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Athleisure Mag™ | Athleisure Culture

ATHLEISURE MAG™ | Athleisure Culture
  • FITNESS
  • Food
  • Beauty
  • Sports
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  • Athleisure Studio
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THE 9LIST

October 11, 2023

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag and see THE 9LIST in mag.

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THE 9LIST
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THE 9LIST
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In AM, 9LIST, Sep 2023 Tags THE 9LIST, Marshall, Wilson, Stance, Glossier, Face Gym, Day Rate Beauty, Seasalt Cornwall, Hunter Boots, Blunt
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63MIX ROUTIN3S | ELIZABETH BEISEL

October 10, 2023

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S Elizabeth Beisel in mag.

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In 63MIX ROUTIN3S, AM, Athletes, Olympics, Sep 2023, Sports, Olympian Tags AM, Olympics, Olympians, Sports, Wash My Face, An Hour Long Walk, Fiance Lives in Thailand, My Summer Rule, Surf or Swim, Hot Power Vinyasa Flow, The SImple Things, Reading + Kombucha, Trying to Cook More
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63MIX ROUTIN3S | INNA

October 9, 2023

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | INNA in mag.

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In 63MIX ROUTIN3S, AM, Music, Sep 2023 Tags INNA, 63MIX ROUTIN3S, Watch Movies, Skateboarding in the City, Cook Something Delicious, Work on New Music, Spend Time with Friends, Long Walks, Coffee with My Boyfriend, Workout, Create Outfits, Work On New Music
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9LOOKS | DOLCE & GABBANA

October 8, 2023

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LOOKS in mag.

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9PLAYLIST | CHRIS LAKE

October 7, 2023

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | Chris Lake in mag.

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ROCK THIS LAYERED STYLE FOR GOING OUT + ABOUT THIS FALL

October 6, 2023

Read the SEP ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see ROCK THIS LAYERED STYLE FOR GOING OUT + ABOUT THIS FALL in mag.

In AM, Rock This When, Sep 2023 Tags Rock This When, Loro Piana, Skims, Lunya, Buddha Mama, Gucci
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PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Golden Bachelor/John Fleenor

THE GOLDEN BACHELOR S.1 E.2 | WELCOME TO THE MANSION LADIES

October 5, 2023

PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Golden Bachelor

It’s the second week of The Golden Bachelor and we get to see the ladies enter the mansion! Seeing the women decide where they will sleep and navigating bunk beds is pretty funny.

Jesse Palmer meets them and asks them how they have settled in. He gives them the date card (which some didn’t know what it was) and Theresa is given a 1-on-1 date with Gerry Turner. We see him get out of a vintage car to pick up Theresa and then we see them driving where he doesn’t have headlights. It seems like they could have had a limo to take them so that it wasn’t such a harrowing experience, but at least it allows them to bond a bit on the way to their destination.

Their date takes place at a diner that seems like it’s out of the 50’s. Hearing them talk about their spouse’s passing, their circle of friends, and navigating that look and moving forward. They even get in on a flashmob that starts up in the diner. She gets the Date Night rose. It’ll be interesting to see what the women will say when she comes back as Theresa’s birthday has been a topic since last week’s episode.

Franco, our fave photographer that’s a friend of ours is taking pictures of Gerry! The group date begins and it’s going to be a photoshoot for a romance novel! The women get to select outfits that include weddings dresses, the 60’s, 70’s and the 80’s. They’re divided into groups that include vibrant colors, summer of love, road to passion, and bridal. Of course there were some who didn’t like their outfits and others who got emotional as wearing the wedding dress made them think of their husbands that passed.

Gerry realizes that Ellen seemed a bit off and he wondered what happened. She let him know that emotions hit her when she wore the dress and he shared how he has had those situation happen as well and he let her know how the scent of cinnamon a few years ago made him think of his wife.

The group date goes straight into a after group date party with the rose out there already. It’s interesting to see how the segments we’ve come to know are still there, but are slightly different to accommodate the flow of this show. The interaction between Leslie and Gerry is pretty cute as she shares that she also wears hearing aids and that how she presents on the outside isn’t exactly who she is inside as she is a lava cake! It’s s fun moment, but ultimately, Nancy gets the group date rose for the night.

The cocktail party is also a birthday party since it’s Gerry’s birthday. Susan popped out of the cake for him and snatched him away to have some 1-on-1 time. Faith also get some time with him and lets him know that she was happy to see him as she got the First Impression Rose, but wasn’t on the 1-on-1 date and the group date. He even gifts Ellen a framed photo from the novel/bridal shoot.

The rose ceremony begins and Leslie, Joan, Edith, Ellen, Sandra, Susan, Christina, Faith, April, and Kathy.

Gerry Gave Roses To | April, Christina, Edith, Ellen, Faith, Joan, Kathy, Leslie, Nancy, Sandra, Susan, and Theresa

Gerry sent home | Jeanie, Natascha, and Peggy

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelor and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!


WHO WE THINK SHOULD GO TO HOMETOWNS

APRIL
APRIL
EDITH
EDITH
LESLIE
LESLIE
SANDRA
SANDRA

THE GOLDEN BACHELOR CONTESTANTS

ANNA - Summit, NJ; 61
ANNA - Summit, NJ; 61
APRIL - Port St. Lucie, FL; 65
APRIL - Port St. Lucie, FL; 65
CHRISTINA - Sierra Madre, CA; 73
CHRISTINA - Sierra Madre, CA; 73
EDITH - Downey, CA; 60
EDITH - Downey, CA; 60
ELLEN - Delray Beach, FL; 71
ELLEN - Delray Beach, FL; 71
FAITH - Benton City; WA; 61
FAITH - Benton City; WA; 61
JEANIE - Estill Springs, TN; 65
JEANIE - Estill Springs, TN; 65
JOAN- Rockland, MD; 60
JOAN- Rockland, MD; 60
KATHY - Austin, TX; 70
KATHY - Austin, TX; 70
LESLIE - Minneapolis, MN; 64
LESLIE - Minneapolis, MN; 64
MARIA - Teaneck, NJ; 60
MARIA - Teaneck, NJ; 60
MARINA - LA, CA; 60
MARINA - LA, CA; 60
NANCY - Alexandria, VA 60
NANCY - Alexandria, VA 60
NATASCHA - NY, NY; 60
NATASCHA - NY, NY; 60
PAMELA - Aurora, IL; 75
PAMELA - Aurora, IL; 75
PATTY - Durham, NC; 70
PATTY - Durham, NC; 70
PEGGY - East Haven, CT; 69
PEGGY - East Haven, CT; 69
RENEE - Chicago, IL; 67
RENEE - Chicago, IL; 67
SANDRA - Doraville, GA; 75
SANDRA - Doraville, GA; 75
SUSAN - Aston, PA; 67
SUSAN - Aston, PA; 67
SYLVIA - LA, CA; 64
SYLVIA - LA, CA; 64
THERESA - Shrewsburry, NJ; 70
THERESA - Shrewsburry, NJ; 70

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

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In TV Show, Celebrity, AM Tags TV Show, Reality TV, ABC, Gerry Turner, The Golden Bachelor
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THE PICK ME UP

October 5, 2023

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag and see THE PICK ME UP in mag.

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In AM, Sep 2023, The Pick Me Up Tags The Pick Me Up, Baabushka, Blue Bear, Babo Botanicals, Cosmolle, Thesis, Edge Theory Labs
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PHOTO CREDIT | Unsplash/Spacejoy

TYPES OF MEN'S ROBES AND LEARNING THE RIGHT MEASUREMENTS AND FIT FOR YOU

October 5, 2023

There are several types of men's robes available, each with its own unique features and purposes.

  1. Terry Cloth Robes: Terry cloth robes are perfect for wrapping yourself up after a bath or shower. They're made from absorbent cotton which helps you dry off quickly and stay warm.

  2. Cotton Robes: Cotton robes are lightweight and breathable, making them perfect for lounging around the house. They're also easy to care for and can be thrown in the washing machine without worry.

  3. Waffle Robes: These robes are lightweight and comfortable, making them a good choice for lounging or for use in warmer climates. Their distinctive waffle pattern allows airflow, helping you to stay cool.

  4. Fleece Robes: Fleece robes are very warm and cozy, making them ideal for cooler weather or for those who prefer a softer touch against their skin.

  5. Satin or Silk Robes: These robes are considered luxury items. The fabric is smooth, shiny, and feels soft to the touch. However, they're not as warm as other types of robes and are often worn for style rather than comfort.

  6. Kimono Robes: Originally from Japan, these robes are characterized by their simple tie and wide sleeves. They come in a variety of fabrics and designs, and can be used for lounging or as a lightweight cover-up.

  7. Velvet Robes: These robes are made of a plush, luxurious fabric that is soft to the touch. They're perfect for keeping warm in colder weather and add a touch of sophistication to any lounging attire.

  8. Flannel Robes: Flannel robes are known for their warmth and softness, making them ideal for those who want to stay cozy during the colder months. Their thick fabric also makes them a great choice for lounging around the house.

  9. Hooded Robes: Hooded robes offer an extra layer of warmth and protection for your head and neck. They're perfect for after a shower or on chilly mornings.

Each type of robe is designed to cater to different needs, tastes, and situations, so choosing the right one depends on your personal preference and intended use.

Men's Robes Sizing and Fit

Robe Sizing and Fit

Men’s robes are designed to be comfortable and loose-fitting, but they should also fit well to provide maximum warmth and coverage. Men's robe sizes generally range from small to extra-large, based on standard clothing sizes. Here are some key considerations:

  1. Length: The length of the robe is a key factor in its warmth and functionality. Shorter robes are cooling and provide ease of movement, while longer robes provide more warmth and coverage.

  2. Sleeve length: Robe sleeves should ideally reach the wrist, but may be designed to fall anywhere from the forearm to beyond the fingertips. Kimono-style robes often have longer sleeves.

  3. Wrap: The robe should wrap comfortably around your body with a little extra fabric to ensure a secure closure. Ensure that the belt or tie is long enough to tie comfortably.

  4. Collar: Some robes feature a shawl collar, which can be folded up to provide extra warmth around the neck.

Remember, the best fitting robe is the one that you find most comfortable and meets your specific needs. Whether you are buying a robe for lounging, after a bath, or for warmth, get one that fits well and feels good to wear.

Big and Tall Robes

Robes for big and tall individuals are specifically designed to accommodate larger body sizes and longer limbs. These robes typically have extra length in the sleeves and overall robe length to ensure a comfortable fit. Below are a few considerations to keep in mind when selecting a big and tall robe:

  1. Size: Robes for big and tall men are usually sized from XL to 3XL or even 4XL. A size chart can be a great tool to help understand which size will accommodate your body best.

  2. Length: Tall robes provide the additional length needed for taller individuals. The ideal length is around ankle level for maximum coverage and warmth.

  3. Sleeve Length: Look for robes that offer extended sleeve lengths to ensure your wrists are covered and warm.

  4. Breadth: Big and tall robes feature ample fabric around the chest and waist to ensure a comfortable fit. It's important to have a robe that wraps around sufficiently for modesty and comfort.

  5. Material: Just like standard-sized robes, big and tall robes come in a variety of materials. Choosing between terry cloth, waffle, fleece, silk, or satin depends on personal preference and intended use.

Big and tall robes ensure that everyone can find a robe that fits them perfectly, regardless of their body type or size. So, when you're choosing a robe, make sure to pick one that provides the comfort and functionality you need.

Robe Fit for Different Body Types

Well-fitted men’s robes can make all the difference in achieving comfort and relaxation. Different body types may require specific robe features to achieve an optimal fit:

  1. Petite: For individuals who are shorter in stature, knee-length robes are often a practical choice. This length ensures that the robe doesn't drag on the ground or restrict movement. In terms of fit, a more trimmed or fitted silhouette would likely be more flattering and less overwhelming.

  2. Plus Size: For plus-sized individuals, a robe that offers a bit more room in the chest, arms, and waist would be most comfortable. A sash tie that can be adjusted for a custom fit can provide flexibility and comfort.

  3. Tall: For taller individuals, robes with longer lengths and sleeves can provide the necessary coverage and warmth. The robe should ideally reach the ankles, and the sleeves should extend beyond the wrists.

  4. Athletic: For those with a more muscular build, a looser fit in the shoulders and chest can provide a more comfortable experience. A robe that allows enough wrap around the body and a sturdy belt ensures a secure closure.

Remember, the key to a great robe is a great fit. It's always important to consider specific body measurements when choosing a robe to ensure maximum comfort and functionality.

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ATHLEISURE BEAUTY

October 4, 2023

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE BEAUTY in mag.

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HOW TO DRESS | WHEN CATCHING UP WITH FRIENDS

October 3, 2023

Read the SEP ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see HOW TO DRESS | When Catching Up With Friends in mag.

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In AM, How to Dress, Sep 2023 Tags How To Dress, Ghlee, DECKERS x LAB, Daniela Villegas, Good American, Woobles, Benefit Cosmetics, Baby Magic, Gracias A Dios
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#TRIBEGOALS

October 2, 2023

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag and see #TRIBEGOALS in mag.

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In #TribeGoals, AM, Sep 2023 Tags #TRIBEGOALS, Los Californias, Terranean Herbs + Spices, Don Emilio, Capri Blue, Studio Fichi, Dotti, Homecourt, Papaya
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IN OUR BAG | WHEN PREPPING FOR PSL SEASON

October 1, 2023

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag and see IN OUR BAG | When Prepping For PSL Season in mag.

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PRUNUS CERASUS BEAUTY

September 30, 2023

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag and see PRUNUS CERASUS BEAUTY in mag.

