Athleisure Mag SEP ISSUE #45

Sep 2019

- 1 - AthleisureMag.com

SEP 2019

@AthleisureMag

TM

PUBLISHER

Paul Farkas

EDITORIAL

Kimmie Smith

Co-Founder, Creative + Style Director

Paul Farkas

Co-Founder, Artistic Director + Tech Director

FASHION CONTRIBUTIONS

PHOTOGRAPHER Paul Farkas | STYLIST Kimmie Smith

BEAUTY CONTRIBUTIONS

HAIRSTYLIST Brooke Bogle | MUA Jessica Bonilla

ADVERTISING

info@athleisuremag.com

@ATHLEISUREMAG

CONNECT + VISIT

E-mail: info@athleisuremag.com

Website: www.athleisuremag.com

Athleisure Mag

TM

, a Division of Athleisure Media LLC.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

Paul Farkas | Kimmie Smith

HOST

Kimmie Smith

MIXING

Athleisure Studio Team

ATHLEISURE STUDIO

PODCAST NETWORK SHOWS

#TRIBEGOALS | ATHLEISURE KITCHEN |

BUNGALOW SK | THE ROAD TO TOKYO 2020

LISTEN ON

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Athleisure Mag TM , a Division of Athleisure Media LLC.

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table of contents

issue #45

sep 2019

86

STYLE FEATURES

STYLE FILES: SS20

87

ROCK THIS LOOK DURING

SWEATER WEATHER

91 HOW TO DRESS

39

BEAUTY FEATURES

THE PICK ME UP

Mellabration Time with Leah Van Dale

16

On Oct 2nd, season 9 of E! Total Divas premiers and WWE’s Leah Van Dale who wrestles under the

name Carmella will show us her life in and out of the ring. Our September cover girl rocks fun transitional

fall style while talking about being in the WWE, being on the go and her wine brand.

66

POMELO BEAUTY

89

ATHLEISURE BEAUTY

Something You Should Know

with Tracy Wolfson

We talk with Tracy Wolfson, CBS Sports broadcaster about her career, getting into the industry and

storylines that she’s excited about for the 100th NFL season!

46

LIFESTYLE FEATURES

9PLAYLIST

Here’s what’s on our playlist this month.

64

Art of the Snack

We head to Chef Alvin Cailan’s The Usual.

70

58

ATHLEISURE LIST

CITY WINE TOURS

60

ATHLEISURE LIST

LE TEA

AthleisureMag.com - 10 - Sep 2019

Higher Art & Good Eats

100

Bingely Books

116

This month we talk with Chef Ron Silver, restaurateur of iconic brunch and comfort food eatery, Bubby’s.

With locations in Tribeca, The Highline and 6 outposts in Japan, he shares with us the importance

of the style of his cuisine, his focus on his art as well as his interest in the cannabis business, Azuca

with its edible technology.

This month we’re settling in with a number of

good books that have popped on our radar.

Here’s what we’re reading.

Bingely Streaming

118

Athleisure Studio

9 LIST STORI3S

126

We’re constantly streaming and this month we’re

tuned into programs on Netflix, Apple Podcast

and iHeartRadio. See what we’re listening and

watching this month.

Tune into our podcast network, Athleisure

Studio. Subscribe on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple

Podcast, Stitcher, Himalaya, Google Podcast and

more.

This month’s 9LIST STORI3S comes from Celebrity

Fitness Trainer Gunnar Peterson as he shares

his faves and why you’ll find him using them.

Sep 2019



This September, our cover is graced by

Leah Van Dale who wrestles under the

name Carmella as a WWE SuperStar

who is also on E! Total Divas, which is

back for its 9th season on Oct 1st! Our

shoot took place during NYFW, which

showcased SS20 collections that we

can't wait to start rocking in a few

months. Our shoot took place at The

Mondrian Park Ave Hotel on the Mondrian

Terrace as well as at their lower

level lounge known as The Boogie

Room.

As we showcased great transitional fall

looks, we also got to know more about

this athlete, whose career has included

being a dancer for the New England Patriots

as well as the LA Lakers as a Laker

Girl and of course being a WWE SuperStar.

In addition, she also launched

her own wine label that embodies her

mantra and how she sees the world as

she continues to amass her empire.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You have had an

amazing career, that has included

cheerleading, dancing, modeling, wrestler

and entrepreneur. When you were

growing up, what was the moment

that you realized that you wanted to be

an entertainer?

LEAH VAN DALE: For as long as I can remember.

I was dancing before I could

even walk. It’s where I feel the most

comfortable. I’ve always loved putting

on a show!

AM: Earlier this year, our Feb cover

included a few members of the Super

Bowl Champions’ New England Patriots,

what was your journey to becoming

a cheerleader for this team for 3

seasons?

LVD: I danced my entire life. When I

started college I knew I wanted to continue

my passion for dancing. I found

out about a try out to become a New

England Patriots Cheerleader. I went

to the try out and made it! The rest

was really history.

AM: After 3 seasons with the New England

Patriots, you became a Laker Girl

for the Los Angeles Lakers for a season,

what was that process like?

LVD: At the time, you could only cheer

for the Patriots for three seasons. I had

just graduated college in May of 2010

and I was ready for a change. I flew

out to LA the day before the tryout.

There were almost 700 girls there for

the audition and only 6 spots open on

the team. I felt so out of my element.

I kept making it to the next round and

after almost two months of tryouts

and training I made the team! I picked

up and moved to LA without knowing

anyone or anything about the city, but

I wouldn’t have changed a thing about

it.

AM: As someone who was familiar

with the WWE as your father Paul

Van Dale is a mixed martial artist and

worked with the World Wrestling Federation

(now WWE) in the 80s and 90s

– when did you decide that you wanted

to be in the WWE?

LVD: Honestly, I never thought I would

end up in the WWE. I used to watch it

when I was a kid, but it wasn’t something

I aspired to do. I wanted to be a

dancer. My dad would bring it up from

time to time but I always shut the idea

down. When I did everything I could

with dance I found out about a tryout

with WWE. The timing was perfect. All

the stars aligned and my journey to become

Women’s Champion began.

AM: Tell us about your journey for becoming

a part of the WWE?

LVD: I moved to Orlando in 2013 when

I was signed to WWE’s developmental

brand NXT. I trained at the Performance

Center for a little over two

years; learned the basics in wrestling

and created my Carmella character.

In 2016, I was drafted to Smackdown

Live and I’ve been moon walking and

trashing all over TV since.


AM: Your ring name is Carmella, why

did you choose that name and what is

the persona of her when you're wrestling

– how does this differ from you?

LVD: I wanted an Italian mob-wife

character. I channeled my inner Carmella

Soprano. I wore fur jackets and

talked with an accent. We already had

a girl on the roster billed from Boston

(where I’m from) so they decided to bill

me from Staten Island (which is my real

life rival!! A New Englander pretending

to be from New York?!?!) I did all the

studying I could do to make sure I really

gave off the Staten Island vibes and

I pride myself on my character. She’s

definitely more outspoken than Leah.

But it’s essentially me with the volume

turned up to 100!

AM: What is the process like when you

are creating your ring persona and do

you have input when it comes to the

storylines that you are involved in?

LVD: I had all of the way in creating

Carmella. She’s definitely evolved over

the years, but I feel lucky that the first

character I came up with is still what

I’m doing today. Some people go years

trying to create their on screen persona,

so I’m very fortunate.

AM: You have had a number of amazing

wins in your career at the WWE,

what are 3 of your favorite storylines

that you have been involved in?

