Athleisure Mag JUN ISSUE #90

ISSUE #90

PHOTO CREDIT | TIM ARNOLD

@AthleisureMag

TM

PUBLISHER

Paul Farkas

EDITORIAL

Kimmie Smith

Co-Founder, Creative + Style Director

Paul Farkas

Co-Founder, Artistic Director + Tech Director

PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTIONS

PHOTOGRAPHERS | Alive Coverage | Justin Berl/Icon Sportswire |

Natalie Black | Deanie Chen | Paul Farkas | Roger Ho |

Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire | Sam Marshall | Dariia Neshama |

Okay Nicolita | Charles Reagan | Michael Tulipan |

Clif Welch/Icon Sportswire | Clay Williams | Nick W NYC |

FASHION CONTRIBUTIONS

STYLIST | Kimmie Smith |

ADVERTISING

info@athleisuremag.com

@ATHLEISUREMAG

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E-mail: info@athleisuremag.com

Website: www.athleisuremag.com

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, a Division of Athleisure Media LLC.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

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HOST

Kimmie Smith

MIXING

Athleisure Studio Team

ATHLEISURE STUDIO

PODCAST NETWORK SHOWS

#TRIBEGOALS | ATHLEISURE KITCHEN |

BUNGALOW SK | THE 9LIST |

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CONNECT + VISIT

E-mail: info@athleisuremag.com

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table of contents

issue #90

jun 2023

167

STYLE FEATURES

THE PICK ME UP

180

140

IN OUR BAG

187 ROCK THIS TO BRING THE

BEACH TO YOUR EVERYDAY

BEAUTY FEATURES

MARSHMALLOW ROOT

BEAUTY

Start with the Melody

Ovy on the Drums

This month, we’re excited to have producer, composer, and singer/songwriter, Ovy

on the Drums who has produced a number of leading artists including Karol G, Shakira,

Becky G, Future and more! We talk about his sound, career and more!

16

191

ATHLEISURE BEAUTY

For the Love of Family and the Game

Gleyber Torres

We caught up with New York Yankees shortstop, second baseman, and 2X All-Star

player, Gleyber Torres to talk about his love for the sport, playing for this iconic

team, family, and his collaboration with Kings Bred.

24

168

LIFESTYLE FEATURES

ATHLEISURE LIST

HAKKASAN LAS VEGAS

Weekend Vibes

38

Check out this month’s editorial which includes

ATHLEISUREVERSE and must-have

accessesories!

The Process

86

We sat down with Michelin starred Chef/

Partner Charlie Mitchell of Clover Hill to

talk about how he approaches his menu.

170

ATHLEISURE LIST

RESTAURANT YUU

AthleisureMag.com - 10 - Issue #90 | Jun 2023

9LIST STORI3S

Samuel Arnold

®

102

This month’s 9LIST STORI3S comes from Netflix’s Emily in Paris star, Samuel Arnold.

He shares his must-haves in grooming, style, and fitness.

Governors Ball

Recap

112

Last month we talked with the founder

of Governors Ball, Tom Russell. This

month, we take you inside our fave moments

at this NY 3-day music festival.

9PLAYLIST

INNA

TM

144

Singer/songwriter and entertainer,

INNA shares the songs that she’s listening

to right now.

Art of the Snack

Goa New York

147

This month’s The Art of the Snack takes

us to NY to enjoy an array of savory and

aromatic dishes to enjoy with friends

and family!

63MIX ROUTIN3S

Sarah Bolger

TM

176

This month, FX’s Mayans MC star Sarah

Bolger shares her must-haves for Morning,

Afternoon and Night.

Issue #90 | Jun 2023

- 11 - AthleisureMag.com

This month, our JUN ISSUE #90 cover

comes from producer, composer, singer/songwriter,

2X Billboard Latin Music

Awards nominee, 4X Latin Grammy Award

nominee and Premios Juventud winner,

Ovy on the Drums! If you have enjoyed a

number of Karol G's music whether it's her

solo or collaborations that she has done

with Shakira, Becky G, Future, and more

- you have enjoyed the disctinctive sound

that merges EDM, pop, and Reggaeton to

make a sound all of its own. In addition to

his work with this artist, this much in demand

artist from Medellin, Columbia has

also worked with Nicki Minaj, Steve Aoki,

Bad Bunny, and Maluma to name a few.