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PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | Andrew Arthur

ATHLEISURE MAG ISSUE #93 | MIA MORETTI

September 29, 2023

In this month’s issue, our front and back cover story is with DJ/Producer, songwriter and poet, Mia Moretti! We have been a fan of her work whether we're seeing her clubs in NY, spinning at Fashion Week and special events or enjoying her music like SWEET JUJU. We find out more about her journey to being a DJ, her creative process, upcoming projects and more. We also interviewed EDM DJ/Producer Timmy Trumpet who recently performed at EZoo, Lollapalooza, and Tomorrowland. His ability to blend his artistry as a classically trained musician with DJing creates a unique experience to his sets. We talk about how he came to merging these musical forms, those he collaborated with, and more. We also talk with house DJ, HoneyLuv who has had a busy schedule performing at a number of festivals and stages. We found out where she gets her inspiration from and why this genre is so important to her.

If you've been enjoying the latest season of Bravo's Real Housewives of NY as much as we have, you know that model and founder of Ubah Hot, Ubah Hassan is one of our faves. We talk with her about being on the show, what led her to create her hot sauce brand, her collaboration with one of our favorite restaurants, Serafina and a pizza update! Dancing with the Stars launched their latest season where DWTS pro and celebrities hit the stage to take the Mirror Ball. We caught up with pro, Britt Stewart to talk about her passion for dancing, shows and projects that she was in, and her road to this show. In addition, via her partnership with BAND-AID and OURTONES products, she is working to bring diversity to dance with access as well as tools that allow their performances to be seamless.

Next month, Food Network's New York City Wine Food Festival takes place Oct 12-15th. We share some upcoming events that are taking place as well as including moments from last year's festival. We look forward to attending this event as well as sharing what took place which will be in the OCT ISSUE #94.

This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from EDM DJ/Producer, Chris Lake. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from Ubah Hassan and Britt Stewart. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from EDM DJ/Producer and entertainer INNA and Team USA Olympic Swimming 2X Medalist Elizabeth Beisel.

Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack shares a must-visit to Blue Rock in Virginia. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Pasta Corner and Nomad Girl in NYC. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag.

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ATHLEISURE MAG #112 | CHEF MASAHARU MORIMOTO
AM, Apr 2025, Ath Mag Issues, Editor Picks
AM, Apr 2025, Ath Mag Issues, Editor Picks
In AM, Editor Picks, Ath Mag Issues, Sep 2023 Tags Mia Moretti, Blue Rock, INNA, Pasta Corner, Athleisure List, Nomad Girl, Elizabeth Beisel, Ubah Hassan, Chris Lake, Britt Stewart, HoneyLuv, Timmy Trumpet, SWEET JUJU
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THE GOLDEN BACHELOR S.1 E.1 | LET'S GET TO KNOW GERRY

September 28, 2023

PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelorette/Craig Sjodin

So, avid fans of Bachelor Nation know that during the commercial breaks of ABC’s The Bachelorette and The Bachelor, they have always made requests for The Golden Bachelor with focuses on an older demographic. While we watched Charity Lawson’s season, we learned that we would finally get to see it AND that it kicks off tonight! We have all seen Gerry Turner a restaurateur from Indiana share his love story with his wife of 43 years that was his high school sweetheart and it was cut short by her death. He knew what love was and the fact that he is putting himself out there again, it’s something that we can all appreciate regardless of our age! His daughters rallied around him and gave him the support that he needed to give a second love a chance and the series opens with him getting ready in his tux and putting his hearing aid in. We’re already hooked on what this season will be like as well as those that will be vying for his heart! Even The Bachelor’s Matt James’ mom, Patty is in the season! How will this play out as he’s not a social media guy coming into this, he will meet a number of women in this experience, and have the world watching him! It will be interesting to see what elements from the other formulas will find their way into this season!

Jesse Palmer meets him at the mansion and of course asks all the questions that we’ve been thinking prior to and during this process! The limos pull up and we have seen some of the women getting ready and they are all stunning!

Edith kicks us off and she looks stunning in her gold gown and brings confetti to start the party! She looks so regal and it was a great way to kick it off! The stories that these women share and bringing elements of their lives and experiences, it’s so heartfelt. Ellen the spunky pickleball player has also got our eye! Sandra was another that caught our eye leading up to emerging from the limo and her meditation was on another level! Of course, like any limo situation there are a few gags along the way like the “granny routine” from Leslie who is a dancer/choreographer - she dated Prince - need we say more? Theresa and the birthday suit, we can’t even! We also love the Anne Margaret of the group, April! The dresses, the glowy faces, and the personalities - this is definitely going to be a fun season to watch! I love how they have spunk and are sizing each other up! It’s amazing to see how dating is regardless of how old you are.

He met all the women and joins them in the mansion. You can see that he is overwhelmed and appreciative of everyone that has arrived. Of course, April grabs him first to get to talk with him and gives him a calendar of just him! We see other amazing connections begin to start and then there is an all out dance party with everyone!

Jesse brings out the First Impression Rose and everyone realizes that things are getting a bit serious! Gerry continues to chat with each of the women so that they get time. Faith, who rode in on a motorcycle and also wrote him a song and played the guitar, receives it!

The Rose Ceremony begins and Ellen, Theresa, Joan, Natascha, Leslie, Christina, Edith, Nancy, April, Sandra, Jeanie, Kathy, Marina, Peggy, and Susan will continue on. We’re a bit stunned that we won’t see Matt James’ mom in future weeks.

Gerry Gave Roses To | April, Christina, Edith, Ellen, Faith, Jeanie, Joan, Kathy, Leslie, Marina, Nancy, Natascha, Peggy, Sandra, Susan, and Theresa.

Gerry sent home | Anna, Pamela, Patty, Renee, Sylvia,

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelor and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!


WHO WE THINK SHOULD GO TO HOMETOWNS

APRIL
APRIL
EDITH
EDITH
LESLIE
LESLIE
SANDRA
SANDRA

THE GOLDEN BACHELOR CONTESTANTS

ANNA - Summit, NJ; 61
ANNA - Summit, NJ; 61
APRIL - Port St. Lucie, FL; 65
APRIL - Port St. Lucie, FL; 65
CHRISTINA - Sierra Madre, CA; 73
CHRISTINA - Sierra Madre, CA; 73
EDITH - Downey, CA; 60
EDITH - Downey, CA; 60
ELLEN - Delray Beach, FL; 71
ELLEN - Delray Beach, FL; 71
FAITH - Benton City; WA; 61
FAITH - Benton City; WA; 61
JEANIE - Estill Springs, TN; 65
JEANIE - Estill Springs, TN; 65
JOAN- Rockland, MD; 60
JOAN- Rockland, MD; 60
KATHY - Austin, TX; 70
KATHY - Austin, TX; 70
LESLIE - Minneapolis, MN; 64
LESLIE - Minneapolis, MN; 64
MARIA - Teaneck, NJ; 60
MARIA - Teaneck, NJ; 60
MARINA - LA, CA; 60
MARINA - LA, CA; 60
NANCY - Alexandria, VA 60
NANCY - Alexandria, VA 60
NATASCHA - NY, NY; 60
NATASCHA - NY, NY; 60
PAMELA - Aurora, IL; 75
PAMELA - Aurora, IL; 75
PATTY - Durham, NC; 70
PATTY - Durham, NC; 70
PEGGY - East Haven, CT; 69
PEGGY - East Haven, CT; 69
RENEE - Chicago, IL; 67
RENEE - Chicago, IL; 67
SANDRA - Doraville, GA; 75
SANDRA - Doraville, GA; 75
SUSAN - Aston, PA; 67
SUSAN - Aston, PA; 67
SYLVIA - LA, CA; 64
SYLVIA - LA, CA; 64
THERESA - Shrewsburry, NJ; 70
THERESA - Shrewsburry, NJ; 70

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

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HOMAGE TO CRAFTSMANSHIP | CHEF JACQUELINE BLANCHARD

September 26, 2023

We love our meals to be fully seasoned. How we prepare them, the diversity of our ingredients (as well as knowing where they come from), the proper tools needed to create the ultimate presentation are super important. We caught up with Chef Jacqueline Blanchard, chef/owner of Sukeban an izakaya in New Orleans as well as at Coutelier NOLA which has an array of tools, cookbooks, and pantry goods that professional chefs, home chefs, and enthusiasts can enjoy when making their epic meals.

We wanted to know more about her culinary journey that took her from Southern Louisiana to noted Michelin starred restaurants including The French Laundry, Benu, and Blue Hill at Stone Barns where she continued to create dishes with a discerning eye. When she returned to her home state, this led to her taking her experience and relationships to illustrate her passion for Japanese cuisine and to showcase the ultimate crafstmanship in Japanese cutlery. We found out more about these businesses, why this Japanese artistry is one that needs to be continued to pass down for generations to come, and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with food?

CHEF JACQUELINE BLANCHARD: At a very young age. I’m from a very big Cajun family. Food is just the center of most gatherings – pretty much all gatherings from the South. I’m from South Louisiana from Bayou Lafourche – I have very deep Cajun roots. My family has been down here since the late 1700’s, so big French background. Whether it’s been crawfish boils or food in general, food has always been a centerpiece. So for me, I’ve always been cooking at a very young age, My grandparents had a small outdoor kitchen and we would always make breakfast in there. It’s probably my earliest memories. Back in the day, those houses didn’t have a lot of air conditioning so they put small kitchens outside so it was a matter of keeping houses cool and that sort of thing.

I definitely got my roots from tugging at my grandmother's aprons - gumbo, all of the Southern staples and that just kind of stuck with me my whole life. I kind of knew pretty early that I wanted to pursue cooking professionally at a pretty young age. It's kinf of been with me the whole time!

AM: Wow! Tell us about your culinary journey from culinary school to kitchens that you trained in. I know that you were at The French Laundry and were at one of our favorite places, Blue Hill at Stone Barns which is such a fave!

CHEF JB: Yeah! That’s awesome! Totally!

I was lucky enough to go to Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University which has an amazing culinary school. I think that it’s still the only state school in the country that you can get a 4 year culinary degree in Bachelors Arts that is not a private university. It’s very rare that that exists. I had applied and gotten into all the fancy culinary schools: CIA, Johnson & Wales, and all of that. But when it came down to it, Louisiana would pay for my tuition if I kept my grades at a certain level – they had this program called the TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program or Students) program, and plus I had a soccer scholarship as well. So it made sense for me to stay in state. So I was pursuing culinary arts at the same time that I was pursuing soccer at the collegiate level. I kind of kept my discipline together for sure and then I blew my knee out my sophomore year and then decided to just focus on culinary. During that period of time, I felt that it was a pretty revolutionary time in the food industry and in restaurants where things were really starting to get out there and to take hold. This was like the early 2000’s. I went to culinary school between 2002 – 2006 and then frickin’ Katrina happened my senior year in college in 2005. So by the time that I graduated, I had been working in restaurants all throughout New Orleans in college and the city was just in really bad shape in the months leading after the storms so I felt that it was a really good time for me to sort of leave and to branch out.

The French Laundry cookbook had just come out while I was in college and that was a big source of inspiration for me. I think that the reason that I decided to go to Yountville – I just graduated and got in my car and went to California. I never thought that I would come back to Louisiana - ever. I had an amazing foundation built there, networks out there, it was a great launchpad for the next phase ofmy career. From there, I went to Frasca in Boulder, I was a French Laundry alumni and the restaurant had just opened. It was definitely an amazing experience and Bobby Stuckey (The Little Nell, The French Laundry, Scarpetta Wine) is a master sommelier and I really wanted to know more about wine in the same thread in learning about food. Then I went to Blue Hill and then it was back to New Orleans around I think 2010. I worked with John Besh (Besh Steak, Shaya, Willa Jean) at Restaurant August, I was the Exec Sous there for several years. Then I took on a position as a sous chef at Benu in San Francisco where we got 3 Michelin stars while I was there which was a really exciting time. I was also kind of burned out at that point!

AM: Can definitely imagine as you were moving to so many places!

CHEF JB: Yeah, I was traveling a lot and I was around 30/31 at that time and decided that I would move back home so that I could open Coutelier NOLA which is the knife shop and it gave me kind of a break from the grueling kitchens that I had been in all of those years. I still had my finger on the pulse of what the industry needed and places around that had all of these amazing tools and accessories that we had only been able to access online and you never know what you’re really getting a lot of times. Those were the earlier days of ecommerce. I wanted something kind of tangible where you could go and hold a knife. I had been exposed to these amazing Japanese knife makers throughout my career and with people that I worked with and that was great exposure. So it made me understand why Japanese knives are something that we prefer and it’s the Japanese craftsmanship. It’s the handmade nature of them, it’s the diligence to craft that the Japanese have that is basically unparalleled – whether it’s flower arranging, sushi, ceramics, whether it’s knife making. Everything that they do is with the utmost focus and diligence. It really makes their product stand out. So, I think that that was something I really liked and the relationships for me were important and diving as deep as I could into Japanese culture and really respecting the culture and just absolutely giving in the attention to detail that it deserved as well as the reverence. It's such a deep ocean of history! It’s hard for a foreigner – even as deep as I am into it now, you still feel that you are always going to be an outsider kind of thing.

The relationship that evolved out of this that has grown and the networks are really incredible because that’s how it works. That’s just such an important part of the business relationship to them. That’s why I travel there a lot. I really do everything that I can to dive deep in heavily at first into it as I possibly can. You know, along that wave, my food preferences definitely shifted and what I wanted in a restaurant started to shift. I had this idea that I wanted for so long and that completely morphed into what I hadn’t expected, and I decided that I really wanted to open Sukeban which is temaki based you know, doing 1 or 2 things really well like sashimi and temaki. It’s definitely something that everyone thought that it would be a high end tasting restaurant, but it’s certainly a little more casual than that. I’ve been able to bring all of my experience and my focus in that from a Michelin level to the food which makes it stand apart a little bit more in this town. It certainly isn’t the kind of sushi that most people are used to, but that all kind of evolved from the Japanese relationships. The nori, the seaweed that we get, I have a very close relationship with a seaweed farmer in the Southern part of Kyushu in the Ariaki Sea and you know we’re the 3rd restaurant in the US to get their seaweed as a non-Japanese person for our restaurant. We couldn’t get that kind of access to those products without those relationships unless I was going out there and doing those meetings with people. That’s why it is so important to have this access because of the relationships. It’s amazing ingredients from these small producers that do 1 thing really well their entire life. Like, that focus, they have been doing this for generations.