LVD: I loved my story with Nikki Bella

when I first debuted on Smackdown

Live. It was my first feud and it was

super high profile. I was so nervous to

work with her, but she was incredible.

She always had my back. I loved when

I became Miss Money in the Bank. I

made history in the first ever women’s

MITB ladder match. I got to carry that

contract and be so incredibly obnoxious

about it. Of course my final favorite

is when I cashed in on Charlotte

Flair the Smackdown after Wrestlemania

34. I was an over the top cham-

pion with these ridiculous Mellabrations.

It was so fun.

AM: Who do you consider as members

of your squad within the WWE?

LVD: I have a good group of girls I’m

close with. Bayley is one of my best

friends. We got super close during our

time in NXT and we’ve remained that

way despite being on different brands

the last few years. Natalya is my girl.

We text literally every single day. She’s

so funny. I love Sonya and Mandy as

well. We all lived in Fort Lauderdale for

the last year and they’re just super fun.

AM: As an athlete in the WWE, what

does it mean to you to be in this organization

as well as being apart of a number

of the amazing things taking place

within the women’s matches that take

place there?

LVD: This is the best time to be a lady

wrestler. I feel so fortunate to be a part

of so many historical moments. These

are the times everyone will be talking

about when it comes to the Women’s

Evolution.

AM: Fitness has been a key component

of your career and you have even

been in videos with Bob Harper, why is

it so integral to you?

LVD: Fitness has been an important

part of my life since I was a kid. My

parents have always instilled that into

my sister and me. When I’m active and

eating healthy is when I feel my best.

Of course we all fall off the wagon

every now and then, but I always get

back to it.

AM: What is a typical day like for you

when you’re working out?

LVD: When I’m at home (which is

RARE!) I train with my trainer or I do

yoga. On the road I do empty stomach

cardio in the morning, either 30 min

on the stationary bike or walk on the

treadmill on a high incline. Then I do

some weight training. I alternate upper

and lower body workouts.

AM: You were wrestling at Madison

Square Garden earlier this month,

what is your day like going into a day

like that?

LVD: Usually it’s a workout in the

morning then I just head to the arena

for 2pm. Just to walk into MSG is mind

blowing, nevermind knowing I get to

perform there. It’s every entertainer's

dream. This was my third time there. It

never gets old!

AM: You’re constantly on the move,

what is the average week like for you

between taping shows, being in the

ring and more?

LVD: It varies from week to week, but

typically something like this:

Saturday fly from home to the first

city, have the show, the drive to the

next town. Have a show on Sunday,

then drive to the next town. After our

show on Monday, I drive to wherever

we have our live tv show Smackdown

Live that week. Of course the gym and

finding healthy spots to eat inbetween

all of that. When we’re filming for Total

Divas, I would fly to wherever we are

filming that Wednesday morning after

TV. We film Wednesday-Friday then fly

to the next set of shows on Saturday.

When we aren’t filming, I sometimes

get to go home Wednesday-Friday, in

between show loops.

AM: Season 9 of E! Total Divas premiers

on Oct 2nd – why do you like being

a part of this show and how important

is it to be involved so that we can

know more about you as well as your

character?

LVD: I was on the show for season 7,

but I didn’t get the opportunity to really

open up and show my truth. I’m

excited to do that this time around.

Nothing is off limits, which scares me

a little. It’s very nerve wracking to put

your entire personal life out there for

everyone to judge, but I’m ready!

AM: What can you tell us about your

upcoming season?

LVD: It’s all about our sisterhood.

There’s six of us: Ronda Rousey, Nattie,

Sonya Deville, Trinity and Nia Jax.

You’ll get to see my relationship with

my boyfriend Corey Graves and of

course there’s a little drama with the

girls.

AM: Tell us about Capo Cagna Wine –

how did this opportunity come about,

how long were you in development,

what is the meaning behind the name

and where can people get it?

LVD: It’s been in the works for well

over a year now. It’s been such a long

process with a lot of ups and downs.

I wanted to start a brand and have it

mean something. I want everyone

to feel like a Boss Bitch when they’re

drinking it, which is was Capo Cagna

means in Italian.

AM: Wine is a beverage that a number

of people enjoy or are just learning

about, we love how you position

your wine regardless of the sippers’

wine background – why is that your approach?

LVD: I think it’s important to feel confident.

I want whoever grabs the bottle

of wine to know they deserve to feel a

little boujie, but it’s not going to break

the bank. It’s all about being boujie on

a budget. So if you’re a wine snob, this

is not the wine for you! ;)

AM: Currently, Cabernet Sauvignon and

Chardonnay are available, will there

be additional varietals that we should

keep an eye out for?

LVD: Yes! We will have a Rosé launching

for the summer of 2020.


AM: On average, how many times a

year are you traveling?

LVD: 52 weeks a year. We don’t have

an off season.

AM: As someone who travels quite

frequently, what are 3 things that are

in your carryon that make you feel like

you’re at home?

LVD: I always keep one of my comfy

sweaters in my backpack so I pull that

out for the plane ride; my eye mask

and my iPad so I can keep up on all of

my favorite reality shows (Real Housewives

is my guilty pleasure.)

AM: Do you have any philanthropies

or charitable work that you are a part

of that you can share with us?

LVD: With WWE we are always involved

with so many charitable organizations.

A few that I work closely

with are The Boys and Girls Club, Be

a Star (WWE's anti-bullying campaign)

and UNICEF Kid Power.

AM: When you have downtime, what

are 3 things that we could find you doing

or eating when you’re taking time

for yourself?

LVD: You will find me drinking wine on

my couch, eating sushi or pizza and

watching Netflix.

AM: In Ft. Lauderdale, where can we

find you grabbing a drink/meal, working

out and shopping?

LVD: When I’m home, I’m usually a

homebody. But I do work with my

trainer Danny Blanco at Top Notch

Training. Other than that, I’m ordering

Uber Eats and laying low!

AM: What are 3 brand/products that

you’re loving within each of these three

categories of - fitness, beauty and in

style?

LVD: I’m all about skin care products.

I love using rose water to spray on my

face when I travel. Rosehip oil is essential.

I’m always shopping on Revolve.

com because they have free two day

shipping, so my clothes are always

there when I get home from the road.

@CarmellaWWE

Our cover shoot took place at The Mondrian

Park Ave on the Terrace as well

as the lower level lounge known as The

Boogie Room which is managed by In

Good Company Hospitality. We took

a moment to chat with Chris Guidice,

General Manager of IGC to find out

about the spaces, what guests can enjoy

and the hotel in general.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did The Boogie

Room launch?

CHRIS GUIDICE: The Boogie Room

opened a little over a year ago and recently

relaunched with brand new art

on the walls and throughout the space.

AM: What is the ethos of The Boogie

room?

CG: The Boogie Room is a place where

art, music, drinks, and culture bridge

the gap between approachability and

exclusivity. This edgy bar, with its combination

of street art and retro furniture,

is the perfect hideaway from

the hustle and bustle of Park Avenue

South. The dim lighting and intimate

space give an air of elusiveness, while

still maintaining the warm and welcoming

atmosphere that is typical of

all IGC Hospitality’s venues.

AM: We love that there are murals at

this lower level hotspot, what’s the story

behind them and how often do they

change?

CG: The walls feature beautiful murals

full of bright colors painted by local

artists serving as an homage to ’80s

and '90s NYC street art. A group of tal-

ented artists were brought together

and given the direction to create a fun

atmosphere that has cultural and historical

relevance to this amazing city.