While we wait for his much anticipated album

as a solo artist signed to Warner Music,

we wanted to find out a bit about how

he approaches creating his music, how he

got his start, sharing his sound and how

we can define it, as well as working with

Karol G.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You’re a producer and

singer/songwriter, when did you fall in love

with music?

OVY ON THE DRUMS: How did I fall in

love with music? Well, the truth is, I fell

in love with music... I had never really

thought about becoming a music producer

or dedicating myself to music, but one

day I discovered the program I currently

work with and use for all my productions,

which is FL Studio. I believe that from that

moment on, I fell in love with this whole

music thing, creating rhythms, and beats.

Since the first day I discovered this program

I've felt a passion and love for creating

music.

AM: From your love of music, to creating

your music. How did you initially break

into the into the industry?

You have a creative partnership with Karol

G as you produced all but one song on her

debut album Unstoppable, Ocean, KG0516

and you were one of the producers on her

4th album, Mañana Será Bonito. How did

this partnership come about and what do

you enjoy about working with her?

OOTD: Once I started making beats and

fell in love with music well, in terms of

the industry itself, my first steps were

thanks to the university where I studied

a bit more about music.

I met some friends called "La Compañía"

from San Andres, a beautiful

island in Colombia. It was thanks to

them that I had a strong approach to

the music industry. They opened the

doors of their studios to me, and it was

through them that I also met Karol G. I

am forever grateful to them because it

was there that I had my entry into the

music industry.

AM: What do you like about the sounds

and beats associated with reggaeton,

hip-hop, pop, and EDM?

OOTD: Well, what I like the most about

the sounds themselves are the percussion

and the changes, the cuts that

each genre has. I really enjoy analyzing

the slicers in each song and the different

types and changes in percussion.

AM: You’re a producer and singer/

songwriter, how do you define the Ovy

sound?

OOTD: The sound of On the Drums today,

in any of its three facets, is going

to have a very distinctive sound that

I have been evolving and refining for

a long time. Right now, I consider my

sound to be very minimalist, a very simple

sound. Within the few elements I

use in a production, I strive to make it

sound grand.

It has been a bit challenging because,

initially, my productions were very saturated,

overloaded with sound. Over

time, I have learned to select certain

sounds to avoid saturating it too much

in a production.

AM: When you begin working on a

song, where do you start first?

"Well, what I like most

about the sounds themselves

are the percussion

and the changes, the cuts

that each genre has. I really

enjoy analyzing the slicers

in each song and the different

types and changes in

percussion."

OOTD: When I start working on a song,

most of the time I like to begin with the

melody. Before creating a song, the first

thing I do is sit at the piano and let it convey

or evoke whatever mood I'm feeling

at that moment. It's what guides me.

That's why I love starting from there.

AM: You have worked with several artists

such as Karol G, Nicki Minaj, Becky G,

Bad Bunny, Ed Sheeran, Steve Aoki, and

Maluma to name a few. Where do you

get inspiration when it comes to creating

music for the artists that you have

worked with?

OOTD: I believe that inspiration should

always come from within the artist. It

starts with creating a rhythm or sound

that I personally enjoy and being able

to convey that beautiful energy I'm creating

musically. Transmitting it to the

artists I've worked with is important to

me. I want them to appreciate what I

do, connect with what I'm creating, and

work together as a team. That's how I

flow, and I think it's the key to finding

inspiration when creating music. It's

about transmitting that energy, whether

I'm with the artist or working alone,

and sharing it with others

@ovyonthedrums

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Ovy On The

Drums

There's nothing like a summer day whether

you're at Yankee Stadium or you're watching

it from home. Watching a baseball

game, hearing the stories and of course

eating all of our favorites is the best way

to enjoy America's Pastime! We still have a

lot of the season ahead of us and we were

excited to sit down with New York Yankees

shortstop and second baseman, 2X All-Star

player, Gleyber Torres! His debut in the

MLB and on this team began in 2018.