I have a knife maker down in that area that actually helped me link up with this seaweed farmer and they have been around since the 1200’s and their story and their history is just insane. It’s hard for us to wrap our heads around that, especially Americans being so young as a country. It’s just the kind of stuff that blows your mind! The soy sauce makers, the brewers, the sake producers, the people that make miso - every time I go out there, I’m doing a workshop with somebody. I’m making miso, I’m learning how to brew, learning soy sauce. Not that I am doing it over here, but I’m learning that process, and I’m really happy to be able to explain that process to customers and my staff which I think is really important in the long run.

AM: The first time that I went to Japan a few years ago, I was struck exactly by what you just said. I would see modern buildings and then nearby, I’d see a building or structure that had been around so many centuries ago. You’re really struck by how we’re little babies compared to all this history!

CHEF JB: Yeah, it’s so silly!

AM: It is! It makes you think that when we’re here in the US, it’s only been x amount of years.

CHEF JB: Oh yeah, it’s just a blip.

AM: I love the fact that you have really immersed yourself into this and bringing that heritage so that people can have an opportunity to see it. When I think of Blacksmiths, I think of Paul Revere types.

CHEF JB: Yeah!

AM: What are the Blacksmiths of Japan – how are they different, are they using different techniques?

CHEF JB: Yeah I mean, there are different techniques that you see in different parts of Japan and that’s one of the biggest things that I have noticed. Because certain areas have older traditional methods that have been passed down. Certain areas do it one way while others may do it in another way. They all sort of source their steel from 2 similar companies. So steel a lot of times is the baseline and the common denominator, but the forging technique is certainly the difference. It’s like giving 5 different chefs a tomato and then to tell them to make something with it, you’re going to get 5 different products. So it’s the same kind of thing in knife making: heat treating, approach – everyone is an expert in there area. There’s a guy that forges the blade out. There’s a guy that grinds the blade down to its shape, there's someone who sharpens it, there's someone who puts a handle on it, and it's definitely more of an efficient process.

These guys are doing it on their own from start to finish. People ask here in America why knives are so expensive and it’s because they are importing Japanese steel. In Japan, the process is more efficient. You get more production level out of it even though it’s still very handmade and piece by piece.

We ended up in this town a few years ago that was our last trip before COVID. We met a sword maker who was part of this area that is very historically relevant in katana sword making for the shogunate during the time when feudal lords were running the country. This area was very prolific in sword making for that kind of stuff. So, because the river itself had a lot of iron sand in it, they would extract it, melt it down, and then make a steel called tamahagane and that tamahagane steel is very dense and very heavy. It almost feels like a meteorite when you hold it. That was the steel that was originally used, I mean Japan doesn’t have a lot of resources when it comes to steel. So that’s how they made it, they extracted it from the river. There’s a guy there that we met who is making his own tamahagane steel in the old way and you don’t see that any more. You can’t really even buy that steel.

You can in a very sort of limited allotment be part of a family heritage to get it. The fact that this guy is doing that and we were able to watch him and we had dinner with him, he was an unassuming guy who we met when we were going to our knife makers and they let us know about this sword maker who was going to hang out with us. From him randomly joining us, it ended up being a huge highlight of our trip. He only makes a certain amount of chefs knife’s a year, and now we have access to those. That’s where that stuff is born out of. He trusts us and we have a mutual relationship with one another. We have been buying knives from him. It will be the first time that I have seen him from that drip before COVID. So that will be really Exciting! His method of forging is so different than anyone else’s and it’s really hard to describe because he’s a sword maker and that’s the method that he was taught. It wasn’t necessarily meant for culinary style knives in the tradition of sword making. That’s how it was so interesting to see him forged.

These knives are incredibly well made which makes them pricey. People get disgruntled about the price points of some of these. They wonder why the knives that they see in their IG ads are $14.99 and these are $40. We have to create an incentive for this next generation to keep making knives. These knives makers weren’t really making a good living and they weren't charging enough for what they were doing. So we’ve come into this new era where we’re telling them that they have to charge more if they want to make a living as well as to encourage the next generation to be able to keep making knives. A lot of these guys are very old and their sons, because of the time frame when the Japanese economy was booming because of cars, electronics, and plastics – post war WWII, there wasn’t a market for culinary knives from Japan. It just wasn’t a market. Everyone was buying German steel and French knives. That was in the 70’s/80’s/90’s – it wasn’t until the last 20 years where people began paying attention to Japanese cutlery in a lot of ways. It’s not to say that they weren’t making these, they definitely were and there was a market for it in their own country, but they were not exporting. So, a lot of their sons, because there was no – I mean many of these families for 8 generations had these makers, but their son decides to go to off to Tokyo or Osaka to get a salary job because that’s where the money was and that’s where the market and the economy were shifting. So there’s this lost generation right now where the grandfather’s or just that much older and they don’t have the patience to teach. At this point, they should have been with them for their whole life to learn the trade. You’ve got this new group of people who are the younger generation in our age group that are in their 30’s/40’s where this group is trying to revive it and to continue it on.

Some of these guys die and it dies with them. We want this to continue on and we want for people to understand that that’s part of the deal and that they’re handmade, imported, there is a level of craftsmanship that is unparallel, and you have to support a reason for this industry to continue. If they’re not going to be able to make a living, then why will they continue? So that's the kind of shift that we have been noticing too. A lot of times, it takes us to be able to say, you should be charging more for these. I don’t mind paying more for them because I know that I will be able to get it on our side on the retail end and at the same time, we need to make sure that they are supported and continue on. We don’t want to lose this craft.

AM: What are the trends that you’re seeing in cutlery, in the knives right now and are there 3 knives that everyone should have in their home kitchens?

CHEF JB: Yeah! I think that the trend is definitely towards Japanese and I see a lot of marketing towards big Japanese products that are actually not made in Japan and produced in maybe a factory in China. It’s just a Japanese name so it sounds like you’re getting what you’re looking for. Education to us is the most important thing because a lot of that exists out there that you would not otherwise know. I think that the biggest trend is Japanese knives. I think that more and more people are catching on to it. It’s more like, we have to do our diligence to the educational part because you can get lost in the sauce if you really don’t know sort of what you are getting into.

That being said, I think that the 3 knives I would say in everyone’s kit, which even that changes because everyone is so different and knives are so personally. You definitely want to keep in mind what you cook the most of. It may not be the same as what I use or what I cook the most of. So those knife preferences shift and a lot of the Japanese knives are very task centric and they are not limited to those tasks, but they are very specific to the task. So I would say for sure, a Petty Knife and that name derives from the French – petite so it’s a small knife. It’s kind of an everyday utility, it’s a little more utilitarian. I think a lot of people got used to Pairing Knives. To me Pairing Knives, they have their role, but I think you can get more utility out of a Petty Knife and those come in anywhere from 4”-6”. They’re a little slimmer and you can do all of the daily tasks. They’re the ones that you keep on your cutting board.

Another one would be a Santoku - san means 3 and toku means virtues in Japanese. So the 3 virtues in the kitchen are fish, meat, and vegetables so that knife is kind of like the everyday for everything kind of knife. I don’t really use the Santoku a lot, but I think that the bulk of people know that name and they understand that shape. It’s a very approachable size and style.

Then the third one can really be a mixture of a few things. For me, instead of a Santoku, I would use a Bunka. Bunka is just a similar shape, but Bunka Bocho means like everyday house knife in Japanese. It’s got a more extreme tip that I would say verses a Santoku that has more of a rounded off tip and it kind of slumps off. But a Bunka, has more of a very sharp top drop point. So you get a lot more precision in the tip when you’re doing fine scallions. Those little things to me are important and that’s just me over analyzing it – ha! I enjoy a Bunka and that would be my second one and I think for a lot of people the Santoku is a lot more approachable.

The 3rd one could be an 8” chef knife, a Gyuto – gyu is cow in Japanese and uto means cow cutter, so that comes down to what they slice beef with traditionally. This knife is a traditional chef’s knife that’s 8.5” for the everyday.

That third knife could also be a Nakiri that boxy flat edged vegetable knife. It’s the shape of a small cleaver, but it’s not a cleaver for meat. It has a thinner blade meant for vegetable chopping and it has a flatter edge. It’s a more scaled down version of what you would see in a Chinese Cleaver. The Chinese Cleavers are used in Chinese cooking a lot for everything! The Nakiri is more of a very stealthier, scaled down version, more wieldy and easier to use. It’s not as big and it has a flatter edge. It’s better for chopping up and down, not meant for rocking. If you’re a rocker, rocking back and forth, everyone cuts differently.

So it could be one of those, or it could be a slicer. That third knife is kind of a variable within what you do.

AM: Whatever you lean towards in what you’re cooking.

CHEF JB: Exactly. Not to over complicate it!

AM: In addition to knives being offered, what are other items that are carried at Coutelier NOLA whether in your brick-and-mortar or online?

CHEF JB: We’ve got a myriad of products for everyday cooking at home, for professionals, and we wanted home cooks in South Louisiana who are very serious and fancy themselves as professionals at home, they wanted access to these same sort of things. So it’s really nice aprons, the knife rolls, the tool rolls, all of the very curated small tools that we use – the peelers, the microplane, etc. The things that I have used my entire career in the kitchens that I have worked in – everyone is using the same tools and that’s what we wanted to be able to bring people. We wanted a curated scaled down version, because you couldn’t necessarily find it in a one stop shop. You could find the spatulas and these small tools and accessories and items for your everyday kit. We have beautiful hand carved walnut spoons and spatulas from my buddy Kylee Thatcher up in Kentucky, she does Boothill Kitchen and I designed a Roux Spatula Paddle for making Gumbo with her, several years ago. That’s been one of our bestsellers especially down here. We packaged that with Mosquito Supper Club Cookbook which has been one of the bestselling Cajun cookbooks that have come out of South Louisiana in years! Melissa Martin, she has won several awards for it. So we’re catering to our culture in general and of course the overall scope of the tools that we have used. We also have Konro Grills, the Japanese firebox grills that everybody is using now in kitchens. We’ve got a whole pantry section filled with amazing ingredients and Japanese pantry items from very small producers all over Japan and some in the US. We have a lot of tinned seafood and I think that COVID made us pivot to have this pantry section because people were starting to cook at home more and have better ingredients, cooler snacks, and things like that. We try not to get too crazy into it and to still be very diligent about our selections. Like the sesame seeds and the sesame seed products that I use at the restaurant, the Wadaman family in Osaka, I just visited them this past May. They’re 5th generation sesame family who make these wonderful products and we sell it at the shop and we use them in our restaurant. Those are very intentional type of things and we have an incredible cookbook section as well and very dialed in.

AM: I know and myself included, a lot of people enjoy watching Top Chef and 5 Star Chef and all of these different competition shows. It seems like the one thing in addition to flavors and putting it together and that’s plating! The use of plating teasers is always something that we see. What are your tips that we should know when we’re using these tools?

CHEF JB: So I think it’s to the task. Like we have several different ones, we have 4 different sizes. Some are straight, some are offset so whatever is kind of comfortable for you. I have always used them in professional kitchens because you’re dealing with delicate products and delicate placement. I still use them everyday at the restaurant when I am doing sashimi dishes. The larger ones I use on the grill because I don’t like to use big tongs as they’re bulky and clunky. They can also kind of indent your food with the big teeth on the front. So we have these really cool 30mm Tweezers that you can use. I use them on the grill exclusively, but you can also use them for pasta making when you're making spaghetti or anything like that. I use them a lot in just my everyday approach to cooking and grilling. Sometimes they’re not going to be as practical, but you can use them to get into the pickle jar and all of those kinds of things. I use them to prune some of my houseplants. They really do have a good span of use. I keep them in kind of a ceramic crock with the rest of my tools at home and in the kitchen as well as work. I think that they are extremely utilitarian. You don’t want to get your hands too dirty and when you are dealing with delicate ingredients and their placement, they’re great so that your fingers aren’t smudging everything. Especially in a post COVID world, we try to keep our fingers out of things as much as possible and to still have a delicate touch to things.

AM: We talked a little earlier about your restaurant that recently opened. What does the name mean and what can people expect when they are coming in to dine?

CHEF JB: We opened July of last year, so it’s a little over a year now. Sukeban roughly translates to “woman boss” or “girl boss” because there used to be this time in the 70’s/80’s in Japan where there were these women that kind of formed these girl gangs around Tokyo and Osaka. They would meet up after school and women weren’t allowed to be in the male group of anything. So it was a time when women were forming their own independence. Japan is very patriarchal and set in tradition and social roles as well as social norms. So this was a time in Japan where women were coming out of their shell and it was almost like a women’s lib movement that was happening. The Sukeban was the leader of the gang and they formed these little motorcycle groups and they were just these little after school groups. Everybody in Japan wears the same school uniforms and it’s like a little navy sailor attire. After school, they would put these little pieces of flair to distinguish themselves in their group. They were not violent and I thought that it was a cool part of Japanese culture and it sort of died out. It’s represented in films they’re known as Pinky Grindhouse or Tokyo Grindhouse films. The Sukeban has definitely been taken to a fictional level in certain ways. I don’t know if you have seen Quentin Tarantino's (Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Once Upon a Time in ... Hollywood) Kill Bill, but the scene where Uma Thurman is trying to get to Lucy Liu and kill 200 people in that room, and she gets to that girl right before her, that’s a Sukeban with the ball and chain.