AM: What are 3 signature drinks that

we should have the next time that

we’re at The Boogie Room?

CG: The Boogie Room’s specialty cocktails

are everything on our bottle

menu! Of course, we have a full bar

with beer, wine, and spirits, but the

parade of sparklers and bottles represent

the ethos of a Boogie night.

AM: What events are taking place

at The Boogie Room this fall that we

should mark our calendars?

CG: The Boogie Room takes on a life of

its own on Friday and Saturday nights.

This nightlife hotspot features some

of NYC’s most sought after DJs from

11:30 pm - 2 am every weekend. Think

dancing, flowing drinks and bumping

music.... There’s always something going

on here!

AM: We also shot at the Mondrian Terrace

as well – tell us about this space

and more about this vibe?

CG: Mondrian Terrace is a year round

terrace offering the best of both indoor

and outdoor space. We are currently

in the final month of our Rosé

Terrace installation, a rosé lover’s paradise,

and will soon be transitioning to

a Fall-themed pop up. Our outdoor terrace

overlooks the corner of Park Avenue

South and East 30th Street. The

indoor lounge is a canvas for seasonal

soirees and NoMad nights.

AM: What are 3 signature bites that we

should enjoy at Mondrian Terrace?

CG: We change the menu seasonally,

but three of my current favorites are

burrata with fig balsamic, beef short

rib sliders, and the lamb meatballs with

feta cheese and pine nuts. Each dish is

perfect for snacking on as you sit and

take in the great vistas of downtown

Manhattan. If you’re feeling generous,

they’re all very easy to share

AM: What events are taking place here

that we should keep an eye out for as

we continue into the fall?

CG: The Rosé Terrace at Mondrian Terrace

is winding down and we’ll be debuting

a new Fall/Winter pop up soon,

so stay tuned! Our Beverage Manager

Allie Klug and Executive Chef Todd

Matthews are always working on incorporating

seasonal ingredients into

our menus, which means lots of specials

to look forward to.

AM: For the Holiday season, is there

anything taking place at The Boogie

Room or the Mondrian Terrace that we

should swing by?

CG: We’re planning our Halloween

party at Mondrian Terrace. Guest can

enjoy rooftop views, Halloween Cocktails,

and a live DJ. Tickets for the event

will be available soon, keep an eye out

here for more details.

We also host a weekly Latin Night every

Sunday. Of course, for those who

really like to plan ahead, we have New

Year’s Eve blowouts planned for all of

the venues in Mondrian Park Avenue!

AM: With 3 venues at the Mondrian

Park Avenue Hotel, what was the process

behind coming up with spaces and

concepts? You have definitely created

different vibes that would fuel guests

of the hotel, those that book an event,

people who staycation and those who

are in the neighborhood that ware interested

in swinging by.

CG: The three spaces at the Mondrian

have all been designed to have their

own unique feel. Cleo is a beautiful

Mediterranean restaurant which has

American influences in the dishes and

distinctly unique décor. Mondrian Ter-

Sep 2019



race offers a relaxed atmosphere and

seasonal delicacies, perfect for a first

date or corporate party. The Boogie

Room stands in stark contrast to the

posh and sleek look of the Mondrian

and surrounding Park Avenue, it is

perfect celebrating birthdays, or just

a place to dance the night away. All

three spaces are inspired by the hotel’s

namesake - Dutch painter Piet Mondrian.

The Boogie Room is actually named

after one of his paintings titled Broadway

Boogie.

AM: Tell us about In Good Company

and other locations do you have that

we should keep on our radar?

CG: IGC has more than a dozen amazing

venues. All super unique and hospitable.

We’re excited to recently welcome

Woodpecker by David Burke to

the portfolio, as well as our second

nightclub, Jewel Thief - opening next

month! Whichever IGC Hospitality venue

you choose to visit, I guarantee you

will find the common thread of good

food, good drinks, and great people.

@IGCHospitality

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS

Athleisure Mag's cover story was shot

by Paul Farkas, using Canon Mark IV;

and selected Canon lenses: EF 50 f/1.2 L,

EF 24-70 f/2.8 L II, and EF 70-200 f/2.8 L

II.

@PVFarkas

MAKEUP CREDITS

MUAH Jessica Bonilla used a number of

products and tools to create the makeup

that is in this cover editorial with

WWE SuperStar and E! Total Divas'

Leah Van Dale/Carmella.

LOOK I

To hydrate the face, EMBRYOLlSSE

Moisturizing Face Cream was used.

Base Makeup: CINEMA SECRETS Foundation

300 Series. LAURA MERCIER

Translucent Loose Setting Powder

was used.

Bronzer: FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA

in Sun Stalk'r (Caramel Cutie and Mocha

Mami).

Highlight: First, TATCHA Luminous

Dewy Skin Mist was sprayed to give

a healthy natural glow and take away

the powdery look. DOSE OF COLORS

Highlight was applied on top in Mirame.

Blush: BH COSMETICS Blush Palette.

Eyes: KKW BEAUTY KKW X MARIO 10

Pan in Eyeshadow Palette in Miami

and Albania.

Lips: ANASTASIA BEVERYLY HILLS Lip

Palette (mixed colors for the light pink

look) and mixed FENTY BEAUTY BY RI-

HANNA Gloss Bomb in Diamond Milk

for a satin finish.

LOOK II

KISS PRODUCTS lashes in Poise and

smudged a little black lipstick from the

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Lip Palette

for a more natural styled sultry

eye. The lips are brighter for the sporty

look with a pretty pop of peach with

FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA Diamond

Milk over the top.

LOOK III

The lip for this look is FENTY BEAUTY

BY RIHANNA Gloss Bomb in Universal

for a beautiful sporty look.

LOOK IV

This look was kicked up a notch for this

beautiful gold jumpsuit. We wanted a

lot of color for the eyes. Jessica used

MORPHE X JACLYN HILL Eyeshadow

Palette in Bling Bling and the Metallic

Purple Shade Gem in the crease. A

9


light blue shade from NYX Petit Brights

Pallette was used in the inner corner.

For the outer corners, Jessica used colors

Iri Ji (a pink shade) and Ofala (an orange

shade) from the JUVIA’S PLACE

Festival Palette with Odogwo (gold

shade from the same palette) in the

center, INGLOT COSMETICS' 77 Eyeliner

and added more of FENTY BEAUTY

BY RIHANNA Universal Gloss Bomb on

the lips.

@Laniidoa_Cosmetics

HAIR CREDITS

Hairstylist Brooke Bogle used a number

of products for the hairstyles in this cover

editorial with WWE SuperStar and E!

Total Divas' Leah Van Dale/Carmella.

LOOK I

Soft beach waves were created using

a 1 inch iron. Prepped with CATWALK

BY TIGI Haute Iron Spray.

Sprayed at the end as well for added

shine.

LOOK II + III

Two side braids into a pony using BED-

HEAD TIGI On the Rebound Curl Recall

Cream for smoothness.

For added texture to the pony, fluffed

and sprayed with TIGI COPYRIGHT

Custom Complete Volume Finishing

Spray.

LOOK IV

Funky waves with spontaneous braids

with accent jewels and rings.

For texture and separation used

CATWALK BY TIGI Texturizing Sea

Salt Spray and re-scrunched gently.

Sprayed CATWALK BY TIGI Haute Iron

Spray for added shine.

@Brooke_Bogle

FASHION CREDITS

Athleisure Mag's Celeb Fashion Stylist,

Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director

Kimmie Smith focused on looks that incorporate

a number of pieces that will

become go-to's in your closet with the

onset of warm weather.