He talked with us about his journey from

playing baseball in Venezuela, joining the

team, what it means to be on this team

with its known heritage, how he approaches

his games, what he does prior to and

after, his recent collaboration with Kings

Bred, and navigating fatherhood.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in

love with baseball?

GLEYBER TORRES: I remember when I

was 4 years old, my parents took me to

the field, one day a weekend and after

that, I played every day. I would go to

school and I would practice in the afternoon

and I would play on the weekends

as well. I don’t really remember too much

when I was really young but I know that

when it was raining or when they would

cancel the games, I would start crying. I

just really wanted to play a lot and when

I started growing up, I would watch it every

day on the TV and would watch Omar

Vizquel and I just knew that it was a sport

that I really wanted to be able to play.

AM: When did you realize that it was something

that you wanted to do as a profession?

GT: When I was 12 or 13 the academies

started noticing me and they gave me the

opportunity to practice with them. My

dad and myself, we realized that maybe

I wouldn’t just play this sport as a hobby

or something I enjoyed doing, but that I

could be a professional baseball player. It

was a long conversation with my dad and

my mom. From the beginning, my mom

didn’t want me to do this as I would have

to move from where I was from to another

city so that I could practice every

day. I really wanted to focus on this and

my dad wanted to give me every opportunity

that he could to see what I could

do to play baseball. So, after a couple

of hours, we decided that I would have

to go there and to see what my future

would be there and how it would all

change.

AM: As I mentioned at the top, I have

been a Yankees fan since I was 6 years

old. You’re the first Venezuelan player to

join the team. What does it mean to you

to be on the Yankees?

GT: First of all, it’s an honor! I mean, the

history of the Yankees, many championships,

many good players, many really

good numbers. Just playing here is

amazing, the city, the fans, all the history

is just really inspirational. It’s just

something that’s really special and I feel

like, as a player, everyone wants to play

with the Yankees. I got that opportunity

from the beginning and I’m just grateful

to be with all of the boys on the team.

Of course, I want to try and bring another

championship to the Yankees!

AM: Absolutely and the season is well

under way, what are you focused on and

looking forward to this season?

GT: We don’t start like we did last year.

We’re playing really good right now and

everybody is healthy and we can play

better. We’re going to try to win the

most games possible. I think that we’re

in the 3rd place right now, but we still

have a lot of games right now and I think

that everybody is on the same page and

we’re staying focused on doing really

good this year and if everyone stays

healthy, we can do really good things.

AM: We always like knowing what our

favorite athletes and celebrities do when

they hit the gym. So, obviously in addition

to playing, what are 3 workouts that

you do in the gym?

GT: I have a special thing that I like to do

when I’m just working out. I like to do

heavy weights, and I do a lot of stretching

with yoga. I stretch my legs, my hammys,

my quads because I don’t want to get injuries

during the game and I also like to

use the medicine ball as well. Then I just

go to the cage and go through my routine.

I go to the field as well to be out there.

Then about 30 minutes before the game,

I go back to stretching again, back to the

cage – back to the routine. I’m that guy

that believes that if I do my routine, I will

play better.

AM: When you look at your workouts for

in season versus off season, is it different

or do you do the same things?

GT: Oh yeah, it’s different. During the off

season, I get like heavy weights, I run a

lot, I do a lot of bicycle, cardio, and those

kinds of things. I’m just trying to get more

muscular. When I start the season, I’m

just trying to get healthy. So I’ll workout

on legs and I’ll workout really well and I

do the same routine, but not too much

heavy weights because that would be bad

for the shoulder and I don’t want to get

tired from the workout.

AM: You know, you were talking a little bit

specifically on Game Day, are there things

that you do and they don’t necessarily

have to be fitness or athletic oriented that

you do to get your head ready to play? Are

there things that you do once the game is

over that you can come down from all of

that energy?

GT: Sometimes after the game, I go to

workout just to rest, we have a sauna and

I just go in there for 10 or 20 minutes to

try to relax myself. Of course, I also rest.