AM: I was thinking that when you said it. She’s my favorite!

CHEF JB: Yes! So one of my dear friends, she’s a Japanese chef and a woman of many things. She’s a renaissance woman. She’s a graphic designer, she’s a fashionista, she’s a chef and she’s amazing. We met when she stajed with me in New Orleans probably 15 years ago and we became immediate friends. She was a large part of me getting deeply into Japanese culture as I am. She had her café and she wondered what it was that I was going to do? I mentioned this thought and felt that the name was kind of cool and she said that it absolutely made sense. Sometimes the older Japanese people give you a weird reaction, but the younger generation thinks that it totally makes sense. I wanted to make sure that it was kosher and I certainly didn’t want to piss anybody off. Then she ended up designing my logo and really helped me with that process and it kind of represents me in all of the things that I have done and she felt that it was me incarnate. Just like breaking the norm, a lot of times, I was the only woman in the kitchens that I worked in. I took it upon myself to open these businesses. It was kind of born out of that.

What you can expect from us is a really high level and it’s infancy, it’s a Japanese handroll bar. It’s an izakaya and an izakaya literally means, a stay drink place so people have an izakaya that comes in thousands of iterations. It’s usually a pretty late night kind of situation. It’s a bar where you get snacks and things like that. When I go to Japan, we go izakaya hopping at night. We bounce around and everybody kind of does their one thing well and then you go to the next one. The common denominator is that there are drinks involved and it’s a small and calmed down atmosphere and I wanted to create the aesthetic of a lot of the places that I had experienced and to work with my architect on that. It came out to this beautiful space with an L shape bar and very much so the aesthetic that I have been experiencing.

Louisiana is such a huge seafood area and I thought that the parallel between Japan and South Louisiana with the seafood and the rice, and the drinking culture – these are like 3 pillars in a lot of ways. We are a huge rice producing region here, I don’t use Louisiana Rice because we haven’t quite developed the right one yet for sushi, but I do work with a Japanese American family in California, the Koda family at Koda Farms, we use their rice. They’ve just got this amazing story as well. For me, that was the draw. I have always been a big seafood head. Rice growing up as a Cajun is as much a staple as someone who grew up in Japanese culture. We would just eat buttered rice sometimes and we would have these cravings. It was kind of silly, but in a lot of the same ways, it was as important to a Cajun table as it would be to a Japanese table. I’ve always been obsessed with rice and all rice is different and cooks differently and then you look at how to really dial that in. So I wanted to feature that, I wanted to feature seafood besides gulf and Louisiana seafood, we do fly some stuff in from Japan once a week from the Tokyo fish market. We use other amazing domestic fishermen and fisherwomen around the US, sustainable products all over. So our scope on the fish purveyors is pretty wide. Bringing that level and quality of seafood with that nori, that we went to the bottom of Japan for – it’s harvested for us, it’s baked for us, it’s shipped for us. It’s incredibly crunchy and crispy and is good for you. It’s a superfood as well. This food is incredibly healthy as well as premium quality. I really wanted to focus on doing those things well and letting those ingredients speak for themselves. That was the biggest part for me. I didn’t want to over complicate it by putting in too many sauces because oftentimes, you can’t taste the fish or what the star of the dish is. So for me, that is the biggest part of what I wanted to do and to do that really well – sashimi and temaki rolls. That can sound very simple, but when you take the attention and the time to source those things and to make sure that all of these hyper quality ingredients are all in one bite, that for me is everything.

We’ve got a few little apps and starters and things like that. We wanted to have a place where you could get great sake and it’s hard to find great sake down here. Whether it hasn’t been sourced well or whatever, a lot of people would say that they didn’t really like sake because so many people have had bad sake here. Or maybe it’s always served warm and that’s not the only way to consume it. Warm sake does exist, but oftentimes here, it’s a mass shitty sake. So cold sake, we exclusively do cold sake here and I’m constantly going to sake breweries in Japan to understand the process and to better source better sake. I think that in the next 5 years, we’re going to see a mega wave of sake hit the way that we kind of see it coming. You know, there’s a certain kind of underground where a lot of us have this idea in mind of what we’re helping to shape as far as that. It’s like when Natural Wines started having its moment.

It's a similar thing. My friend Shawn Williams, she’s a sake aficionado here in town and we do a lot of small events together. She and I went to a sake event in NY, a few weeks back and went to Le Bernardin and we wanted to see the kinds of sake that they had on the menu. We decided to just drink sake with the whole meal. They had 2 bottles on the menu and that was it. It blew my mind. They were really good and we had both of them and then the somm ended up talking to us for awhile and then he ended up coming as he was off the next night and he went to the event with us.

AM: Yeah, you’re talking about the Joy of Sake?

CHEF JB: Yes, the Joy of Sake. Yeah and that was Brendan Kimball, one of the somms at Le Bernardin. So he came with us and we ended up tasting all night and enjoying sake and then we went to dinner after and now he’s saying it’s ridiculous that they only have 2 sakes when there are so many amazing ones out there. It’s the little stuff like that where I’m excited to see where it goes. There are some sake breweries in Brooklyn, and it’s happening. I think that the biggest part of it is water and that’s number 1 when it comes to sake. That’s why Japan has such great sake – the great water. Here, it’s hard because if you’re not sourcing directly from well, an aquafir or spring water, it’s really difficult when you’re just using filtered water to make sake. It’s kind of creating dead sake without much flavor profile and that’s the difficult part in America that we’re going to have to get over as we’re used to just turning on the faucet. I think that that’s the thing that I learned in Japan. All of these places I visited, there were 300/400 year old sake breweries that are all lined along a river watershed and there’s a reason for that. It’s rice #2 – so it’s water quality and rice quality. The biggest consumer of sake is the Japanese people. If it’s small batches or if they limit out what they can produce a season, the Japanese will consume it all. Oftentimes, we’re left with what’s left and I think that that’s all changing. I think that that besides the temaki and that we did that well, I wanted to make sure that we had an incredible sake selection so it can change people’s ideas on what sake is.

“Louisiana is such a huge seafood area and I thought that the parallel between Japan and South Louisiana with the seafood and the rice, and the drinking culture - there are like 3 pillars in a lot of ways ... For me, that was the draw. I have always been a big seafood head. Rice growing up as a cajun is as much a staple as someone who grew up in Japanese culture ... [I]t was as important to a Cajun table as it would be to a Japanese table.”
— Chef Jacqueline Blanchard

AM: I totally agree and I love drinking it with so many different things!

CHEF JB: Right, same! Pizza!

AM: For sure! Pizza, tacos, chicken wings, steak, there are so many amazing pairings that are perfect for it beyond what many believe to be the fit. I’ve had friends raise an eye when I had it with something that they didn’t think it was meant to be paired with it. Here in NY, there are a lot of options and yet there aren’t.

Right before the pandemic, I feel that 2 or 3 years right ahead of that, people were really big here in NY on cider and cider production and it was having an entire moment and I went to a few places in Brooklyn that were focused on that.

CHEF JB: Right!

AM: I kind of agree with you that sake is the next one that will have that really big effort I hope.

CHEF JB: Exactly! I hope it's not fleeting!

AM: With so much that you do with your restaurant, you have your store, you have these amazing buying and research trips that you’re doing, are there other projects that you're doing that are food event oriented or a cookbook or any of these kinds of things that we should keep an eye out for?

CHEF JB: Not right now. I think that I have mellowed out a lot. I think right now just focusing on the knife shop and the restaurant and not getting myself into too much, too fast – it’s about balancing and that whole dichotomy. Right now, my focus is on travel so I think that the next thing that I would want to do is to host trips in Japan. I think that’s a big part of what I see coming up next for myself and I know that every time I go, people say that they want to go to the next trip and the next trip. You just have this line of people that want to go with you. That’s awesome, but you can’t bring huge groups, but certainly a smaller handful of people. You want to share it with people and it’s hard for me to articulate it to people if they’re not there to experience it. You want to definitely have some shared experience with that. For me, that’s the next big thing. I don’t have a book in the works right now, but maybe down the line. It would be cool to see another location of Sukeban somewhere. I think it’s built to be able to replicate in that way, but not in a franchisee situation. To be able to bring that to another town or another city and that experience is pretty special. My focus is to continue to dial in my relationships and to find more incredible ingredients, more incredible makers. I’ve already been twice this year and I’ll be back a third time in Oct.

I think that for me, that’s the biggest thing. I would like to and I think with the travel aspect, it’s a huge part of it and a bit more immersive for people that don’t know how to access a lot of the things that I have had the privilege of accessing through the years of doing it. I’m more of a simple girl. But now that the restaurant has been there for a year, people are always reaching out for projects and things like that. So local food events like I’m going to do Oyster South out in Georgia this Oct when I get back from Japan. It's a really cool event with a bunch of chefs about sustainable oyster production in the South and things like that. More awareness about sustainable seafood and I’m trying to be more about that conversation and movement a little bit more.

AM: If we were to come to your home, what are 3 spices or ingredients that you have always at the ready at home that can make the most versatile dishes that you enjoy making?

CHEF JB: I definitely think that furikake is one of those – the rice seasoning. It’s sesame, seaweed, a little salt, a little sugar, a little katsuobushi flakes, and bonito flakes. I think that that’s something that I put in a lot of stuff. I go through a lot of it. Definitely chili crisps for sure. Japanese chili crisps are absolutely my favorites and there are a million in one of those things out there now. There’s one in particular that I really love and use and it’s a huge staple that I kind of roll through. I think that tamari, tamari is more on the gluten-free style soy sauce. To me, it's kind of almost a thicker consitency - not syrupy – but thicker than what you use for soy sauce. But it’s this sweet umami packed flavor. You can use it on anything. I use it dress tomato salad, cucumbers, you don’t have to even with just Japanese things. It can be a marinade for chicken, fish, or whatever. It’s just one of those incredibly versatile ingredients. We have it in the shop and the same one that we use in the restaurant is the one that I use at home. It's incredible and I think that it’s one that people don’t think to use a lot. It doesn’t have a dark nature soy sauce or color scheme to it. It’s lighter, but it’s also gluten-free so if you have gluten issues, I’m not, I don’t have them – I just prefer that. Of course the Wadaman sesame seeds just to throw in a fourth. I use them on everything. I roll through that stuff!

AM: I’m sure you do! I would love to have a plate at your house to see what you’re making!

If we were coming over for brunch as we’re still in summer, what would be the meal that you would cook?

CHEF JB: Hmm brunch! It would probably be a crawfish étouffée just to be real. As that’s a very frenchy sort of thing. It’s on the stove all morning and by the time you look at it, it’s ready to go! That or man, that could shift! It could be a crazy bagel and lox spread with Ikura, the Japanese Salmon Caviar or like Trout Roe, stuff like that. I would probably do something along those lines.

IG @couteliernola

@barsukeban

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Chef Jacqueline Blanchard

Read the AUG ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see HOMAGE TO CRAFTSMANSHIP | Chef Jacqueline Blanchard in mag.

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In AM, Food, Editor Picks Tags Chef Jacqueline Blanchard, Sukeban, New Orleans, Knives, Japan, Coutelier NOLA, The French Laundry, Benu, Blue Hill Stone Barns, Food, Japanese cutlery, Cutlery, Cajun, Chef John Folse Culinary, Nicholls State, CIA, Johnson & Wales, TOPS, Katrina, Jazz, Frasca, Bobby Stuckey, The Little Nell, Scarpetta Wine, John Besh, Besh Steak, Shaya, Willa Jean, Restaurant August, Michelin, Petty Knife, Pairing Knives, Santoku, Bunka, Gyuto, Chinese Cleaver, Kylee Thatcher, Boothill Kitchen, Roux Spatula Paddle, Mosquito Supper Club Cookbook, Melissa Martin, Konro Grills, Wadaman, Osaka, Top Chef, 5 Star Chef, Quentin Tarantino, Le Bernardin, Joy of Sake
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DROPPING BANGERS | JOEL CORRY

September 25, 2023

We're always looking for the right vibes for music that will let us navigate our day from commuting, workflow, and nights out! This month, our cover is 5X platinum UK records, 5X BRIT Awards nominee, Joel Corry who has residencies at Ibiza Rocks, TAO Group Hospitality (Hakkasan, Marquee) and who has performed in an array of festivals from Creamfields, Ultra, Tomorrowland, EDC Las Vegas, and Lollapalooza to name a few. His remixes have been part of our playlists and have included collaborations with Saweetie, Charlie XCX, David Guetta, and Bryson Tiller as just a few of the highlights. His remixes have transformed tracks by Megan Thee Stallion, Ed Sheeran, Elton John, and Nina Simone. When it's about good vibes with beats that make you want to stay on the dance floor banger after banger, Joel always has something up his sleeve!

We caught up with him hours before the release of his latest single, Drinkin' with MK and Rita Ora which already has been on repeat for the past few days! This single as well as yet to be released and some of his epic records will be on the upcoming album, Another Friday Night which drips on Oct 6th. We wanted to know more about Joel from his passion for music, how raving in London grew to him collaborarting with artists and creating his music, and what he has coming up as he continues to make his mark.

We also wanted to know more about his approach to creating his music, working with his favorite artists, and more. We also wanted to find out about his time as a professional body builder, winning a number of competitions, and how he navigates his life while he's constantly on the go going from one city to the next.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with music?

JOEL CORRY: When I was a young boy that was 12 or 13, that’s when I got my first pair of turntables. My older brother was a DJ actually, he’s 3 years older than me so when I was growing up, the music that everyone was playing was garage music back in London. It was all part of the DJing and MCing scene so my brother, he was like an MC and his mates would come over and do DJing and I was like, I just wanted to be cool like my older brother basically. So I said, “mom, get me some decks, I want to do some garage music. I want to be a DJ as well!”