LOOK I

PG 36 | HANRO Nala Soft Cup Bralette

| MAVI Tess Super Skinny in Black

Snake Jeans | MAISON DE PAPILLON

Velvet Blazer | LAGOS Black Caviar Diamond

Necklace + Maya Circle Statement

Ring |

LOOK II

FRONT/BACK COVERS + PG 19 - 29 | UM-

BRO Bodysuit | LAGOS JEWELRY Black

Caviar Black Ceramic Diamond Earrings

+ Signature Caviar Diamond Pave

Crossover Ring | ATHLETIC PROPUL-

SIONS LABS Techloom Bliss White/

Black/White Sneakers |

LOOK III

PG 16, 17, 31 | ALO YOGA Crop Cropped

Short Sleeve Top in Caramel + High

Waist Ripped Warrior Leggings in

White | PARAJUMPERS Hybrids Olivia

Puffer Jacket in White | ATHLETIC

PROPULSION LABS Techloom Bliss

White/Black/White Sneakers | LAGOS

18K Gold Caviar 12mm Ball on a Chain

Necklace |

LOOK IV

PG 32 - 35 | YANDY Ms. Metallic Jumpsuit

in Gold | LAGOS 18K Caviar Gold

2mm Width with 80mm Hoop Earrings

+ 18K Gold Caviar 12mm Ball on a

Chain Necklace |

@Shes.Kimmie

Go!

crispygreen.com

facebook.com/crispygreen @crispygreensnacks @crispygreen

Inspiration

doesn’t just occur.

It’s created.

Perfection isn’t simply achieved.

It’s worked for.

Reserved for those who get out and go. Fueled

by nature. Motivated by spirit. How do you go?

SOMETHING YOU

SHOULD KNOW

with Tracy Wolfson

When you're enjoying your favorite

sport, more than likely, it's more than

just watching the game, it's about the

mechanics, knowing about the team,

specific players, coaching staff, its history,

how you feel about it in terms of

memories growing up and more. It's

about the storylines and how sports is

immersed in our day to day lives from

the community, pop culture, social good

and entertainment. We had the chance

right before the start of the 100th season

of the NFL, to talk with Tracy Wolfson 4

X Emmy Nominated Lead Reporter, NFL

ON CBS, NCAA Basketball and Studio Host

for the network. We talked about when

she fell in love with sports, her journey

in sports broadcasting that brought her

to CBS, the importance of preparation in

her field and storylines that are exciting

to keep an eye out for.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the moment

when you realized that you wanted

to work in sports?

TRACY WOLFSON: I was about 7 or 8

years old. I was sitting in my room, I was

a little tomboy and all I really wanted to

do was watch sports. My parents had no

idea how I came to wanting to do that.

I had no brothers, my father wasn’t really

into sports, but I became obsessed

with it and I became so intrigued with

every sport out there. So, that’s when I

decided that I would do everything that

I possibly could to be a reporter and to

talk about sports for the rest of my life.

I watched the NBA Inside Stuff which

I’m dating myself, but back then, it was

Ahmad Rashad and Willow Bay. I said,

“you know what? If Willow Bay can do

it, then I can do it.” That’s when I decided

to do it.

AM: Wow, well we have had the opportunities

to interview a number of broadcasters

especially those in sports. What

was your journey to get to CBS – how did

that happen?

TW: Well it was a really long journey because

back then, there wasn’t really a

It was a long journey. Back then, there

wasn't a blueprint for it and there weren’t

a lot of people that you could reach out

to and talk to or for anyone to give you

advice. I knew I wanted be in sports so

I went to the University of Michigan for

the academics but also because they were

surrounded by sports, so I figured that at

least I would be around it. I could meet

people and find a way to get into this

business that way. I took some communications

classes and I did a few internships

and met a few people from CBS around

that time. They said, “ok when you go

back to school, why don’t you help us out

when we come to do games? You could be

a runner and get water and coffee.” And

that’s what I did. I did a bunch of football

games and some basketball games. I did

some ice skating shows with them and

I kind of got my foot in the door, but I

wanted to be on camera and I didn’t have

any experience and there were no classes

I could take at Michigan at the time that I

started out as a researcher at the

time at CBS. They hired me and it was

my first job out of college. I would basically

get research for all the other

reporters and announcers out there

and I put portfolios together. I was

there for about a year and I got the

offer to move up to the next level

as an Assistant Producer type thing.

I said that I would go for it, even

though I knew that I wanted to be in

front of the camera, but I didn’t have

a tape. So I got the interview and the

guy said, “I know you love sports and

you know sports, but not like the

guys do.” I was like – huh? That was

my first experience of being a woman

in this business so, I said, “really?”

It was like the best kick in the pants

that I could have gotten – I was like,

“I’m out of here.” He’s no longer with

CBS by the way. I found a job as an

agent representing broadcasters and

seeing a completely different side of

the business: how to put together a tape,

how to sound, how your voice should

sound, what you should be wearing and

what news directors you are looking for.

I sent a bunch of tapes around for other

people. I got one girl by the name of Jenna

Wolfe who is now out in this business.

I got her a job from Upstate New York to

Philadelphia. She was my age and she was

already in the number 1 market and I said,

“oh my gosh, she’s already in the number

1 market and I haven’t even gotten on the

market yet – come on! What are we waiting

for here?”

So I left and I still had to get in front of the

camera. I got a job as a producer on News

12 Long Island producing sports. Every

time a reporter went out and did his reports,

he’d let me do my reports. I made

a fake tape and sent it out all across the

country and I got one job in Trenton, NJ.

I was never live there and was there for a

year and a half. They didn’t have any live

sports, so I just did 5 minutes of sportscasts

a day – highschool, minor league

stuff and college sports. I put together a

tape and sent it to some agents and different

people and I got a job at MSG Network.

I got a job doing Oxygen Sports at

the time. I was with ESPN for a year doing

college football. It was my first time being

live for ESPN College Football ever doing a

live game. It was pretty incredible, I didn’t

know what I was doing. I was yelling into

the microphone. They were like, “you

don’t have to yell, that’s why you have a

microphone!” So I did whatever I could.

I was there for one season and then CBS

had an opening for a number 2 reporter

and because I had been there, I think they

kind of remembered me and I had a lot of

friends. It was between a few of us, but

then I got the job and now I have been

with CBS for 17 years.

AM: You do so much on CBS, as we enjoy

seeing you report on the NFL and obviously

during the Final Four – what are the different

roles that you have there?

TW: I do a lot of different things and it has

grown over time. I started at CBS and I

covered rodeo, covered auto racing, track

and field, tennis, gymnastics – you name

it. Anything CBS would have, they would

ask me to cover. Now, I specialize a little

bit more on just the NFL. I did college

football for 10 years covering the SEC. So

now it’s just NFL, college basketball and

the NCAA Final Four March Madness and

I have a show with the most incredibly

talented women on CBS Sports Network

called We Need to Talk where it’s former

athletes whether it’s Summer Sanders

(Team USA Swimming 4 X Olympic Medalist,

sports commentator, reporter), Dara

Torres (Team USA Swimming 12 X Olympic

Medalist), Swin Cash (retired WNBA athlete

and VP of Basketball Operations and

Team Development for the New Orleans

Pelicans), Lisa Leslie (retired WNBA athlete,

studio analyst for the Orlando Magic

broadcasts on Fox Sports Florida and

Head Coach for Triplets in the BIG3), Laila

Ali (retired undefeated professional boxer

and TV host), Amy Trask (former CEO

of the Oakland Raiders) and so many other

women with different perspectives on

sports. We just don’t talk about women’s

sports. More often than not, we’re talking

about the NFL, but it’s a really good show

and it’s something different then my normal

reporting. There’s a lot of hosting

involved and also just a talk show giving

our opinions and our viewpoints. A lot of

times our view is different than a man’s.

