through a simple appetizer. We’re going to do both.

The collection has all hibiscus and is caffeine free. They’re herbally brewed, also all around hibiscus along with a mango, a peach and a cherry. I put some of the mango flavored hibiscus iced tea with a little gin and you can also do it as a mocktail with no alcohol. I also put in some orange bitters and some citrus juice and just give that a shake and put some ice in at and give it a little light shake. This cocktail is called the Valentine and it has this beautiful rose color. It’s light and bright. Then we will put that little bit of sprig of thyme just to add to the floral note.

Making a light bright dish that is a flavored forward dish can be simple. I am going to start with some greens – a little bit of baby arugula and then frizze. I’m searing my scallops just 3 minutes on each side so that they are golden brown. In the pan, which is a cast iron skillet, there is a little bit of olive oil but I am also adding in parsley and adding in thyme so that those herbal notes can come back out again. I said it before that Pure Leaf has this beautiful collection of hibiscus and this one is Hibiscus Cherry flavor. It has a gorgeous burgundy color and it’s light with all of the flavors that you want. We also took some sundried cherries and just soaked them over night in the iced tea which makes them nice and loose in terms of texture.

Remember those scallops?

AM: They’re beautiful.

CHEF MS: Yes, they’re golden brown. When you get scallops like this, you want them to be dry scallops and you want to ask for sushi quality grade A. When you do that, you’ll have the best seafood! You also want to buy seafood from the same person because then you’re building a relationship with them and you’re ensuring that you’ll always get the good stuff. Then garnish with a bit of parsley and nuts – which you don’t have to if someone has a nut allergy. If they don’t it’s good for crunch. Then we will use the parsley that we seared up and top off the dish with some of those fresh herbs.

AM: It’s an easy dish to make.

CHEF MS: That’s the key right? We wanted to make the dish flavor forward, but also very easy to make. Jump in!

AM: It’s one of my favorite dishes as I love scallops.

CHEF MS: Yes, it’s scallops and just that idea that it’s hibiscus with that cherry profile. It’s light, bright and a beautiful appetizer.

AM: This is so good!

CHEF MS: Today I’m serving you for free. When you come to Red Rooster, I have to charge you, this is so much better!

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

CHEF MS: Well I cooked my whole life! You know I grew up in Sweden with my grandmother and she was a cook and just to be here 30 years later and to do a craft that I was taught in her kitchen is an unbelievable experience and it’s not a job. It’s something that I am passionate about and feel that it’s a privilege to work with my passion. To be to work with communities and to be able to create jobs for our inner city kids, whether it is through Careers Through Culinary Arts Program, our restaurants, through our festival Harlem Eat Up! and with that, you need partners like Pure Leaf that sees those opportunities to help me create that.

AM: How do you decide what and where your next restaurant is going to be?

CHEF MS: You know those are tough questions for me. First the city has to speak to me. I love New York and you know it’s not just about the city, it’s about the part of town. You know we just opened in Newark a beautiful town that has a strong African American narrative in terms of culture, music, jazz and we felt that it was a place that we thought was important for us to contribute to for jobs and to hire locally.

We always look at the city, we opened the Red Rooster in London which has always been – I mean growing up in Europe, London is your New York. To be able to be there has been a privilege as well. But then again it has been a privilege to be able to do what I love in so many different cities and Harlem will always be home. We have our festival coming up soon and it’s something that we look forward to.

AM: As the producer of Harlem Eat Up!, how did it come about and why is its intersectionality so important?

CHEF MS: I was always a guest to all of these great food festivals whether it was Miami, South Beach, Aspen or New York. And then I thought, wait a minute, Harlem is such an incredibly rich community in terms of culture and rich history. The chefs there deserve to also be able to tell their story and the food festival has been able to tell that story!

With that, to do it because half of our Harlem Eat Up! is for free, and we can’t do it without sponsors like Pure Leaf, whether it’s to help set the table for Valentine’s Day or whether it’s to set the table for a food festival.

AM: So I’m a huge fan of Red Rooster, what are 3 signature dishes that we need to eat there and you can only choose 3 now haha!

CHEF MS: When you come to the Red Rooster you have to have as starters the Cornbread and the Deviled Eggs. It’s easy and you can have a drink and you definitely need to start off with a Brown Stoner or a Bourbon forward drink and then I love a Shrimp and Grits, which is super super delicious. It’s comforting and you have to have the Yardbird.