That’s how I started and then I got my decks and I would go into the record shop every weekend and find vinyls. It just became a hobby growing up and then eventually, I started DJing people’s parties and it developed from there!

AM: So, when did you realize that you wanted to do it professionally?

JC: So it was kind of like a slow progress over the years. So I was DJing in my bedroom, and then I started DJing at people’s birthday parties, weddings, and like even DJing at my mom’s friend’s, birthday parties – just wherever! I was sort of the DJ at school and then when I was 17/18, I started playing the nightclubs. You know, at one point in my early 20’s, I was doing 5 residencies a week around London so I was really busy around the circuit and then it was like, “right, I’m doing that thing that I love to do, I’m making money from it, how can I take it to the next level?” That’s what I started to focus on music production and started to release my own music and that’s how eventually – I mean it took awhile so fast forward another 10 years when I got my first hit record, that’s when it really took off to another level.

AM: How do you define your sound?

JC: My sound has changed over the years to be honest with you. It’s kind of been like a progression as I have been through the journey of my love of dance music. But I would say that the sound that people know me from for my productions from my first hit records would be commercial piano house, feel good vibes – you know, my records, I think that they have really defined my career so far, tracks like Head & Heart, BED, Lonely, Sorry – they’re all kind of piano house. Just really uplifting, feel good vibe records that have sort of connected with people, tracks that you want to hear on the dance floor and also tracks that sort of hit you in the feels as well. It’s that nice balance that are records that you want to dance to and also those that you want to put in your car when you’re driving alone and to have an emotional connection with.

AM: I love listening to it when I’m spinning.

JC: A lot of people actually use my records and my tracks for gym playlists. I get that all the time, but I love that, because I’m really into my gym stuff as well! So I’m glad that my tunes are helping people like get those extra reps or cycle those extra miles.

AM: What is your process in terms of when you’re creating music? Are there certain things that you focus on first?

JC: I’d say that there are 2 different ways that the creative process works. The 1st way would be that I’m in my studio and we have a songwriter or an artist come in for the day, we’ll just start with some basic chords going, some loops going, and I’ll just be vibing with the artists or the songwriter and a kind of an idea will come out of nothing. You’re kind of really starting from scratch and I love working that way, it’s so much fun!

Another way things happen is that I get sent a lot of music, so I get sent acappellas or song ideas or demos and if there is something that I hear in it that I really like, then I will take that and develop it myself. So then, I already have a starting point there. So there are 2 different ways really – and I love being in the studio though and sort of being there from the birth of an idea which is always great!

AM: Where do you get your inspiration from?

JC: I feel like I get my inspiration from the dance floor because I’m DJing so much. I’m always on tour and I’m always playing in front of crowds and I guess, taking crowds from a journey, trying to create those moments on a dance floor. So when it comes to my own music, I’m trying to make those records that people are going to dance to and have a great time to, you know? Being a DJ, it’s kind of staying ahead of the game of the trends that are going to work on the dance floor and kind of being on the pulse of those sort of things.

AM: Well, your remixes have included a number of amazing people from Tïesto, Charlie XCX, Elton John, Saweetie – how do you work on that when you’re working with material that already exists that you have the opportunity to present it in another way?

JC: As a DJ, I guess I have been remixing things since I was a teenager. I just use to make edits and mash ups and stuff like that. Crazy mad edits for my sets and remixing and creating my own versions of records is just an important part of DJing and it’s something that I have always done. It’s a way of me putting my own spin on something. So when I play it in my own sets, it’s right for my sound and how I envision that record and I love remixing! So, when I get asked to do a big remix with a big artist like Ed Sheeran, Tïesto – you know it’s such a pleasure to do those things. I’ll listen to the original record and I’ll just think, “what can I add to this to make it different and also to make it fit in with my sound?” Yeah, it just kind of naturally happens when I just hear something, I just kind of get that vision for it straight away and I go from there!

AM: Do you have artists on your bucket list that you would like to work with or do their remixes that you have yet to do?

JC: Well I just mentioned 2 and every time I get asked this question, I always say Ed Sheeran would be my dream collaboration because I am a huge fan of his. He did Bad Habits last year, which is kind of a dance record which I remixed, but I still don’t think that Ed has done a full on dance banger yet. I would love to do that with him! Ed Sheeran would definitely be someone that I would love to work with in the future as a dream! He’s the biggest pop star in the world! You just mentioned Tïesto, I have remixed with Tïesto, but I haven’t collaborated with him yet. But we’re really good friends and I actually played with him in Ibiza last week and I supported him in Ushuaïa and we have already talked about doing a record together so it’s just the timing that needs to be right and the record needs to be right. But I'm sure that that will happen in the future. He's a great guy and a great inspiration to me!

AM: I love his music and remember the first time I saw him was back in 2007 here in NY at the Limelight – he was amazing!

JC: Of yeah, he’s a G man!

AM: Absolutely!

You have your debut album coming out Another Friday Night, dropping Oct 6th. I love OUT OUT, 0800 Heaven, Head & Heart. Tell us about this album and what are you excited about it?

JC: The album is literally what I have been building towards for the last 4 or 5 years of my life. The album is going to have all of the records that you just mentioned on there, all of the hits from over the years, plus my new music like 0800 Heaven that you mentioned and my new single that comes out in a few hours (Aug 25th), Drinkin’ with Rita Ora and MK. It’s also got another 3 new tracks that are on there as well that will come out when the album comes out. So yeah, it’s going to have all the hits that people love, plus my new music, and I’m just really proud of this body of work that’s kind of been my life for the last 5 years. Coming together in one playlist of bangers!

AM: It’s amazing. Like you said, Drinkin’ is out in a few hours with you, Rita Ora and also MK, how did this come about? You performed it live last week in Ibiza at Ibiza Rocks. It’s such a fun song, I’ve played it at least 20 times today!

“I feel like I get my inspiration from the dance floor because I’m DJing so much. I’m always on tour and I’m always playing in front of crowds and I guess taking crowds from a journey, trying to create those moments on a dance floor. So when it comes to my own music, I’m trying to make those records that people are going to dance to and have a great time to, you know? Being a DJ, it’s king of staying ahead of the game of the trends that are going to work on the dance floor and kind of being on the pulse of those sort of things.”
— Joel Corry

JC: Aww thank you, thank you! Drinkin’ actually samples a Chance the Rapper record called All Night which is a banger! I started on this record about a year ago. When I flipped the sample and put that chorus over a house beat, it just sounded so sick for the pianos behind it and I was like, “oh my God, this just really works!”

At that point, it was very much a demo and we wrote like the verses and the pre chorus for it and kind of made this really cool sounding demo.

Me and MK had been chatting about doing a record together for ages and I’m a big fan of MK of course you know, he’s a legend in the game. I was like, “this tune sounds like an MK track.” So I sent it to him and I was like, "bro, what do you think of this?" He hit me back he said he loved it! He loved the sample, he loved the vibe of it, and I sent him my parts that I had done so far and then he did his work on it and then sent it back to me. What he added to it was sick and I was like, “yeah, this is kind of what I envisioned!” Then I was like, “right, now I need to get a vocalist on it.”

When I listened to the track, it just felt like a Rita Ora banger and me and Rita have been chatting for years actually. We had been mates and had worked together on other bits that didn’t quite materialize, but we both really wanted to do a track together. So I texted her and I said, “Rita, I think that I’ve got the one!” I sent it to her and straight away she said, “that’s me, I love it – let’s do it!” At the time, I remember when I texted her, I think that she was in India and then she had to fly to NY and she was like, “I’m going to fit in a day to get this recorded.” Then she ended up flying to London and she got into the studio Sun day afternoon and got the whole thing done. You know what? Fair play to Rita - I respect her so much. Her when you mentioned that we performed in Ibiza Rocks last week, she was on holiday and she took the whole day out of her holiday to do that with me. I love her for that and I’m so excited to be doing this record with her and MK. It’s a great feeling!

AM: That’s amazing!

Clearly, you’ve had a busy summer! All of your performances – you were just here in NY headlining at the Brooklyn Mirage which is awesome. What are some of your favorite cities to do your performances in?

JC: NY is definitely up there! I love NY, NY has always been a great spot for me over the last 3 years. I remember that my first headline show in Webster Hall sold out, then I did the Great Hall last year, I did Brooklyn Mirage this year. So every year, I have sort of stepped it up. The NY crowd always comes out for me. I absolutely love it.

I love Miami, Miami is such a good vibe. I feel that if I lived in America, that’s where I would choose to live. It’s just a bit of me. I love the outdoors, the sort of gym lifestyle as well, the good weather, and the clubs and the vibe. Dance music is just thriving in Miami.

Of course, I have to shout out Ibiza, where I am right now! This is like my second home, it’s a magical island and this place is just different man. It’s just something is special in the air here and I pray that I have a residency here in Ibiza when I’m past 80 years old!

So yeah, Ibiza, Miami, and NY. I love Australia – Australia is always a good time when I go out there on tour in Sydney and Melbourne. Last year, I did Japan for NYE in Tokyo which was a really good experience. So there’s a few good spots that I love.

AM: Next month you’re headlining at London’s iconic Ministry of Sound. How excited are you for this show?

JC: Yeah I’m so excited! I mean, obviously, I’m from London – that’s my home city. I haven’t had a headline show in London in over 2 years. The last one was Printworks back in 2021. It’s a big deal for me! Headlining a show in my own city and then in an iconic club like Ministry of Sound – this is a legendary club. I used to go there as a raver when I was 18 and I remember going to the Defected Records Raves there. So going back there and headlining my own show is so special. It’s also the week before my album comes out so a lot of friends are going to come, family, a lot of people from my label, and people from my label, and people that have worked on my projects over the last few years. I have invited everybody so it’s not just a headline show, I feel like it’s a celebration as well so I’m really excited!

AM: Do you have a set of routines that you do before you perform? Things that you just have to do to get into that mindset?

JC: What I like to do is like, in the hours building up to the show, I always like to have a bit of peace with my laptop, look over my set, listen to music that I am going to be playing in the set and to have a think about what the crowd might be like, how I think that the set is going to go and to just get into that mindset of mental preparation for the set. To get that clarity in my head, I need to be on my own for that and just with my music. When I feel like I’m prepared and I have my USBs loaded up, I get fresh – have a shower, do my hair, put on a twin set -

AM: King Twin Set!

JC: Haha you know that already! They call me the Twin Set King! I get to the show and maybe have a little bit of tequila and then I’m ready to go!

AM: Once the show is over, do you do anything to come down from all of that energy?

JC: I always like having a bubble bath watching some YouTube and maybe a bit of Gordon Ramsay or something – ha! It’s a bit weird I know! But I just feel like, after a show when you need to be able to go to bed, it’s kind of hard to switch off sometimes so you have to do just really normal things. Whether that's having a bath or putting something on on YouTube to just try to separate your mind from all of the madness that just happened and to get back to a normal level again!

AM: Absolutely!

Once again, you have so much going on that is so amazing to see. From the residencies in Ibiza, Tao Hospitality, what are some big upcoming projects besides the album coming out and obviously the Ministry of Sound that we should keep an eye out for?

JC: I guess aside from that, it would just be my touring. I’m back in America quite a lot between now and the end of the year. I’m also about to announce a big tour in Australia. I haven’t been to Australia since the start of 2021. So it’s going to be great to go back down under and also I have some more Asia dates coming up. I mean, I played in Tokyo for NYE, but that’s the only day that I have ever done in Asia so I’m going back to Tokyo and adding a few more in there as well. So between now and the end of the year, it’s like non-stop touring, we have the album coming out, it’s just going to be go go go go go and then I think in Jan, I might have a little week off – ha!

AM: Obviously at Athleisure Mag, we love fitness and you’re like a fitness king as well as you were a body builder before. How did you get into that and why did you want to do that?

JC: So going back to when I was a teenager, I was telling you about when I got my decks and I was DJing in my bedroom, I was also going to the gym a lot. They were my 2 hobbies. If I wasn’t on my decks tearing the house down with my mom screaming to turn the music off, I was down at the gym on the bench press lifting weights trying to get a 6-pack.

I just think that the gym became a hobby and I used to play football a lot. But then I started going to the gym and that became how my sort of love for fitness grew! It just slowly became more and more and more, when I started to see the results from training and I was becoming 18/19 years old, I really started seeing the results coming through, I just got hooked on it. I kind of I guess got obsessed with it as well. But I took it to another level. I wondered how I could take this thing that I loved and go a step further and it was like, I want to go on stage and compete. It was just something inside me saying that this was a box that I wanted to be able to tick off. I wanted to see how far I could push this thing that I loved doing. So in my early 20’s I was competing in male physique competitions. I did that for about 3 years and I did really well in them. I won quite a few of them. I won the Miami Pro, I won the Pure Elite Competition, I got a Pro Card in WBFF so I was really doing it seriously and getting into crazy condition for those shows. It got to a point where I was like, the music is going to be my career so I kind of had to put that competing on the back burner to really focus on the music. Because the thing with the body building and the competitions is that you have to be 100% all in and it’s so much commitment, dedication, and focus to do those competitions, that I didn’t have the capacity to then focus as much on the music. I had to make a decision where I said, “the music is my future, that’s my dream, that’s what I really want to do. I love to do the fitness thing, but I need to reign it in a bit,” and to enjoy it as a hobby and to focus on the music. I also felt like that I had completed what I wanted to do in fitness. I had won the competitions, I had done the cover of Muscle & Fitness Magazine, and I just thought that this is it now. I had done that and now let's focus back on music. But, it still remains a big part of my life. I still go to the gym everyday and it's more so the mental benefit now and the physical just helps me keep on point and keeps me feeling good while I’m touring.