AM: What we love so much about how you

approach it is the fact that you have a storytelling

aspect and just getting everyone

into it. How do you prepare for your NFL

coverage and how does that work with

you?

TW: It really stems from my research

background. I love it and that’s what you

need to do to find the stories. It’s kind of

like Groundhog’s Day. You come home

on Sunday or Monday, you unpack that

wheelie bag, you repack that wheelie bag,

and then you get focused on the game

at hand. A lot of time, I start back to my

previous game. So I know that I have my

2 games and I start studying to find somethign

that's different. I start reading all

the beat reporters because they’re there

24 hours a day with those teams. I switch

teams every week. So I really read everything

that I can find whether it’s on the

Internet or what they send us from the

teams. I make calls and dig deeper and

we’ll have meetings with each of the teams

and their star players – the quarterbacks,

coordinators, coaches, defensive players

and really find out more information. You

know the X’s and O’s – you have to know

that because your questions are going to

come from that and your story lines are

going to come from that. But you can also

weave in different stories at the same

time and I think that that is really the balance

between being a good reporter and

having the best broadcast – how do you

weave those stories in and then what can

you find from the field? A lot of the stuff,

A lot of the stuff, you can’t prepare

for. You’re the eyes and the ears on

the field. You’re getting things that

the men and the women in the booth

can’t get. So, I just run the field over

and over again looking, searching

and listening whether it’s an injury

or something that the offensive

line coach may say or maybe it’s the

way that a quarterback reacts after

throwing an interception. You try

and bring that to light and bring it to

the broadcast and make the viewer

at home feel like they are right in the

game.

AM: How do you take time for yourself

as you’re all over the place with

your travels. How do you manage it

all by having a family as well as your

a good night’s sleep and they can get up

in the morning feeling refreshed. It makes

my job much easier and then they go off

to school and that’s when I focus on my

work. And then when they come back

home, we get back into that routine and

once I get their bedtime routine going

and getting them into bed, I know that

they’re getting their rest and I can focus

on myself again and do more work. Then

I get myself into a really good routine and

I think that that’s the way of really finding

time for yourself. If you feel good, if

you’re refreshed, if you’re energized, you

know that you’re in a good spot and place,

then that’s ok. That’s where I really need

to be because you’re being spread so thin

everyday of our lives.

AM: How essential is it for people to have

great sleep and what should we do around

that so that we can get it?

schedule?

TW: The juggling is really difficult and I

tell anyone that wants to get into this

business and have their family as well as

working on sports and being on the road

or anyone that is doing a business and

juggling their families, you really do come

last. You really have to do that as for me,

my number 1 job is actually being a mother.

I always say that and I will continue to

do this until it doesn’t work for them. If

it doesn’t work for them, then I am out!

It does work for them because I am able

to juggle and I have the experience and I

have figured out what’s worked. I know

what’s right and how to balance that time.

I make sure that I set my routines for my

kids. I get them to bed on time, they get

TW: I see it from the top watching athletes.

They need to get good sleep, they

talk about it all the time in order to have

peak performance levels out on the field

or on the court. Then it starts with me, I

need to be at my top game every single

day and every time I’m out there. Not only

working as a sideline reporter, but waking

up early and being on the field for 7-8

hours. But also as a mother being on my

peak. I need to be at the top of my game

and being refreshed and ready for them.

So I try to pass on those routines to them

and I truly believe that sleep, especially

going into the school year, is so important

to set those routines. Being a partner

with Sleep Number, I’ve learned and always

have been a huge proponent of this

by setting up a routine early, getting that

consistent schedule down, limiting the

light, taking away those phones, Playstations,

devices so that they have the time

to relax. Understanding that sleep is coming

and being consistent with that. An

hour before bedtime, I have an 8 year old,

a 10 year old and a 13 year old – so all my

kids are boys and they’re all hyper with a

lot of energy and it’s important to have

them wind down.

But the schedules are all different. The

8 year old needs something different

than the 13 year old. The schedules stay

the same in terms of having them calm

down, taking away devices an hour prior

to bedtime, they get their reading

done in bed and I come in with them

and sit down to go over some things

with them. Maybe I read with them,

they love that and look forward to that

and then I turn the light off and I move

onto the next kid with my 10 year old

who enjoys the same routine. Then the

13 year old, well teens are difficult, they

have a lot of stuff. They have sports, a

lot of school work, their after school

activities and they have their friends

and they want to be social. I have to

be able to balance that out with him

as well and set a good schedule with

him. I have to remind him that sleep is

crucial in terms of lowering that stress

level, making him have that best performance

that he can in the classroom

and on the field. I talk to him over and

over about it and then I show him that

I do it and that it’s time for my bed too.

I need a schedule also and hopefully I

set a good example also for them.

AM: As someone who does travel so

much, what are 3 things that are must

have in your carryon?

TW: Ok well, I definitely bring sneakers

with me. I don’t wear sneakers on the

field because I’m only 5’2” and everyone

that I interview is a lot taller than

me. I actually need the height, but I

bring the sneakers with me because I

feel that exercise is so important and

it gives me a chance to just calm down

and to relieve all the stress that’s

around me. It allows me to have some

alone time which is really important. I

definitely bring a little tinted moisturizer

that will maybe cover up a little of

the bags under my eyes or the imperfections

that we all have because that

HD screen shows everything! Then,

I bring a really good book because a

book is really important to set that

sleep routine up for me. I want to turn

my TV off, I want to limit that light, I

want to have that same schedule that

I have at home, on the road. That way,

I can be ready for that game in the

morning. I bring a book, it may not be

a lot and I may not have time to read

a lot, but I want to be able to put my

work away and just focus on relaxing,

spending that last hour to chill out and

to just have that me time and knowing

that I will be refreshed and ready for

the morning.

AM: What are you excited for this season?

TW: I’m really excited. We have tremendous

match ups and so many exciting

things going on at the NFL right now!

I’ve been talking about the Cleveland

Browns which really excite me with all

of their personalities, faces, and the

excitement in Cleveland to potentially

have a winning team! All the noise

– can they handle the pressure, as we

kick off the season with that game

against the Tennessee Titans. They

have questions of their own like who’s

going to start as quarterback it’s Marcus

Mariota’s team but Ryan Tannehill

right in the back? Then you have the

Oakland Raiders and Antonio Brown

with helmet gate. You also have Jon

Gruden and can they get back to their

winning ways? Then there’s Le’Veon

Bell switching teams and how are the

New York Jets going to do? Can they

take over and make that next step? Are

the New England Patriots going to be

back on top again? How is Tom Brady

going to perform now at age 42? It’s incredible!

Then you have the Chicago Bears, a

team that really made a run at the end

of the year. Can Mitchell Trubisky take

that next step? I think that their defense

is going to be very strong and

can they take that North? We can go

down that line, but that’s what’s exciting

about this season as there are so

many storylines and hey, we just found

out about the Indianapolis Colts’ An-

drew Luck.

AM: YES! We couldn’t believe he retired!

TW: I can’t tell you. I was sitting at

home with my kids. We were watching

a college football game and when I

found the news, my heart kind of sunk.