So much during the game is stressful and

there is so much anticipation so after the

game, many times, I’m just so excited I try

to have cold water or sometimes hot water

in the sauna to relax myself so that I

can come down from the game.

AM: How do you take time for yourself

when you have a day off so that you can

check in with yourself and be ready for

when you do have to be back out there?

GT: Sometimes, I’ll just have a lunch or a

dinner with my family. I’m the guy who’s

a huge movie guy. I spend most of my

time at the movies. I love doing that. I

like to check who the guy is that I will

be playing with the next day. I’m always

ready to head back to the field so that

when I get there, I know that I’m rested

and I’m ready to play.

"First of all, it's an honor!

I mean, the history of the

Yankees, many championships,

many good players,

many really good numbers.

Just playing here is amazing,

the city, the fans, all the

history is just really inspirational.

It's just something

that's really special and I

feel like, as a player, everyone

wants to play with the

Yankees. I got that opportunity

from the beginning

and I'm just grateful to be

with all of the boys on the

team. Of course, I want

to try and bring another

championship to the Yankees!"

AM: You have the collaboration with

Kings Bred x Gleyber Torres collection

which has 2 hats with your signature colorway

of beige and brown as well as the

iconic Yankees colors. How did this proj-

ect come about and what was the creative

process like for you?

GT: I used to wear the hats when I was

19. I really loved the hats and the style

and also the inspiration from the guys

that made the hats. After I was 19, I got in

touch with the guys who make Kings Bred

and we got a really good connection, we

figured out a way to get a collab and it’s

really amazing because we’re using this as

a way to inspire the people from Venezuela

and we know how hard it is for baseball

players to come to the big city! The

colors of the hats are amazing with the

dark color and then of course the white

and navy that matches with the Yankees.

I think that this collab is really amazing for

the people. We’re showing some love for

the fans.

AM: The hats look amazing and I know

that in launching this collab, you had a

pop-up store event as well where fans of

the brand, will be able to meet you and to

see the collection. What are you looking

forward to in this event?

GT: Basically, I want the fans that are coming

to enjoy themselves and for me to be

able to talk with them! I want to show

them the hats for sure and to explain to

them about the collab and for the people

to buy the hats. For those that buy the

hats, I want them to be able to go out in

NY and share that inspiration and to be

able to show everybody this!

AM: In addition, your bat sponsor, Marucci

is also part of the collaboration, so you

have Kings Bred x Gleyber Torres x Marucci

– what was it like to work on this part

of the project and to have this available as

well?

GT: I mean, Marucci supported us on

that part of the collab. I have really loved

Marucci from the beginning, I have never

used another bat – I have always used

Marucci. So it’s huge for me and also for

the company of the brand to get that opportunity

for us and for sure it’s going to

be awesome. I'll also get to wear the hat

as well as the special edition of the bat.

AM: Are there any other projects that you

have coming up that we should keep an eye

out for? Obviously, in addition to watching

you play for the rest of the season!

GT: Not yet! We’re in the midst of conversations

and maybe later, we’ll bring another

hat. We’re waiting to see how this

will go and after that, we will figure it out!

AM: You’re also a dad and being an amazing

athlete as well, what do you want your

legacy to be seen as from an athlete standpoint

or just as a dad with a family?

GT: That I tried to do the right thing. Now,

everything is different. I have a child and I

have a lot to learn about everything with

that! I just want to try to be a good dad

which is a new experience for me. I enjoy

everything from that to playing with

my son to my son being able to watch me

play after the game. He’s always waiting

for me and he gives me the motivation to

be able to play better and better. I want to

show my baby everything that is possible.