“[After a show] “I always like having a bubble bath watching some YouTube and maybe a bit of Gordon Ramsay or something - ha! It’s a bit weird I know! But I just feel like, after a show when you need to be able to go to bed, it’s kind of hard to switch off...”
— Joel Corry

AM: What are 3 workouts for your abs that we should think about putting into our routines?

JC: So my favorite ab exercise is the hanging leg raise where you kind of hang up on a bar and you just lift your legs up and down. It’s the hardest one, but it’s definitely the best one. You can also kind of add a variation there by twisting your legs and really sort of hitting the obliques. So that has always been my favorite ab exercise. Also doing – you know when you have a bench and you lie down flat on it and then you put the dumbbell between your legs and you raise your legs up and down? I find that that one really hits your sort of lower abs because that’s always the hardest bit to get that bottom bit! That definitely targets that! What else do I do for my abs that I think is really good? Obviously, you’ve got your sit-ups and sort of decline crunches that you can mix that up by using a ball so you can come up further and then to be able to come down. So those are probably my top 3 ab workouts.

But you know what I would say is that definitely, to sort of get your abs to really start popping, it’s true what they say about abs being made in the kitchen – because they are! You can do all of the exercises that you want, but you have to get the diet on lock if you want to get the 6-pack.

AM: We mentioned before that you’re the Twin Set King, where does that come from that you love twin sets?

JC: I know, it’s an addiction – a twin set addiction! I love them! It’s easy! I mean, for boys, we sometimes don’t know what to wear! So if you get a twin set, you’ve got the bottom bit and the top bit! It matches and then it’s job done and you put a pair of trainers on and you know, when I’m touring around in the summer, it’s so hot a lot of the places that I go to. You can’t really wear trousers because it’s so hot so you need to wear a pair of shorts and if you have the top that matches, it's easy! It's become my thing as well isn't it?

AM: Oh yeah, when I was scrolling through your IG, I thought, “this man loves some twin sets.”

You do travel so much, what are 3 things that you always travel with?

JC: My Dyson hair dryer, so good!

AM: Love it!

JC: Obviously my headphones and my USB sticks – very, very important as a DJ and one other thing that I travel around with is a neck pillow! It’s an essential for the flights! Especially the sort of short flights where you’re sitting kind of like this for 3 hours – this is needed!

AM: How do you take time for yourself? Being so busy, how do you make sure that you get the reset that you need?

JC: Do you know what? That’s probably something that I need to work more on. There’s not really a lot of time to myself, but I think that with what I do, I’m kind of 100% all in on it. It’s my hobby, it’s my passion, and there’s not any work separation where it’s like, ok work is over for the day, I’m going to over and chill out. It never stops, it's around the clock, there's always something to do and I just feel like that in this industry, with what I want to do and where I want to get to, I really believe that what I put into it is what I am going to get out of it. I’ve learned that over the years. I’m always scared of taking my foot up off of the gas. I just feel like everyday that I need to be as productive as possible and keep going. I actually feel guilty inside if I have time off. I always feel like I should be working to try to get to that next step. So that’s probably something that I need to work on. My mom is always like, “Joel, you need to take holiday, you need to take a day off.” But I find that hard. I think that when you find something that you love to do, it’s not work, it’s just life! I enjoy it!

“I know, it’s an addiction - a twin set addiction! I love them! It’s easy! I mean, for boys, we sometimes don’t know what to wear! So if you get a twin set, you’ve got the bottom bit and the top bit! It matches and then it’s job done and you put a pair of trainers on ... It’s become my thing as well isn’t it?”
— Joel Corry

AM: What do you want your legacy to be in this industry?

JC: Oh, that’s a big question man! I guess I want to be able to look back and to be honest, I have already been able to achieve my dreams of having hit records, touring the world, and I just want to be able to keep it going and to take it as far as I can and I guess when I look back over the years, I want to be able to have these big moments with these big records records that really connected with people and made a difference in people’s lives.

There are certain records that I have released over the years and I get messages still to this day, like, this record meant so much to me, it came out at a time when I needed it, and I connected with it. When I read these messages, forget about chart positions or like statistics, to know that like the music that I worked on is connected to people and brought happiness to them means so much to me. I want to keep doing that for years and years and years! Then I can look back on all of these records that had special moments. I want to tour the world and I already am, but there are certain places that I have never been. I’ve never been to South America before, there’s so many places as well just starting to really being able to go into Asia, there’s still places in America that I haven’t been able to be in and states that I haven’t played in. I guess I want to be able to look back and be like, I toured the world, played at some of the biggest festivals, had these huge moments in front of massive crowds, played all of these records that I put my heart and soul into working on – I guess that kind of is the legacy isn’t it? It’s having that big career! When I think of some of my idols like Calvin Harris, David Guetta, and Tïesto – like we mentioned, when you look at their careers, it’s just years and years and years of doing it and big records and big moments and that’s just what I want!

“Oh that’s a big question man! I guess I want to be able to look back and to be honest, I have already been able to achieve my dreams of having hit records, touring the world, and I just want to be able to keep it going and to take it as far as I can ... have these big moments with these big records that really connected with people and make a difference in people’s lives.

I want to be able to look back and be like, I toured the world, played at some of the biggest festivals, had these huge moments in front of massive crowds, played all of these records that I put my heart and soul into working on ... it’s just years and years and years of doing it and big records and big moments and that’s just what I want!”
— Joel Corry

IG @joelcorry

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Front Cover, Back Cover, PG 36, 39 + PG 42 63MIX ROUTIN3S Courtesy of Joel Corry | PG 16, 20 - 35, 40, 63MIX ROUTIN3S PG42 + 9PLAYLIST PG 122 Ibiza Rocks/Gabriel Vazquez | PG 19 USHUAÏA IBIZA |

Read the AUG ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see DROPPING BANGERS | Joel Corry in mag.

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In AM, Aug 2023, Music, Festival Tags Joel Corry, MK, Rita Ora, Drinkin', 0800 Heaven, Sorry, Ed Sheeran, Tiesto, BRIT Awards, Ibiza Rocks, TAO Group Hospitality, Hakkasan, Marquee, EDC Las Vegas, Lollapalooza, Saweetie, Charlie XCX, David Guetta, Bryson Tiller, Megan Thee Stallion, Elton John, Nina Simons, Nina Simone, Another Friday Night, DJ, EDM, Producer, Music, Ministry of Sound, Head & Heart, Lonely, Sorry BED
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TAKE IT TO THE WAVES | MONICA MEDELLIN

September 24, 2023

We enjoy a great docuseries where we get to follow our favorite sports and get behind the action to find out how it all comes together. Prime Video's 4 episode series, Surf Girls Hawai'i follows 5 native Hawaiian females as they take their shot on obtaining a spot in the world tour. We follow Moana Jones Wong, Ewe Wong, Maluhia Kinimaka, Pua DeSoto, and Brianna Cope as we see them navigating their season, training, and interacting with their friends and family.

We caught up with Monica Medellin, Creator and Executive Producer of this docuseries. We wanted to find out more about how she became a fan of this action sport, being a surfer, working in the surf industry, and the importance of storytelling to amplify voices that are underrepresented but have powerful points of view.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve personally been a fan of your work for awhile so it’s exciting to be able to talk with you to know more about you’re your docuseries, and what you’re working on that’s coming up!

MONICA MEDELLIN: Amazing! I’m so excited! I think that this is perfect because every body that knows me makes fun of me because athleisure is all I wear.

Thank you so much for highlighting me. I feel like a unicorn in this space. I just turned 30 and this all happened before then and it seems like the tides are changing and there are very few women that are like me in this position. So I really want to share my story and to hopefully inspire more storytellers in narratives like this.

AM: Absolutely!

Before we get into talking about the docuseries, we want to know more about you. What was the moment that you realized that you wanted to be a filmmaker?

MM: Oh, I mean, I feel like I was destined to be a filmmaker ever since I was a little girl. I couldn’t really identify that that was what I wanted until later in life. I've always been involved in sports as a child. My mom was a single working mom from Mexico and she raised me on her own.

Through that, she found different sports programs and extracurricular activities and that’s where I really fell in love with different sports and it started with more traditional sports like volleyball, basketball, and soccer. Then I moved into gymnastics and then we both discovered surfing while we were walking along the Santa Monica Beach and at that point, I had started skateboarding, surfing, and exploring these non-traditional sports.

I actually used her old camcorder to film myself skating! That’s what I did with my friends on the weekends, so obviously the production value was what it was!

You know, I started documenting sports from a young age and I started documenting myself as a young girl participating in those sports from that time. You know from there, I obviously played sports in high school – I was the team captain of the volleyball team, I would teach at surf camp over the summers and I moved to university and I studied Journalism at the University of Oregon. So, this theme of filming our experiences as women in sports has been something that has been a thread throughout my entire life!

AM: Wow! It also seems that a lot of your films as well as commercial work that you have done has also focused obviously on sports, but also covering underrepresented groups as well. As someone who is Black and has enjoyed sports such as snowboarding where people don’t think of us playing it, I like that you’re showcasing what is being done that people don’t necessarily think of.

MM: Right and I think that that’s something where you want to be niche, but not too niche where you miss out on telling other stories as well. I think that my main thing is highlighting and shining a light on stories that are underrepresented in the mainstream. That is the essence of my work. It doesn’t just need to be sports, it can be in anything. I mean, when I worked at the Los Angeles Times in 2015, I was helping launch a new platform that talks about this emerging American identity with race, immigration, identity, what does it mean to be American, but also never to really see yourself represented in the story in that way. So, I think that that time at the Los Angeles Times and producing documentaries around those topics really did shape the direction of how I approach my storytelling. Like sure, if I’m telling a story about an athlete, that’s in sports, but I want to uncover who the person is behind the athlete, what is the human experience that we can all relate to because ultimately, even when you see Surf Girls Hawai’i, it’s not just about surfing. It’s about coming of age, it’s about sisterhood, it’s about supporting each other through challenging times, and navigating life. So, I think that that is my approach through all of my storytelling that makes it universal whether you are interested in the sport or the topic itself.

AM: Absolutely!

What was the first project that you did that you realized that you wanted to do this as a career?

MM: Hmm, it’s actually funny, because my first film that I created was about a young Latina surfer in the Bay Area. She was part of a program that helped underrepresented youth get into the sport of surfing, get into action sports, and that film actually premiered at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival here in LA. That moment of seeing my work and my film, premiered at The Chinese Theatre, in Hollywood was such a monumental moment for me because I could see that this kind of storytelling was valued. I could see the reaction of the audience and I could see the emotion and I could actually feel the energy in the room. So, I feel like the LALIFF selecting my film to premiere at the Chinese Theatre in that way was a really defining moment for me. I knew that I could really make something out of this career and hopefully, tell more stories. At that point, I was still in my early 20’s so it was just the beginning, but I think that that was the moment that I decided to pursue this full time.

AM: We love surfers! This year alone we had the honor of speaking with Carissa Moore as well as Kai Lenny as covers for Athleisure Mag. You also surf – what is it about this sport that you enjoy so much?

MM: I think surfing is such a unique sport because it’s not just a sport. It’s a lifestyle, it’s a culture, it has deep roots around the world, and had I known that this sport is originated by people of color and women of color, I would have felt that I belonged in it sooner. (Editor’s Note: The origin of surfing can be found in various cultures as far back as the Incas in 1590 when a Jesuit missionary José de Acosta published it in Historia Natural y Moral de las Indias. In West Africa’s – Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Senegal and Central Africans in Cameroon have had various accounts of this activity in 1640, 1679, 1834, and 1861. In Polynesia in 1769 there is documentation of he’e nalu which translates to wave sliding by Joseph Banks as he was on HMS Endeavour during the first voyage of James Cook while the ship was in Tahiti.) I didn’t know anything about the history of surfing until I met another Latina surfer who shared with me this deep history. After discovering that, I made it my life’s mission to try to tell the world that this is the truth and that this is the history of this.

I think that with surfing, it’s so special for that deeper reason, but also I think that it’s a way of connecting with nature to get outside and get off your phone. You have no way of communicating with anybody when you’re out there. It’s your time to exist and enjoy yourself and I think that it resonates with a lot of people. I think that when I first started surfing in Los Angeles, the lineups looked a lot different than they do today. Today I actually paddle out and I see more women, I see more women of color and I actually see friends every single time that I go. I think that this surf culture has been defined by advertisements, brands, the industry, but we are reclaiming what it means to be a surfer and you’re seeing that happening in your local lineups. You’re seeing that happening through Surf Girls Hawai’i, you’re seeing that happen through different lenses, I think! I think that that is what makes surfing special. It’s just, there’s nothing else like it honestly.

AM: As the creator of Surf Girls Hawai’i, what drew you to telling this story?

MM: Surf Girls Hawai’i is what I have dreamt of ever since I was a little girl. We saw Blue Crush released back in 2002, which was my favorite film, and I really identified with Michelle Rodriguez (Fast and the Furious franchise, Machte franchise, Resident Evil franchise), who was another Latina and I mean, that’s just one part of it. When I was working in the surf industry, I noticed that major mainstream platforms just had more coverage of male surfers. You barley saw women and in advertisements, it’s still really common to see a surfer girl in a bikini and a man on a wave surfing.

AM: Right.

MM: You walk down to any surf shop and that’s still the reality of our time in 2023! Actually, while I was working at the League (World Surf League), I started a personal archive of my favorite surfers who were women, who I thought deserved the spotlight and I pitched an idea that would eventually push the company to promote men and women equally on our social platforms. I think that since then, we have seen a shift. I just really wanted to be able to highlight women that I felt didn’t have a seat at the table. I think that through Surf Girls Hawai’i, they are finally getting the recognition that they deserve. That’s really cool that I helped spearhead that effort and identified this talent early on.