It was so upsetting.

AM: We were preparing questions for

this interview and when we heard, we

literally went to Twitter on your feed.

TW: I didn’t even know how to react. I

got up the next morning and I was still

really upset. I have had a lot of time to

be around him and he’s such a good

person, so smart, he knows the game,

comes from a great family, I know his

father well and to see the toll that it

took to get to this point. You feel for

him because of what he’s been going

through, you can just imagine over the

last few years and it’s so sad that it had

to come to that. He’ll be fine and he’s

in a good spot because he is so smart

and he will have a lot of good opportunities

ahead of him.

AM: It definitely tugged at our heart.

But it’s a reminder that selfcare is so

important and you really have to take

care of yourself.

TW: I think that the game is trying to

get better too and trying to prevent a

lot of those hits and the physical side

to it. They’re changing these rules in

trying to do that so that players don’t

have to go through that as much. Itwasn’t

necessarily hits to the head,

but your body just breaks down after

awhile. It was really devastating and

that’s yet another storyline with Indianapolis

and I know you will be following

that!

@TracyWolfson

You can hear Tracy Wolfson next month

on our show, BUNGALOW SK which is a

part of Athleisure Studio, our multi-media

podcast network! Make sure to

subscribe to find out when the episode

drops. You can hear it on Spotify, Apple

Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts

and wherever you enjoy listening

to your favorite podcast.

ATHLEISURE LIST: BOSTON, PHILADELPHIA, NYC

CITY WINE TOURS

Wine is definitely one of those beverages

that we enjoy drinking with our

meals, sharing with friends and knowing

more about it. We took a moment

during NYFW to checkout City Wine

Tours which allows you to choose a

neighborhood where you will visit 2

eateries to know more about 3 wines

that you will sample at each place as

well as appetizers at the culinary destinations.

You walk away knowing more

about the varietals, taking notes about

the wines you enjoy during the tour and

being able to flex your wine muscles.

Back in 2011, 3 wine-drinking friends;

Dan Andrew, Rick Goldberg, and Christian

Iannucci began this company in

Boston in 2011. Wes Narron joined as

Chief Wine Ambassador soon after.

Wes believes that learning about wine

should be as much fun as drinking it.

For those in Boston, you can select

tours in North End, South End, Back

Bay and Harvard Square. In NYC, these

tours are available in Soho, West Village

and Upper West Side. Those in Philadelphia

can go to Old City, Center City and

Fishtown.

When it comes to pairing restaurants

within the tours to the wines, City

Wine Tours tries to find restaurants

that have a wine list pricing based on

value, rather than obscurity or exclusivity.

Then they set up the 6 wines

like you would see at any official wine

tasting. They include a sparkling wine,

dry white, sweeter right or rose, light

bodied red, medium to full bodied red

and something interesting.

In addition to signing up for a tour that

has various people within it, there are

options available when it comes to

private ones as well. City Wine Tours

wants their guests to have a great experience.

They have put together corporate

dinners, in-house or in-office

tastings, Match.com dating events,

wine blending competitions, birthday

tours, bachelorette tours and intimate

2-person tours (where the dessert was

a marriage proposal).


In terms of adding a twsit to offerings

that are available and providing options

to stimulate their guests, they

have tried various approaches such as

Sparkling Wines only, Big Red Wines

only, Mommy's Night Out as well as

Wine and Chocolate.

City Wine Tours' focus is to continue

to add more options in the East Coast

and then to spread through the rest of

the US. For those in Washington, D.C.,

Nashville and Providence, keep your

eye out for this experience to roll into

these areas.

PHOTO CREDIT | PG 94 City Wine Tours

+ PG 95 Galli |

CITY WINE TOURS

Visit the website to check your city!

www.citywinetours.com

@CityWineTours

Sep 2019


For those that enjoy having cups of tea

that are innovative and filled with decadent

flavor, Le Tea is your new destination.

Since June 20th of this year,

they have had a rolling soft opening

with its grand opening being on August

18th.

Located in NoMad on Broadway, there

is an active exploration of space in NYC

for additional locations such as Long

Island City and Staten Island.

Le Tea was founded by fashion graduates

of Parsons The Newschool for

Design in NYC. They believe that their

aesthetic as a medium for beverages

draws a connection between art and

life. In addition, environmental protection

is key as they have recyclable

stainless steel "Golden Straws" and

high quality Pet 1 non-disposable plastic

cups.

ATHLEISURE LIST: NYC

LE TEA

The brand utilizes French Purée and

authentic Chinese tea sources which

satisfies their customers with a novel

tea beverage that is bitter yet sweet.

This not only refers to tea culture, but

the art of life as well. With all the senses

being utilized, guests can enjoy a

tea that is highly aromatic with a drink

that resonates with their personal life

as well.

Three signature teas that are recommended

are Mango Fruit Tea & Milk

Foam, Mixberry Fruit Tea & Milk Foam

and also Starry Kumquat Lemon. Fruit

tea is the most popular category on

the menu. An interesting offering

that one should try is Le Cheese Coffee

which is only available at Le Tea.

It's a mixed taste of cold brew coffee

and salt cheese foam. It's definitely a

unique tasting experience.


We suggest pairing these beverages

with some of our faves: Rose Mille

Crepes, Mini Croissants and Moon

Cakes. In addition, if you're looking to

take a few moments for yourself or

with friends, then sitting in the tea salon

is a great way to take in the fall and

catch up on emails, reading or taking a

moment of zen.

LE TEA

1134B Broadway

NY, NY 10010

www.leteaus.com

@letea_usa

Sep 2019


The Art of

the Snack

FALL FINDS OF COMFORT

Earlier this year, we headed to The Usual

to enjoy regional hamburgers created by

Filipino, Chef Alvin Cailan who is known for

LA's Eggslut. The Usual opened last year

and is his canvas to showcase his Filipino

inspired approach to American comfort

food. Recently, he launched Burger Happy

Hour where guests can enjoy 6 different

types of burgers after 10pm as well as a

daily rotating "Burger of the Day" where

he comes up with new creations every day

(yes 365 new burgers this year). He also

just launched a $5 lunch burger.

On our initial visit, we watched the 3rd

season of Complex Magazine's The Burger

Show where he showcases regionality

through one of America's favorite foods -

hamburgers alongside a number of celebrities.

In this month's The Art of the Snack,

we look at comfort food as it applies to

what we like to eat in the fall as the weather

begins to shift to cool temperatures and

sweater weather.

We enjoyed eating there during his premier

and took some time to find out about

his signature dishes, the importance of

pairing wines with them - which are done

by Sommelier and his brother, Anthony

and the importance of seasonality.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about your culinary

background and restaurants you

came through prior to opening The Usual.

CHEF AC: I grew up in LA, and attended

the Oregon Culinary Institute. I then

worked at spots like Olympic Provisions,

Bouchon, French Laundry, and more, before

opening Eggslut and Amboy, a Filipino

fast-casual restaurant in Chinatown. I

then moved to NYC to open The Usual!

AM: When did The Usual launch and what

one can expect when you’re coming into

dine there.

CHEF AC: The Usual opened in June 2018

and is my dream restaurant, American

comfort food cooked by children of immigrants.

It’s a family run business - my

brother is the sommelier, my girlfriend is

the manager and I’m in the kitchen with

my team that has been cooking with me

for years. It’s the neighborhood spot with

great food and even better drinks.