AM: This month is the South Beach Food and Wine Festival. Why do you love participating in that, attending and why is it so important?

CHEF MS: SoBe is one of the festivals that started the great festivals. You have SoBe and Aspen. As a chef, it’s such a privilege and you get to also see your chef friends. I’m going to be able to see and hang out with Bobby, Alex and my friend Scott – people that we work together, but we don’t always have time to hang out. That’s the time that we get to hang out. I also go over to Overtown and I get to do cooking demos. This year, I made sure that my events are always at Overtowns so I can bring that South Beach audience over to another part of town that they may or may not have been to before.

AM: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us and to make this incredible meal!

CHEF MS: Well you’re good! You’ve got your cocktail – The Valentine and you’ve got your Scallops that are beautiful and I hope that you enjoy it.

CHERRY HIBISCUS SEARED SCALLOPS with Mustard Greens, Tea Infused Cherries, Almonds

For the Cherry-Hibiscus Sauce

1 ounce dried hibiscus petals

1 quart Pure Leaf Cherry Hibiscus Herbal Tea

In a large pot, heat the tea and hibiscus until it’s just barely simmering. Remove from the heat and let sit for 20 minutes. Strain and chill.

For the Tea Infused Cherries

1 cup dried cherries

2 cups Pure Leaf Cherry Hibiscus Herbal Tea

Bring the tea to a boil. Pour over the dried cherries. Let sit at room temperature for two hours to infuse.

For the Roasted Almonds

1 cup whole marcona blanched almonds

1 tbsp olive oil

1/8 tsp salt

Toss the almonds in oil and salt and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Roast at 350 degrees until well browned and fragrant, approximately 5 minutes.

To Assemble

4 diver scallops (U10 size)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 ounce frilly mustard greens

1 ounce frisee

1 tbsp infused cherries

1 tbsp cherry-hibiscus sauce

1 tbsp roasted almonds

1 tbsp torn parsley leaves

Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat with half of the olive oil. Season scallops liberally with salt. When the oil is beginning to smoke, sear the scallops for two minutes on each side. Remove from pan.

In a shallow bowl, place the cherry-hibiscus sauce. Dress the mustard greens, frisee, and parsley with the cherries, rest of the olive oil, and a touch of salt. Place on top of the sauce. Arrange the scallops on top and garnish with the roasted almonds.

VALENTHYME

1 oz Pink Gin

2 oz Pure Leaf Mango Hibiscus Herbal Tea

¼ oz Simple Syrup

½ oz Lemon Juice

6 dashes Cranberry Bitters

3 dashes Orange Bitters

¾ oz Cranberry Juice

Shake all ingredients over ice and serve in a coupe. Garnish with Thyme sprig.

Mock

3 oz Pure Leaf Mango Hibiscus Herbal Tea

¼ oz Simple Syrup

½ oz Lemon Juice

6 dashes Cranberry Bitters

3 dashes Orange Bitters

¾ oz Cranberry Juice

Shake all ingredients over ice and serve in a coupe. Garnish with Thyme sprig.

PHOTO CREDIT | PG 88 Cedric Angeles

You can catch Athleisure Studio's podcast show You can catch Athleisure Studio’s podcast show, Athleisure Kitchen and hear our conversation with Chef Marcus Samuelsson next month wherever you enjoy listening to podcasts including Spotify, Apple Podcast and Google Podcast.

Read the latest issue of the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see The Art of the Snack | The Date Night Meal with Chef Marcus Samuelsson in mag.

S1. E2. | Athleisure Kitchen with Chef Marcus Samuelsson

We’ve been a fan of Chef Marcus Samuelsson for over a decade starting with enjoying his Deviled Eggs at Red Rooster in Harlem! We’ve enjoyed seeing him on Food Network when he’s judging Chopped or seeing him on BRAVO’s Top Chef. Whether he’s releasing a cookbook, or opening additional restaurants, we know that Marcus is always creating innovative dishes that are focused on phenomenal taste, dynamic flavors and comfort foods that we need. In today’s episode of Athleisure Kitchen, Marcus cooks us a meal that we should make for date night, talks about his formula in opening as well as finding the perfect locations for his restaurants and the importance of Harlem Eat Up, his food festival that highlight his city, chefs and music of the neighborhood.