AM: For those that have not seen this docuseries, can you give us the premise of the show, and also, how did you decide to select the 5 Native Hawaiian female surfers that are featured in the docuseries.

MM: Surf Girls Hawai’i follows the next generation of native Hawaiian, female surfers as they compete at an elite level to earn a spot on the world tour of professional surfing. Surf girls is about a sisterhood of native Hawaiian surfers who are on the cusp of becoming pro and this is the most elite level that they have ever competed on and they are competing against each other, but also together in a lot of different ways and they support each other through that. I think that what makes it special is the fact that oftentimes when you see shows that center women, you see maybe cattiness or drama between the women. You see this marketable yet damaging portrayal of female relationships.

I think that what’s different with Surf Girls Hawai’i is, even though they are fierce competitors, and they are competing for one spot, they all support each other through this journey. That’s because they all know that if one of them makes it, everyone makes it because this is more than just winning for their own personal gain, this is about representing native Hawaiian culture at the highest level of surfing. I think that carrying that responsibility, and that legacy, is what makes this highest stakes in a lot of ways. You don’t need that cattiness or drama between the girls. I think that that is the premise, but also what makes it different.

AM: From your perspective as a filmmaker, how do you go about creatively organizing all of this. As you said, they’re all there for that aligned goal, but they are also individual people. How are you weaving that story and kind of planning it in your head especially when it’s only 4 episodes! By the end I was wanting to see more about these women, wondering if there would be another season, would the same surfers be followed – so many questions!

MM: The response to this show has been so overwhelmingly positive and I have been told that it is over performing. It shows that there is a gap and this storytelling was absolutely needed and 4 episodes did the trick! I think that that worked and I think in going back to your question, this cast is so special because on the surface, they are all native Hawaiian pro surfers that share this bond and share their culture together. But what I wanted to really accomplish with this series was to show them as multi-dimensional, multi-faceted women. They’re all different and all have different interests and different mindsets. They’re all different because you have on the one hand, Maluhia who is 26 years old, considered older to be competing and is at the crossroads of deciding on whether she wants to be a professional athlete and fulfill that lifelong childhood dream or pursue her education. She did both. She got her degree from Stanford and she is pursuing her PhD at UH Mānoha – all while competing on the WSL tour. I think that that is super unexpected. That defied expectations and I think that each character defies expectations of what you would think of them on the surface. So that’s just one example of how we approached the storytelling around each woman. How do we paint them as more than an athlete? Because each character is more than an athlete.

AM: What was it like working with Hello Sunshine on this project?

MM: I’ll start with Hello Sunshine. Hello Sunshine was honestly a dream partnership. Like we were aligned in our values before we even made the show together. I think for me as a creator, it was really important that the team working on Surf Girls was women-led and women-run, that is the essence of what makes Surf Girls Hawai’i what it is. I think that Hello Sunshine’s mission of changing the narrative for women aligned with my mission well before the final product. I think that Surf Girls put this native female Hawaiian experience at the forefront and Hello Sunshine invested in that, believed in that, and they saw that from the beginning. I think that that’s brave. This talent, they’re low profile, lesser known names outside of the surf industry, but that didn’t matter to them and I think that they just saw the magic. I also think that the Hello Sunshine team was very collaborative and supportive of hiring women behind the camera and making sure to work with my recommended Hawaiian and Hawaii local creators and crew. I just felt like the set was forward thinking and they understood the importance of picking a team to tell a story and in the best way.

I actually created and directed the original digital series that sold the show, and the vision stayed true throughout the process. I think that that is really hard to do actually. I feel that the women were really portrayed in a positive light and the culture wasn’t sensationalized. That was really really important. That’s my bit on Hello Sunshine!

AM: That’s amazing to hear. What has been your biggest takeaway in doing this docuseries?

MM: Oh my gosh, so much! I mean, creating and executive producing my first TV show, was an experience that I learned a lot from. I think that a big takeaway from the series is that you see the reactions from people that watched this and people are hungry for this kind of storytelling and they’re hungry to see women and women of color in sports. I think it’s interesting because this was technically made for Gen Z young women to identify with. But you see women of all ages responding to this and you see men of all ages intrigued, interested, and inspired by this story. So, I think that this is a story for everyone and that’s the takeaway – this story is important and deserves a spotlight and we were the first to do it and that’s really, really special. We were the first female sports docuseries on Hello Sunshine’s platforms and this was the first female sports documentary on Amazon.

AM: That’s a pretty big first!

MM: That’s big!

AM: That’s awesome!

I’m sure you’re always working on different projects, is there anything coming up that you are able to share that we should keep an eye out for?

MM: Yeah, so 2 things! I just got back from Tahiti for a shoot with the Olympic Channel, so that’s coming up. Then, I have another underreported, but fascinating field that centers women of color and Black women in sport that is not highly covered that I am currently developing. I’m developing projects constantly so we can leave it at those things.

IG @monicamedellin_

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 52 Ryan Gladney | PG 54 Brie Lakin | PG 57 Katie McDonald | PG 58 - 63 Prime Video |

Read the AUG ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see TAKE IT TO THE WAVES | Monica Medellin in mag.

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In AM, Athletes, Aug 2023, Olympian, Olympics, Sports, TV Show, Editor Picks Tags Monica Medellin, Surfing, Sports, Olympics, Olympians, Prime Video, docuseries, Water, Surf Girls Hawai'i, Surf Girls, Moana Jones Wong, Ewe Wong, Maluhia Kinimaka, Pua DeSoto, Brianna Cope, Executive Producer, University of Oregon, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Latino, Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival in LA, Carissa Moore, Kai Lenny, Surf, Hawaii, LA, Blue Crush, Michelle Rodriguez, World Surf League, Hello Sunshine, Native Hawaiian, Female Surfers, filmmaker, Stanford, UH Manoha, Gen Z, Olympic Channel
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THE SKILL OF IT ALL | ELIZABETH BEISEL

September 23, 2023

As we're less than a year away from Paris 2024, avid readers know that we enjoy chatting with Olympic athletes whether they're still competing or have retired from competing, but are still in the community. We caught up with 3X Olympian (Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016), 2X Team USA Swimming Medalist, and Team US Olympic Team Captain, Elizabeth Beisel. Known for the individual medley as well as the backstroke, we wanted to find out about her Olympic experience, the importance that surfing has as a sport as well as a skill that has served her, how she works with USA Swimming Foundation to ensure that the next generation is able to swim and potentially be able to become athletes in the sport as well! She also talks about the importance of representation and inclusivity in the sport. In addition, we find out what she has been up to, her partnership with Dermasport, embracing her second passion as a violinist, and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: I’m so excited to be able to talk to you as I enjoyed watching you during your Olympic journey and watching you compete and I know our readers are going to love to know more about your passion for the sport, competing, and what you’re up to now!

ELIZABETH BEISEL: Thank you for having me and I just want to say that it’s an honor to talk with you as you’re a bad ass!

AM: Amazing and thank you!

When did you first fall in love with the water?

EB: Honestly, 6 months old! I went to the Mommy and Me classes at the YMCA. I grew up in Rhode Island which is the Ocean State. So luckily, my mom and dad had the means to put me into the YMCA Mommy and Me classes and introduced me to the water at an early age. I swear that I was the only baby there that wasn’t screaming bloody murder! I love the water! I would only sleep if I was in the water that day. Like it became a thing. I think from the beginning, I was in love with the water and that never left me. I did other sports and other activities growing up, but I think that stuff happening in the water was where I was most comfortable and passionate. So, that was pretty much my entire life!

AM: I love hearing that!

EB: It’s great!

AM: You specialized in the backstroke and are known for your individual medley. What was it about these specialties that you wanted to compete in them?

EB: So, a lot of swimming, you don’t necessarily get to choose the event, the event chooses you. What you're good at is what you morph into. For me, I was one of those swimmers with the individual medley which is all 4 strokes in one race (Editors Note: the medley includes the backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle). So I had pretty solid strokes across the board. But backstroke is definitely the one that I excelled in the most. So, since a young age, I kind of always swam all 4 strokes and then I really of honed in on the middle distances which is where my body thrives. I’m not necessarily a long distance swimmer, but I definitely have no sprint fibers in me. Like, I cannot run fast in a sprint, I can’t swim fast, it’s just who I am. I really found that happy medium in the 400m races and it really was just a matter of, “oh wow, I’m really good at these strokes,” in these events compared to everybody else. Why don’t I start focusing on these in practice and swimming on them more in meets. It’s kind of a snowball effect.

AM: I love hearing that as we have interviewed a number of Olympic swimmers and I have never asked how they chose that particular one. But I like that you’re saying that it kind of finds you.

EB: Yeah, trust me, if I had my choice, I’d be swimming a 50 free and be done in 20 seconds, but my body is not made for that!

AM: You’re a 3X Olympian, you have 2 Olympic medals, you’ve served as the Olympic Swimming Captain. What was your Olympic experience like for you and what did you love so much about it?

EB: I think that each Olympic experience was super different and for many different reasons. You know, my first one I was 15 and my last one I was 23. So that’s a completely different human! It was such an honor to be able to reach the pinnacle of the sport that I loved so much and be able to compete in it at that highest level for our country. I remember watching the Olympics when I was 7 years old on TV and having that be the first moment where I really grasped what the Olympics were and how monumental they were in my sport. I knew that I wanted to do that one day. That was my goal and I knew that I was going to make it happen. I’m just a small town kid from Rhode Island, I didn’t grow up in a family of Olympians and swimmers. I’m just like a lot of us where you have a dream. Maybe the fact that I was 7 years old and that kids have that beautiful way of just thinking nothing is impossible, I kind of went for it. I was like, “yeah, why not me? Of course!” It ended up being such an incredible experience and standing up on the podium, winning Olympic medals for your country and doing it alongside your teammates is so special. I have met the best people through my life in the sport of swimming. I think we’re forced to be pretty humble because, well, swimming is not an A-list sport. It’s not football, it’s not soccer, it’s not baseball. So we have once every 4 years to kind of shine at the Olympics and then nobody really cares about what we’re doing. We don’t make any money so it’s really a group of people that do it because they love it. I think that breeds a certain type of person and archetype. It’s just like the blue collar hardworking type of people that are really in it because you love it, not for the money, or the fame, or any thing like that. It’s just, “yeah, we love to swim.” Longwinded answer – Olympics are amazing!

AM: So, we always love knowing how athletes stay fit and obviously, you’re in the water which is a huge part of it. What are the workouts that you do in and out of the water when you’re training or even now when you’re doing what you do?

EB: I try to lift weights twice a week. I know that that doesn’t sound like much. When I was swimming, I was lifting 2-3-4 times a week depending on where we were at in the season. Towards the end of my competitive swimming career, I started implementing yoga and I’m now a certified yoga instructor, I love it that much. What I found while I was an athlete and now, and I still consider myself an athlete even though I am not actively competing, is that I leave yoga feeling so calm and like it’s almost like it’s opened up my body obviously, and my mind as well. I see things clearer, I think clearer, and it’s super relaxing. I’m kind of a 1 million miles a minute type of person so I need an outlet and something to force me. Because I’m not going to do it at home. I know myself. I’m not going to put on the meditation and do it at home. I wish I could. But I need to go somewhere and have somebody leading me and once I discovered yoga, not only did it help me athletically because you need to be stretching and you need to be opening your body and your muscle tissue. It helps with recovery a lot, but my mind too. It helps me slow down and shut off and just give myself that parasympathetic nervous system a break. So I would say yoga, lifting, and then I try to walk. It sounds simple, but I think that walking is good and I like to multitask and if I have calls, I will do it when I’m walking. So just nothing crazy to be honest and I think that’s the thing about Olympians, people probably think that we’re doing this out of the box really fancy stuff and it’s like, “no, we do the exact same thing that you guys do, we just do it 40 hours a week.” Instead of you doing it on the weekend or an hour here or there. But yeah, it’s just taking care of my body or anybody’s body is when you’re going to feel better. So that’s why I move now, because it makes me feel good.

AM: It’s so funny because I have probably been doing yoga for the last 15/20 years or so and once I went to my 40’s I went from a love/hate relationship to desperately needing it because like you said, it’s calming your mind down and having someone else stopping me and forcing me to do the things that I do. Hot yoga is my jam!

EB: Same! Oh my God! Give me a hot power vinyasa and I’m good!

AM: Same! I get so happy with it, it breaks me down, and I can quiet everything around me and I so appreciate it now versus in my 20’s I was like this is something to do for my mobility and flexibility. Now it’s like, no I need it.

EB: Exactly, this is like water and I need it.

AM: So you partnered with Dermasport. Can you tell me about the brand and why it was synergistic with you to work for them?

EB: Ok. So Dermasport is a skincare brand so it’s face wash, moisturizer, eye cream, and SPF. It’s designed by swimmers for swimmers. Right off the bat, synergy. Throughout my entire swimming career, I was always struggling to find – especially sunscreen, I was swimming at the University of Florida and I ended up swimming there for 8 years.

That’s 8 years of swimming under the sun outside and I really struggled finding a sunscreen that wouldn’t smudge my goggles and I know that that sounds crazy, that would stay on during the entire practice, would protect my skin, and on top of that, the chlorine itself is so bad for your skin. It strips away every good oil and thing that you have on your face. So I was struggling to find a post swim face wash that really felt like it got everything off. Not only the residue of the sunscreen, but also the chlorine that had seeped into my skin. Once Dermasport came out and approached me, and sent me samples for me to try out, I tried it out for a good 2 months indoor and outdoor swimming. I knew that this was the stuff. It was like I was the one going to them asking them that if they wanted me to do anything, to let me know. I think another thing is that element of protecting your skin. I lost my dad to cancer 2 years ago, although it wasn’t skin cancer, it was a huge wake up call for me being like, you’re healthy until you’re not. You’re cancer free until you’re not so what am I actively doing that’s preventative and ways that I can alleviate the possibility that I don’t ever end up having cancer. So sunscreen has been like, it doesn’t matter if it’s a cloudy day, if it’s the dead of winter, it’s part of my morning routine now. So it just really hit a lot of the elements that I am really passionate about in my life and so it was kind of one of those things where I was like the universe just bestowed this upon me and I thought it was beautiful.