AM: We went to The Usual for the launch

of your latest season of The Burger Show

and had a pretty epic burger – why are

burgers such an integral part within the

culinary world to you?

CHEF AC: Burgers are important to me, it

was the first dish I was a connoisseur of.

I think many people can relate and as my

career evolves I’ve come to find joy making

burgers.

AM: How would you describe the vibe and

menu of The Usual?

CHEF AC: The Usual has a neighborhood

vibe – it’s somewhere you can come every

night for a burger and glass of wine, or

come once in a while for a fancy occasion.

It’s fun, lively, warm and welcoming.

AM: What are 3 signature dishes that we

should eat when coming to The Usual?

CHEF AC: Of course, the Usual Burger and

the Fried Chicken. But the sleepers are

our seasonal dishes, we serve peak season

fruits and vegetables.

AM: There is an extensive wine list offered

at The Usual – what are 3 that are perfect

to pair with our next meal there?

ANTHONY CAILAN: I would suggest:

2017 Methode Sauvage Chenin Blanc, San

Benito County, CA - Textural and refreshing

white made by Chad Hinds in Richmond,

CA. Perfect middle ground white

wine to work with a vast majority of the

dishes on the menu.

2018 Alfredo Maestro Rosado "Amanda,"

Castilla y Leon, ES - Darker, more fleshy

rosé from Spain made by one of the great

natural wine producers in the country.

Floral and dry that works with our richer

dishes on the menu.

2018 Arianna Occhipinti "SP68," Sicily, IT

- The darling of natural wine in Sicily, Arianna

is making some of the most sought

after wines in the world. This blend of

Frappato and Nero d'Avola is perfect with

our Ham and Cheese or Usual Burger.

AM: Do you change the menu based on

seasonality?

CHEF AC: We always have seasonal menu

items. We have one dish that specifically

evolves with the seasons - our “Kung Pao

Vegetables” is a constantly rotating veggie

dish.

AM: Will there be another season of The

Burger Show and is there anything that

you can tell us about it?

CHEF AC: We are filming season 5 now and

it’s bigger and better than ever!

PHOTOS COURTESY | THE USUAL

@TheUsual_NYC

@AlvinCailan


Stay connected and follow us across our

social channels on @AthleisureMag!

Sep 2019




LUXURIOUS RENTAL RESIDENCES

DESIGNED BY ROCKWELL GROUP

605 W 42ND STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10036

I

T. 212.588.0042 #LIVEATSKY LIVEATSKY.COM

I

We head to the studio office of Ron SIlver's

restaurant, Bubby's in the Meat Packing

District. Bubby's also located in Tribeca as

well as 6 outposts in Japan and is known

for its comfort foods. We found out about

how he created one of the quintessential

destinations for brunch with his passion

for great food and keeping it simple. We

also talked about how his interests and

passions in CBD and THC that led him to

create Azuca which compliments food as

well as the love for creating art which you

can see in his restaurants as well as his

show in Mexico City.

ATHLEISURE MAG: So what was the moment

that you realized that you wanted to

be a chef?

RON SILVER: I would say that there were

multiple moments where I realized that

I wanted to be a chef. One of the things

is that when I was a little kid, I realized

that I loved to cook and part of that was

because it was mischief – it was fire and

knives. So, I take to mischief very well

and then I would say another small thing

was that my mother took my $5/a week allowance

from me and I went to get a job

washing dishes. That was $80/a week so

that was another realization that was my

spot. I washed dishes for a long time.

AM: So when did you wash dishes?

RS: When I was 13.

AM: Ok!

RS: And I washed dishes until I was 21 in

and out.

AM: That was a long time to wash dishes.

RS: I liked washing dishes – I did other

things in between. I was washing dishes in

Alta Ski Resort and I wiped out and broke

my rib, I was out for 6 weeks. So I decided

during that time that I would be a chef. So

I think that was when I really decided to

go for it when I was 21.

AM: So what were all the places that you

went to in terms of culinary school or

restaurants that you worked for prior to

coming up with Bubby’s?

RS: I worked for some hotels for awhile

and then I moved to Atlanta because I

lived in Salt Lake and there wasn’t any real

good dining there. I moved to Atlanta and

worked for some of the best restaurants

in Atlanta and I was offered a scholarship

to the Culinary Institute but I did a quick

cocktail mathematics and realized that I

couldn’t afford that scholarship and didn’t

go to school. I moved to NY when I was

24/25 and just worked my way up and I

opened Bubby’s when I was 28.

AM: What made you realize that you wanted

to open this up and to create this kind

of cuisine here?

RS: Well the style of cuisine in the 80s was

really weird, nouvelle cuisine with small

plates and small portions and I wanted a

place that really had good home cooking

and large portions on small plates. I really

just wanted to cook the food that I wanted

to eat.

AM: What’s the average day like for you,

being at Bubby’s?

RS: I’ve been running Bubby’s for a long

time, 28 years - so my average day at Bubby’s,

I am sort of regimented about how

I do what I do. I go to Tribeca and have

a coffee and go around and talk to everybody.

I go around and kind of see if things

are looking good and then I come up to

Highline and I do the same thing and then

I come up here to my office and I’m a

painter. So that’s what I want to do when

I come up here, is paint. Once I know that

everything is kind of locked down, I can

paint. I am also in the cannabis business.

AM: We’re going to get that too as well.

So you have the 2 restaurants here and the

ones in Japan as well.

RS: Yes, 6!

AM: How do you decide where the next

place will be for your restaurant and the

community that it serves?

RS: Well I suppose that the world decides

for me. I’m not a business person really.

So the Japanese people called me 10 years

ago and I was like, “there’s no way that

I’m doing that” and then we were having

lunch the next day and I was walking

around the space about a week later. I

don’t really make a plan.

AM: Do you think that you would create

another concept that is outside of Bubby’s

that’s something different?

RS: It’s a good question. I don’t have a

lot of reason to do that, but at the same

time, I do come up with a lot of ideas that

are interesting sometimes so I think that

the jury is still out on that.

AM: We were at the Specialty Food Show

here in NYC and we saw Azuca. We know

that you launched it last year. Can you tell

us more about why you are in this space

and what made you want to create this?

RS: I’ve been in cannabis space since I

have been washing dishes really. So, I’ve

smoked weed since I was a kid - like everyone

in the kitchen does. I think what really

inspired me to get into this business was

that I felt that I really had something to

offer it. Maybe 6 years ago, I discovered

that there was a very large problem which

is how cannabis edibles deliver. So I really

set up to solve that problem in that regard.

I was able to make really good progress

with that. In a way, it sort of fell in my

lap, but I did a ton of research.

AM: What did you initially launch and are

there more launches for this year?

RS: So what we have is a technology really.

Azuca is a cannabinoid edibles technology

and what that means is that it allows

edibles to be consumed in an understandable

way which is helpful for people who

want to take cannabis or CBD or also for

people who want to make edibles. We’re

very much in the business of helping people

understand cannabis edibles.

AM: What are your plans for that looking

at the rest of this year and going into next

year?

RS: Well, we’re working with some of the

biggest cannabis companies in the country

and we’re just getting started with

those guys. We are selling CBD, edibles –

like our sugar Azuca packs which will be

available online and in stores soon. We

have THC edibles in Massachusetts with a

partner up there and we are also talking

to people and other countries about CBD

stuff.

AM: You’re also a painter. How long have

you been painting and what is it about that

that draws you to that form of creativity?

RS: I’ve always been an artist and I started

Bubby’s so that I could make art. I can’t

really answer what draws me to it. I know

that if I don’t do it, I get very crappy.