To see the meal that Chef Marcus Samuelsson prepared, check out the video below check out the interview in Athleisure Mag’s Feb issue!

IN OUR BAG | WHEN YOU'RE OUT AND ABOUT

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see In Our Bag | When You’re Out and About in mag.

ATHLEISURE BEAUTY

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure Beauty in mag.

STYLE FILES | AW19

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Style Files | AW19 in mag.

THE PICK ME UP

Read the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see The Pick Me Up in mag.

CBD BEAUTY

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see CBD Beauty in mag.

THE HUB WITH AL HORFORD

The month of February has a lot going on in the sports world. While our cover men enjoy their recent Super Bowl win, a number of people are focused on the NBA's All Star Weekend, which takes place this month in Charlotte. Just like fans enjoy attending this game, a number of your favorite NBA athletes enjoy this celebration of basketball. We took a few minutes to chat with Al Horford, the 5X All Star for the Boston Celtics to find out how he fell in love with the game, what All Star Weekend means to the sport and any midseason info he can provide on how his team is doing!

ATHLEISURE MAG: So recently Steve Kerr, the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, called you the perfect modern day center that is the hub of the Celtics. How would you describe your roll on the team?

AL HORFORD: I think my role on my team is to make sure that defensively, I am bringing energy, that I’m a presence on defense and rebounding. On offense, that I do whatever the team needs me to do in terms of scoring, passing, setting screens and things like that. Just making sure that I am playing with high energy and a lot of pace.

AM: Nice so, you’re all about balance and performance in terms of recovery and nutrition, what’s your day like heading into a game and your day of activities. Then what do you do after the games?

AH: Usually before the games, I’m trying to get a lot of fruits, vegetables, proteins and just having a very balanced diet. Then after the games, and this may surprise a lot of people, but my go-to drink is chocolate milk. Chocolate milk has everything that I need to recover. It has the carbs, the proteins, the electrolytes and all the good stuff that I need to feel at my best the next day.

AM: Interesting, as the newest athlete/partner with the Built with Chocolate Milk Campaign, what does this campaign look like?

AH: Obviously, it’s encouraging a healthy lifestyle, that for me really focuses on my recovery as an athlete, a person that just worked out and trained. Chocolate milk is a great source to drink after you finish your workout and the best thing about it is that it is backed by science.

AM: With All Star Weekend taking place this weekend, what is it about this weekend that is exciting as a player, whether you’re participating as a player or just to be there to support the love of your teammates?

AH: It’s just a great celebration to be able to go there in the same building with all of these great players. There are a lot of former players that also join in. A lot of NBA legends and all that and you’re able to see all these people and everyone celebrating basketball. You have the dunk contest, the 3 Point contest, the actual game. It’s just a great time for families and it’s great for the fans to just go out there and enjoy that weekend. There is just so much out there going on. Anytime that I have gone out there and had the chance to do it, I have always felt very lucky and fortunate.

AM: Well obviously you’re on the road quite a bit. So what are your 3 must have items that you like to take with you on the road?

AH: Well that’s a good question. My three must have items is my Bible, my iPad and my headphones. Those three things are definitely always with me.

AM: Well we know that you mom is a sports journalist and is one of your biggest fans, what did she instill in you that helped you to navigate this sport?

AH: My mom is very passionate as a Hispanic/Dominican mother she is always very passionate. She’s always instilled this in me and my dad actually played professional basketball. So my interest came because of that, but if it wasn’t for my mom and her enthusiasm and energy, I don’t think that I would be in this position. She has always been so encouraging and so upbeat to be the very best that I can be.

AM: We’re all about tribes, people that connect to you and also build you up here at #TRIB3GOALS, who are 3 people that you would identify with that are your go to people as inspirations for your career?

AH: That would definitely be my mom who has built me up in that sense, and also I have been fortunate to have great coaches around me growing up. My college coach is actually the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder right now is another person, Billy Donovan that has always encouraged me. I’d also say my grandfather, he is one of my biggest supporters and growing up he has always been there to give me confidence.

AM: Are there any midseason predictions that you can share with us about yourself, team, your goals etc?

AH: Yeah I think that in the midseason, a team is starting to really understand how we need to play to be that great team that all our friends want and expect us to. I think that we’re playing much better basketball. The key for us is that we get all players healthy at the same time and that we play consistently at that high level. The playoffs are around the corner and it’s the time that you look forward to to be a part of that!