Of course, since retiring from competitive swimming, I really started to surf a lot now that I have time in my life to do things. It’s mineral based, the packaging is either recyclable aluminum or post consumer recycled bottles so I feel good about it across the board. It’s the best!

AM: That’s amazing!

What’s your discipline in surfing? What are you doing in surfing? Are you doing wake boarding or looking for the ultimate big wave?

EB: Well, I interviewed Carissa Moore once so you and I have that in common!

AM: Yup!

EB: I’m sure you had the same experience, she was the nicest person in the world!

AM: She was our FEB ISSUE #85 this year and it was on Super Bowl Sunday and we had a huge tie zone difference and she was the loveliest person.

EB: Exactly and I was in Tokyo for the Olympics 2 summers ago and I was working with NBC and of course it was surfing’s first time in the Olympics. Carissa wins and part of my job was interviewing the athletes after they won. Carissa was not in a rush, she never made me feel like I was annoying her and trust me, the amount of press that she did on that day, like she did not need to talk to me. She was just phenomenal and she was beautiful and lovely as a human!

I have been doing it for a few years now and it’s been really awesome because I love learning new things. I took to surfing easily because of my paddle strength and my arms. So I’m getting better I did a surf trip in the Maldives for a month in April and the thing is with anything, if you’re not doing it consistently, you’re not going to be better. Here where I am in Rhode Island, we get Hurricane Season waves in the fall and then nothing for 10 months. So, I’m trying to go on more trips to get better, but the camaraderie, the culture, I just love it! It’s amazing.

AM: Do you think that you’ll go to Nazaré?

EB: Ha! I’ll watch! Listen, I love to live my life and be alive! Like you know what’s even crazier Kimmie? The tow people with the jet ski! They have to be equally trained, if not more! You know, it’s unreal!

AM: HBO's 100 Foot Wave, but you see it and you’re like, holy shit!

EB: I know right?

AM: What does your partnership look like with Dermasport? Are there events coming up or is it just organic integration?

EB: A lot of it is organic. Obviously I have been sent the product as I need to use it in order to talk about it. We’re going to do some appearances at a lot of Masters meets so that is basically older swimmers just because I feel that those are really the people that are tuned into taking care of their skin and their health whereas kids may be a little harder. Mom says use your sunscreen and the kids are like, “but I’m invincible, why do I need that?” And then, just like genuinely and organically posting about it. I’m at the point in my life that if something doesn’t align with me, I don’t give it my time. We have too many things going on in our lives and so this is one of those things like I said earlier where it just hits every pain point in my life that I am genuinely passionate about – swimming, being in the ocean, surfing, and being in the sun. I’m a lifeguard too and I sit in the sun for hours throughout the day. My connection to cancer and so it’s a really genuine partnership. I’m so excited to be involved.

AM: So tell me about Block Cancer. Why did you want to launch this, what is this lifestyle brand, and what can we expect to see from it?

EB: I’m so excited! It launched July 19th. So I’ll give a quick backstory. When my dad was going through his diagnosis and treatment, I was going through all of the books and cancer had never touched my family. I didn’t know what to do and I was super green in that world and all the things I read said to give something to your loved ones to look forward to. So I thought that I had this amazing swimming platform and there’s an island off the coast of Rhode Island, that only 2 people have ever swum to and no female had ever done it. So I was like, “this could be something cool.” I could share my updates with dad and we called it Block Cancer because the island is called Block Island. It’s like a play on words.

Unfortunately, I did the swim, but my dad passed away before I could complete the swim. I know that he knows that I did it because I fully believe that he was there that day. But after the swim, we were like we had this modest and humble goal of raising $5,000-$10,000 and we raised $665,000 all going to in lab cancer research. That was my thing.

I didn’t want to be funding the renaming of a hospital wing, that’s not my jam. If there's no funding there's no research, no research, there’s no cure. So how can I bridge the gap between the oncologist and the researchers and actually making some progress. So after completing the swim, sitting on it for a little bit, digesting what had happened with my dad and all that stuff – I was really looking to relaunch it and I didn’t really know what that looked like. What it turned into being organically was this collaboration of creatives all designing really cool designs for Block Cancer and selling the merch and donating 90% of the net profits to a non-profit that I have worked with my entire life that funds lab research. It is 100% going to in lab research and I get to be apart of the vetting process and the grant writing process so it’s really really awesome. It’s not just hoodies, hats, and bracelets, but it’s also chemo hats, scarves, port shirts, and cancer care packages. I wanted to do something that really put the cancer patient first. I have also compiled resources like cancer diagnosis resources, grief resources, and when you get a cancer diagnosis, what the hell do you do? What questions do you ask, who do you go to and what do you do when you lose somebody?

For the past year and a half, I’ve been compiling all of that, putting it together and it’s just been this real passion project. It’s never felt like work. It’s a way for me to stay connected to my dad. Actually, Dermasport to bring it back in, we’ve been in talks to have the sunscreen be sold on Block Cancer and maybe a portion of the net-profits go to the Block Cancer Fund. It makes sense right? You use sunscreen and it protects you in skin cancer. Again, Dermasport fit in seamlessly to this beautiful passion project that I am working on and it felt like this beautiful symbiotic relationship. It’s all good stuff and I’m so excited! I have literally, my eyes are all over the place the place – I’m not a website builder, but I have done all this work myself because I don’t have an investor. I don’t have 15 grand to pay for a website developer. So it’s been actually great because I have learned a ton. I've learned skills that I otherwise wouldn't have had.

AM: That’s great, because when you do all of the stuff, as you bring people on, you know exactly how long it takes, what it is – because when you can do it yourself, the person who you bring on who definitely has the skills to be able to do that should be above and beyond what you can do.

EB: Of course! Yes, absolutely. I think that the website came along great.

AM: What other projects are you working on beyond Dermasport and Block Cancer? Are there other things that we should keep an eye out for?

EB: Actually, super exciting news! So I mentioned earlier that I did other activities growing up. So I grew up playing the violin. That was actually my equal love to swimming. But it always had to take a backseat to swimming because I would always choose swimming. So violin is beautiful because it is something that you can always do for the rest of your life. So I’m in a band called Laden Valley and we’re developmental, super early in our stages. But we got asked to play Newport Folk Fest – we’re a folk band.

AM: That’s huge!

EB: Yeah! Huge like Brandi Carlile, Paul Simon, we’re the opener on Fri of Newport Folk Fest and this is like – if this goes well, in the folk world if you’re playing Folk Fest in Newport, you’re doing well!

AM: Oh I’m well aware, that’s why I perked up!

EB: Yeah and we’re very excited, I got all of my outfits planned and I’m like, what are we wearing? So it’s me and 3 other guys and so I’m picking the outfits and the color scheme and they all have can match me.

AM: That is so exciting congratulations!

EB: Yeah and it’s one of those things where this – I don’t want to jinx it. But I truly believe that maybe it could be something, but we will see! It’s by far the biggest crowd that anyone of us have performed in front of. I think it’s 8,000-10,000 people, but for us, it’s like huge and it’s so exciting!

AM: That’s exciting! The Newport Folk Festival is amazing and I knew what it was as soon as you said it as they don’t let just anyone play it. This year it’s Lana Del Rey, Jon Batiste, Maggie Rogers, that’s amazing.

You do so much! How do you give back to the sport that you originated in and how do you give back to the youth that is coming up?

EB: Yeah, so I’m an ambassador for the USA Swimming Foundation and that’s the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming so what we are trying to do is save lives and impact communities. Saving lives is – ok we know that swimming is a fun sport and we get to win Olympic medals and stuff, but at the end of the day, nobody gets into the sport of swimming to become an Olympian. They get into the sport because it’s purely a skill. It’s a life saving skill, but if you come from a socioeconomic background, culture, or city where swimming isn’t really a part of your life or the people that you’re surrounded with – you’re not going to learn. Formal swimming lessons reduce the risk of drowning by 88%.

So it’s like, I don’t know if you heard the story of the quarterback a couple of weeks ago that drowned in the NFL. But what I try to tell people is listen, the water does not discriminate, it doesn’t care if you’re an Olympian, it doesn’t care if you’re an NFL quarterback, it doesn’t care if you’re a 5-year-old. You can drown. So what we do is basically go around the country on a tour and it’s every May. We provide grants to local Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA’s and we’re like, “here’s $15,000. We ask that in the next year you provide transportation to kids that cannot afford swimming lessons. You bring them from school to the YMCA or the Boys & Girls Club whatever it is and you get them in the water and you teach them how to swim.” I kind of call myself the out of town hero right? We go there and it’s inner city kids in Detroit or in Chicago. They have never seen a pool before, we make it all shiny and fun for them, but it’s like there’s some follow up here. We’re kind of the catalyst and you just have to continue it. So that’s been really rewarding to give back to the sport. At the end of the day, those Mommy and Me Classes that I took with my mom, they’re weren’t about me winning medals. Not at all! They were for me to learn how to swim and to be safer around the water.

That's been the way that I have given back in the past few years since being done.

It’s awesome because it’s also a diversity thing. You watch the Olympics, there is 1 Black person on the Olympic Swim Team. There’s 1.

AM: Yup.

EB: Like, what a microcosm of society right? Because that is what swimming looks like. So, it’s like, we’re trying to come in and we have Cullen Jones – have you ever met Cullen Jones (2G, 2S)?

AM: No, I have not, but I want to!

EB: He was literally my first friend on the National Team. He’s my big brother. I cannot say enough good things about him. Cullen, the first Black person to win an Olympic Gold medal in swimming, to break a world record, the first of everything! He’s kind of like the face of this tour. To be able to do this on the road with him and to watch, because I can say something, but I’m white. It’s not going to resonate as much as when he does it. Watching I get chills, watching him talk to an entire auditorium of kids who honestly may not even know what the Olympics are, but he gets through to them because he can relate to them and they go into a pool and they’re inspired to learn how to swim. That’s what it’s all about. It’s so incredible! So, I mean that this is a 100 year project!

AM: Oh yeah! That’s why representation is so important you have to have what needs to be reflected and if you have 1 maybe you get 4 and then 10. Like you said, it’s going to be 100 years for sure.

EB: Yeah, it’s always safer around the water. It’s never completely safe as I said earlier, you, me – no one is completely safe. Being around and having that impact on the sport and who it is accessible to is like – that is way more than any Olympic medal – it’s saving lives.

AM: Can you tell me about the Lead Sports Summit and what your involvement is with them?

EB: So Lead Sports Summit was founded by one of my best friends on the Olympic Swim Team, Kara Lynn Joyce (4S). She saw a need for a summit for just women and female young teenage athletes. So 13-18 and she gets the all-star team from the Olympic Team. The heavy hitter names that you watch on NBC at the Olympics come to Lead Sport Summit and we have breakout groups, we have panels, we have really open and honest discussions and we give these teenage girls a safe place to talk about stuff that maybe they are dealing with on their team, in school, with relationships at home, it’s a judgement free zone. It’s cool because I think there is an element of humanizing Olympians and what we do. Maybe it’s inspiring because of what we do. It’s like, “oh wow, I was putting Katie Ledecky (7G, 3S) on this pedestal and I thought that she was untouchable, but now that I have met her, spent time with her, and I know she has dealt with the same issues that I have dealt with – now this scary thing that felt impossible is possible! It is something that I say to Kara all the time that she needs to have one just for adults because I would go. I tell her too that by the end of the weekend, I have cried 48 times and I feel that I have gotten more out of it then the actual teenage girls did! Also, I’m not in the social media world that they are in. You and I did not grow up with those same pressures.

AM: Exactly.

EB: So it’s super eye opening to hear them talk openly about the pressures that they feel from social media and society. It gives me chills and makes me say, how can we help? It’s an incredible event and it’s over Labor Day Weekend every single year. Kara is opening it up to other sports now and it’s taking on a life of its own which is really beautiful and I will be at the one in DC which is over Labor Day Weekend this year.

AM: That's fantastic!

EB: Yeah and I think that it’s sold out. Which doesn’t surprise me as it’s done that every single year. It really is worth every single penny. It’s the best!

AM: I love that when people empower and infuse people. Even if something is for a lower age group, I always say that I feel like we’re adulting while we are dealing with our own traumas that are unresolved.

EB: Yes! There’s some stuff that happened to me 15 years ago that I should probably figure out!

AM: Without a doubt!

IG @ebeisel34

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Elizabeth Beisel

Read the AUG ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see THE SKILL OF IT ALL | Elizabeth Beisel in mag.

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In AM, Aug 2023, Athletes, Olympian, Olympics, Sports Tags Elizabeth Beisel, Paris 2024, Olympic, Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, 2X Team USA Swimming Medalist, USA Swimming Foundation, Dermasport, Rhode Island, YMCA, Olympic Swimming Captain, Swimming, Olympics, Athlete, Olympians, Yoga, University of Florida, NBC, Carissa Moore, HBO, 100 Foot Wave, Block Cancer, Laden Valley, Newport Folk Fest, Brandi Carlile, Paul Simon, Lana Del Rey, Jon Batiste, Maggie Rogers, NFL, Boys & Girls Club, Cullen Jones, Lead Sports Summit, Katoe Ledecky, Kara Lynn Joyce
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AM, Ath Mag Issues, Editor Picks, Mar 2025
ATHLEISURE MAG #111 | RASHEE RICE
AM, Ath Mag Issues, Editor Picks, Mar 2025
AM, Ath Mag Issues, Editor Picks, Mar 2025