AM: How many paintings do you create a

day?

RS: It depends. I am always working on

something. At the moment, I’m doing it

on paper which is a little quicker than oil

paint. So then all these paper things will

be mounted on fabric so that is going to

be a big job. I can paint a bunch of things

it’s just going to take forever to get them

mounted.

AM: Will you ever or have you ever been in

a gallery?

RS: I had a show in Mexico City in August.

AM: Wow how exciting! How many pieces

were in that show and were your nervous?

RS: 40 pieces and yes it was my first show!

AM: Congratulations! What are 3 signature

dishes that we should eat when we come

to Bubby’s?

RS: Well the Fried Chicken and pancakes,

that’s a thing to eat, we have really good

Watermelon Lemonade – that’s a thing to

drink and the biscuits! Well the burgers

are great too!

AM: When you’re not painting and you’re

not focused on Azuca and Bubby’s – what

are 3 things that we could find you doing

in terms of relaxing and getting your athleisure

on?

RS: Smoking bong hits, reading and I have

4 kids.

AM: Do you have any philanthropic efforts

that you are a part of that you would like

to share?

RS: Bubby’s does a lot of philanthropy.

We give stuff to people all the time and

support a number of things like New York

City's oldest men’s shelter - New York City

Rescue Mission. Azuca will have a huge

amount of social stuff to do because the

cannabis business is very ripe for a lot of

different opportunities for a lot of different

people who deserve them and don’t

have them. So we’re very focused on how

we are going to sort of set our company

up so that it is incorporating the social aspects

of things that we need. Especially

the War on Drugs that has been particularly

hard on brown people and we’re very

much focused on making sure that we’re

staying aware of creating opportunities

almost in an artificial way. We’re getting a

lot of help thinking about that and it’s the

biggest deal. In setting up our company

it’s run by women and my CEO as well as

everyone in the company really has a deep

moral compass. I think the jury is out on

how we are going to be helpful. Not just

philanthropically but also responsible and

opportunity creating way. Philanthropy is

great, but I think it’s a lot of challenge to

create actual opportunity and we’re very

much so focused on that.

AM: What legacy do you look to leave behind

with all of the fingerprints that you

have put down on all these areas?

RS: That is a tough question. I hope that I

leave something behind that my kids are

part of and something that continues to

do good work after I’m gone and maybe I

hope to leave behind a bunch of beautiful

stuff.

@Bubbys

You can hear Ron Silver right now on our

show, Athleisure Kitchen which is a part

of Athleisure Studio, our multi-media podcast

network! Make sure to subscribe to

find out when the episode drops. You can

hear it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart

Radio, Google Podcasts and wherever you

enjoy listening to your favorite podcast.

Bingely Books

THE TESTAMENTS

Nan A. Talese

Margaret Atwood

Whether you've enjoyed The Handmaid's

Tale on Hulu or read the book, rest assured

that the dramatic conclusion is

addressed in the sequel written by Margaret

Atwood, The Testaments! The dystopian

adventure continues 15 years after

the events that took place in the original

book and although the Republic of Gilead

continues to rule, it's evident that

there are signs that it is crumbling

from within. This moment

in history is seen through 3 women

(2 who are the result of the

first generation of people that

grew up in this world) who lead

very different lives from one another.

The third woman is powerful

as she knows a number of

secrets. The result of what takes

place is definitely dramatic.

FASHIONOPOLIS: THE

PRICE OF FAST FASHION

AND THE FUTURE OF

CLOTHES

Apollo

Dana Thomas

We constantly think about what

we're going to wear. Fashionopolis

looks at the damaging effects

that the clothing industry has

created within the realm of fast

fashion. Statistically, the industry

creates 80 billion garments

a year and employs every sixth

person on Earth.

The fashion industry has a number

of areas that are looking for

reforms from exploited labor,

enviromental, intellectual property,

globalization, tech revolution

and of course the effects of

fast fashion. Dana Thomas travels

the globe to share the stories

of visionary designers and companies

who are paving the way

to a positive future to reclaim


of his bloody crime scenes, he leaves

a handmade doll made of matchsticks

with two chestnuts.

Upon examination of the dolls, they

realize that there is a fingerprint that

belonged to a young girl. This girl was

a government minister's daughter that

has been kidnapped and murdered a

year ago. Is it a coincidence or something

even more bizarre than what

they had imagined.

A pair of detectives become a part of

a mission to save the innocent lives of

those in Copenhagen and find that they

must put their personal issues aside in

order to put the clues together to find

this serial killer.

the traditional craft and to utilize cutting

edge sustainable technologies to

create better fashion. In an effort to

dress with intention, she explores 3D

printing, clean denim processing, smart

manufacturing, fabric recycling, lab created

fabrics as well as the use of hyperlocalism.

THE CHESTNUT MAN

Harper

Soren Sveistrup

If you enjoyed AMC's The Killing, then

you will enjoy the creator's newest thriller

which is soon to be a Netflix Original

Series - The Chestnut Man. Copenhagen

is being terrorized by a psychopath

known as the "chestnut man". At each

Sep 2019


Bingely Streaming

BETWEEN TWO FERNS:

THE MOVIE

Netflix Originals

Netflix brings back the popular web series

with Zach Galifianakis who showcases how

he is the worst celebrity interviewer ever!

The movie is filled with deadpan insults and

plenty of pained expressions between the

interviewer and the interviewee. Within the

movie, he plays an altered version of himself

and is tasked by Will Ferrell (who plays

a cartoony villain of himself) to conduct 10

interviews in a span of 2 weeks in order for

him to get a real network talk show that he

really wants.

Throughout the movie, you're treated to a

number of star studded interviews (Keanu

Reeves, David Letterman, Brie Larson, etc.)

that all end horribly.

Ultimately, viewers will enjoy seeing

their favorite celebs allowing

themselves to be subjected to

Zach's antics as well as trying to

keep a straight face through it all.

THE MISSING

CRYPTOQUEEN

BBC Sounds

Apple Podcast

This BBC Sounds podcast investigates

the details of missing cryptocurrency

OneCoin founder, Dr.

Ruja Ignatov in 2017 who promised

to change money forever.

Host, Jamie Bartlett walks us

through the finding of this case

that includes: data leaked to the

BBC found that the scam was

worth between £3.6 - £4bn worldwide,

and shows for the first time

the scale in the UK. At least £26m

was invested from the UK over

one six-month window in 2016 -

and may be as high as £90-97m

between 2014 - 2017 and over 175

countries had victims in the largest

crypto-scam of all time that is

still running to date.

Within 2 years of launching the

company, they claimed to have

over 3.5 million members with

hundreds of thousands of investors

and offices that opened in

major citires around the world

with events, she seemed unstoppable;

however, rumors were

swirling about the legitimacy of

the currency and thus digging

into the scheme that ended with

Dr. Ruja vanishing.


BUNGALOW SK

Athleisure Studio

iHeartRadio

As you know, Athleisure Media is comprised

of Athleisure Mag as well as our

podcast network, Athleisure Studio.

These days, your calendar is supercharged

and you find yourself having

to pencil in when you need to breathe!

As we're always moving and grooving

between our offices, home, studio and

out, we could all take some moments

to spend time and hear from our faves

in pop culture on what they're up to

and how they keep it together as well.

In Bungalow SK, you'll hear from your

favorite celebrities and get the inside

scoop on what they are working on.

Sep 2019


Sep 2019


Sep 2019



Athleisure Mag SEP ISSUE #45

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