IG @AlHorford

Read more from the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see The Hub with Al Horford in Mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | THE LITTLE BEET

When it comes to farm-to-table fast casual dining options, The Little Beet has been one of our favorite places to eat since 2014! Known as a 100% Gluten free restaurant, this growing chain with a number of locations in NYC and continuing to add additional cities to its roster, utilizing seasonal and local ingredients by sourcing them from farmers and purveyors that believe in this way of bringing foods that are good for you - to you. Because of the commitment to this vision, there may be variations in the menu depending on the location that you are visiting.

Navigating the menu at any location allows culinary diversity whether you are dairy-free, soy-free, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and nut-free. One can create their own meals or select from a series of bowls that are packed with proteins whether you stopping in for breakfast to enjoy parfaits, breakfast bowls or sandwiches or you're opting to swing by for lunch and dinner to enjoy a number of bowl options. Common ingredients that are found in their dishes include: jackfruit, kefir chicken, mixed greens, avocados, salmon poke, golden beets, black beans, pickled onions, seeds and more.

Dishes are created with inspiration from global dishes and are meant to fuel your body with positive nutrients that leave it feeling great.

In addition, there are a number of beverage brands that are offered to accompany your meal from Wonder Drink Kombucha (our personal favorite is the Asian Pear), Spindrift and Nitro Cold Brew Coffee, as well as baked goods to end your meal on a sweet note.

The Little Beet is part of Aurify Brands, which includes: Melt Shop, The Little Beet Table, Fields Good Chicken, and Five Guys Burgers and Fries.

In additional partnership with The Little Beet is Ugly Produce is Beautiful which works to ensure that they reduce food waste in produce when it comes to not consuming it or simply not buying it because it doesn't have the symmetry or beauty that is expected upon purchase. In their restaurants you will see images by Sarah Phillips of her series, Ugly Produce is Beautiful.

THE LITTLE BEET

With locations in a number of cities, surrounding areas an new locations that pop up, keep checking the website to see where they are in your area.

www.thelittlebeet.com

IG @thelittlebeet

Read the Feb Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Athleisure List | The Little Beet in Mag.

HOW TO DRESS | FOR A LITTLE SLOPE TIME

Read more from the Feb issue of Athleisure Magsee How to Dress | For a Little Slope Time in Mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG | #39 FEB 2019

This month Athleisure Mag is covered on both of its covers by Brandon King, Jonathan Jones and Obi Melifonwu of the New England Patriots Super Bowl LIII Champions and the shoot took place at Serafina Tribeca. We interview them about the win as well as their passion for the game. This issue also includes interviews with Boston Celtics' Al Horford, producer and entertainer Drumma Boy, Celebrity Chef and TV Personality Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster, WE TV Marriage Bootcamp's Dr. V and fashion designer, Christopher Raeburn.

Read the latest issue here.

PSYCHIATRIST DEMYSTIFIES COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ALCOHOL

PHOTO CREDIT | Elizabeth French

It is not uncommon for people to hold familiar myths as fact. Many people regard old college proverbs about partying and alcohol as tried and true. But facts are facts, people! We wanted to find out what science had to say about some common alcohol myths that might have no scientific basis to them. Dr. Duy Nguyen, a psychiatrist and addiction treatment specialist at Beachway Therapy Center in Boynton Beach, Florida offers his expertise on the topic.

Myth #1: Eating After a Night of Heavy Drinking will reduce your Hangover the Next Day

It’s hard to find a group of friends that hasn’t made a junk food trip after a night of drinking and partying. The general belief is that food will sober you up by helping absorb the alcohol you’ve consumed throughout the night. However, our expert suggests that by the time you eat that corner store donut, it might be too late. “Alcohol hits the bloodstream almost immediately after consumption. By the time you eat the junk food you crave, your system has already absorbed the alcohol,” says Dr. Nguyen. “Instead make a mindful decision to eat something before you begin to drink and then party and drink with moderation to avoid the negative effects of alcohol. Remember that food prior to a night of drinks only delays the absorption of alcohol but it doesn’t clear you from the consequences of too much drinking,” warns Dr. Nguyen.