@gleyberdavid

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | PG 25, 26 + PG

172 for 63MIX ROUTIN3S Kings Bred | PG

28 Justin Berl/Incon Sportswire | PG 31 Clif

Welch/Icon Sportswire | PG 32 with Gleyber

Torres and Aaron Judge Frank Jansky/

Icon Sportswire |

This month, our editorial takes us to a hotel

group that has been our favorites as

we have stayed at their properties in Seattle,

DC, and Philadelphia. In addition, we

have gone to their hotels here to attend a

number of functions there from launches,

editor events, and more. Kimpton Hotels

are always a great place to go to as the

vibe always feels so comfotable and has a

boutique essence to it. When you stay as a

guest, you can enjoy their complimentary

wine hours that take place in their lobby,

they have yoga mats in their rooms, and

they always have great restaurants on

their properties as well.

Kimpton Hotel Eventi has always been a lot

of fun whether we're attending a preview

or meeting up with friends to grab a quick

bite which turns into an epic night out! Because

we've frequented it so much, for this

month's editorial, we thought it would be

perfect to take our readers inside one of

their suites known as Veranda which has

a large L shaped balcony, a living/sitting

room, large bedroom, and 2 bathrooms.

Whether you're having a weekend in with

friends, enjoying it with your significant

other, planning a wedding event, or anything

of that nature - this is a great suite to

make memories!

Our shoot looks at our models enjoying a

weekend in by taking in the city and taking

a moment for themselves. They're rocking

a new line that we excited to share that

is created by us known as ATHLEISURE-

VERSE! With pieces that are soft, various

colors, and styles - there is something for

everyone! In addition, this shoot includes

a number of our favorite accessories that

you should pair with your favorite looks as

well as some treats that we've been fans

of from our issues! Following the credits,

you'll also find out more about Kimpton

Hotel Eventi and why this should be a place

that you stay at when you're visiting NY

for vacation, business or as a staycation!

Not only do they share more information

about the property, but they also gave us

insight on how you can get the most out

of the neighborhood when you're staying

here as well!

WEEKEND VIBES ONLY | CREDITS

LOOK I PG 38 | Emma Young - ATHLEI-

SUREVERSE Classic Fleece Hoodie Zip,

Flowy Muscle T with Rolled Cuff, Tipped

Track Shorts | Tim Park - ATHLEISURE-

VERSE Classic Fleece Hooded Black

Sweat Set Jogger | WHOOP 4.0 Health

and Fitness Tracker | APPLE Watch |

DRINK SIMPLE Sparkling Maple Water |

LOOK II PG 40-49 | Emma Young - ATH-

LEISUREVERSE Cropped Fleece Hoodie

+ Short Set | BEIS The Sport Pack |

CARRERA Superchampion | CARMEN

SOL Red Aviator Sunglasses | Tim Park

- ATHLEISUREVERSE Jersey Muscle T,

Fleece Jogger | CARRERA 302/S | APPLE

Watch |

LOOK III PG 53-57 | Emma Young - ATH-

LEISUREVERSE Jersey Hooded Track

Short Set | CARRERA 3006/S | SPRAY-

GROUND Lasers Blazin' Backpack Sling

| Tim Park - ATHLEISUREVERSE Bomber,

Fleece Cream Short | CARRERA Superchampion

| WHOOP 4.0 Health and

Fitness Tracker | APPLE Watch | NIKE

Air Jordan 1 Retro |

LOOK IV PG 58-63 | Emma Young - ATH-

LEISUREVERSE - Classic Fleece Hooded

Sweat Set Jogger | CARMEN SOL

Racquel Jelly Bucket Hat in Fuschia +

Lisa Small Crossbody Bag in Fuschia |

CARRERA Flaglab 14 | Tim Park - ATH-

LEISUREVERSE Classic Fleece Hooded

Sweat Set Jogger | CARMEN SOL Racquel

Jelly Bucket Hat in White | CARRE-

RA Flaglab 14 |

LOOK V PG 64 | Emma Young - ATH-

LEISUREVERSE Cropped Fleece Hooded

Sweat Set Jogger | Tim Park - ATH-

LEISUREVERSE Classic Fleece Hooded

Sweat Set Jogger | DRINK SIMPLE Raspberry

Lemon Sparkling Maple Water |

PHOTOGRAPHY | Paul Farkas

STYLIST | Kimmie Smith

MODELS | Tim Park/Prestigious Models

+ Emma Young

Now that you have seen a number of the

features of Kimpton Hotel Eventi's Veranda

Suite which is quite spacious! We wanted

to know more about the property as

well as the neighborhood so that you can

plan accordingly for your next visit!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did Kimpton Hotel

Eventi open?