Myth #2: A Cold Shower will Sober You Right Up

Many people think this is an effective way to get over the strain under which they put their body the night prior. The truth is though the cold shower can make you more alert because of the shock of the cold water it won’t change what is going on in your body. Your liver is dealing with the alcohol you subjected it to and your body is dealing with the fatigue. “ The standard notion is that your liver metabolizes 1 to 1.5 ounces of liquor in an hour. That is one standard drink. If you drank more than that then it piles up in the blood and body tissue until the liver has time to process it. The system has to run its course in processing the alcohol and a cold shower wouldn’t change what is already inside your system waiting to be metabolized,” explains Dr. Nguyen.

Myth #3: Liquor prior to Beer is safe but Beer prior to liquor can make you… sicker

The myth originates from the misconception that one standard beer has less liquor than a shot of hard liquor like vodka or whiskey. This is not true. Basically, the idea is that you start with the “stronger” liquor in order to get inebriated quickly and then the “lighter” alcohol to keep the buzz going. One standard shot of vodka has the same about of liquor as a 12 ounce of beer. So the only thing you are affecting is the volume at which you start. In any case drinking too much alcohol to quickly, regardless of what you are drinking will make you sick. “Pacing yourself is the key to not being sick. Anything in excess can be dangerous and that is especially true for alcohol,” says Dr. Duy Nguyen who practices his specialty at Beachway Therapy Center, a dual diagnosis treatment facility in Boynton Beach, Florida.

Myth #4: “I can sober up quickly if I had to”

It’s surprising how many people believe in their own ability to sober up if a serious enough situation arises. This belief is dangerous because aside from being scientifically inaccurate, it leads to poor decision making. “Drunk drivers often believe that they can sober up once they have to drive and they can end up causing accidents, hurting other people or themselves and getting into major trouble with the authorities,” explains Dr. Nguyen. There is no change to the blood alcohol level in your body caused by the need to sober up. You may feel some adrenaline that makes you more alert or awoken momentarily but your perception will still be impaired and brain functions dealing with decision making and operations will still be under the influence.

Myth #5: Puking will sober you right up

Puking can only relieve you of a very small amount of alcohol if done immediately after drinking. The system begins absorbing the alcohol almost immediately and it is likely that by the time you begin to feel nausea there is too much alcohol in your system already. “The brain has a system in place for detecting and receiving signals from the body that toxins have reached a dangerous level and that the body must puke to survive,” explains Dr. Nguyen. “The process of emesis (vomiting) takes place in a few steps. The central nervous system detects the excess of alcohol through the Chemoreceptor trigger zone. This part of the brain then sends signals to the Integrated Vomiting Centre of the brain stimulating the body’s function to expulse the excess toxins from the body.”

 Though the body tries it’s best to survive the puking does not sober you up right away and if you get to that level of intoxication, puking will surely not prevent a hangover the next morning.

Myth #6: Painkillers while drinking will prevent a Hangover

Medications are not to be taken with alcohol. Period. Pills like aspirin or ibuprofen are popular for headaches and people disregard the detrimental effects of taking these medications while drinking. Alcohol is a toxin that irritates the stomach and gastrointestinal tract. It can also affect the liver and the central nervous system when taken in excess.  Ibuprofen and aspirin can make this worse. “Long term use of this combo of substances can cause damage to your liver and kidneys and deteriorate the lining of your digestive system,” says Dr. Nguyen 

Myth #7: Once you break the seal you can stop running to the restroom

Many people will drink heavily and party hard but will hold urine all night because of the ubiquitous belief that breaking your seal and going to the restroom will have you peeing all night. This is an erroneous and problematic says Dr. Nguyen. “Our bodies have a hormone that helps your system reabsorb water from urine and helps dictate the amount of time it takes your bladder to fill up. Alcohol suppresses that hormone and as a result, your bladder fills up quicker because it is not receiving signals to reabsorb water already in your system.  Leaving you, aside from dehydrated, with the need to go to the restroom regardless of how long you hold it in.”

Read more from the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

S1. Ep5. | #TRIBEGOALS with Al Horford

Over at Athleisure Studio, we just dropped our latest episode of #TRIBEGOALS. In the NBA we're now midway the season which means All Star Weekend just took place. We’re excited to have the chance to discuss with Al Horford of the Boston Celtics a 6 x All Star to talk about his passion to play the game, mastering his position and who has inspired him in his tribe to be as successful as he has been.