KIMPTON EVENTI HOTEL: Kimpton Hotel

Eventi debuted in 2010.

AM: Before we talk about Eventi specifically,

we have had the pleasure to stay at

several Kimpton hotels as well as to attend

events that are held there, including this

property. For those that aren't familiar

with Kimpton Hotels, can you tell us about

what a guest can expect when they are

staying at these properties in general?

KHE: The Kimpton brand is known for

its unique, design-driven properties with

warm, genuine service. Our hotels have

exciting restaurants and aim to create

moments of connection with guests.

AM: Tell us about the art at Eventi?

KHE: Kimpton Hotel Eventi features a variety

of works sourced and installed under

the creative direction of Reunion Goods &

Services by Art Consultant Kyle DeWoody,

Associate Art Consultant Laura DVorkin,

and design team We Came in Peace. Extending

from the hotel's original design

rich in texture and depth with a variety

of fine art pieces from renowned artist

Barbara Nessim, the new collection introduces

a mix of both established, younger

artists and emerging artists with visibly

promising talents.

Moving beyond the traditional decorative

intention, this collection attempts far

more conceptual approach by showcasing

edgy and thought-provoking works

including Kwangho Lee's hanging light

installation made entirely out of electrical

wire, and a Tony Matelli mirror - which is

made to look dusty through a technique

using layers of urethane. The dynamic col-

lection also features stunning works

by artists including Lorna Simpson,

Alex Katz, and Ernesto Leal that flow

throughout the lobby and fill spaces

within The Vine and L'Amico.

AM: Our editorial shoot took place at

the Eventi which is in Chelsea. What can

you tell us about the property in general

and how it connects to the neighborhood?

KHE: Kimpton Hotel Eventi’s location in

the heart of Chelsea – on 6th Avenue

between 29th St. and 30th St. – places

guests conveniently in the midst from

some of the city’s most prominent art

galleries, boutiques, nightclubs and

restaurants. Being located near Chelsea

Market and the High Line allows

easy access to popular attractions, and

travelers are also within a few blocks

of the nearby NoMad and Flatiron

neighborhoods and landmarks including

Times Square and the Empire State

Building.

AM: Tell us about the 3 restaurants,

L’Amico, The Vine, and Skirt Steak that

are at Eventi which can be enjoyed by

those on vacation, staycations or just

hanging out in the neighborhood.

KHE: The three on-site restaurants, all

helmed by Chef Laurent Tourondel,

offer visitors a variety of dining experiences.

L’Amico serves Italian-influenced

American cuisine inspired by the

simplicity of a countryside stroll and a

wood-fired meal; The Vine’s welcoming

environment complements locally

sourced, vegetable-centric French

dishes; and Skirt Steak harkens back

to old-school steakhouses, serving

only grilled skirt steak (or a cauliflower

steak), salad and fries, followed by a

rolling dessert cart.

AM: We like that regardless of the Kimpton

properties that you’re staying at,

hotel guests can enjoy complimentary

morning coffee and tea to start your

day as well as the hosted evening wine

hour that’s in the Lobby Living Room. Can

you tell us about this and why these have

been an amenity for guests?

KHE: We aim to provide opportunities for

connection, and this often happens over

food and drinks. Beyond giving guests a

morning or evening beverage, we’re creating

space where visitors can relax, get

to know one another and build a sense

of community. Our wine hour, a core part

of our programming, was started by Bill

Kimpton and is practiced at every Kimpton

property worldwide.

AM: We enjoyed having our shoot in one

of your suites. For guests that are staying

at the hotel, what guestrooms and suites

are available?

KHE: Our guestrooms range from standard

King and Queen/Queen rooms to

our specialty suites featuring balconies,

Jacuzzi tubs or pool tables. Each room in

the hotel offers a spacious respite amid

the city, floor-to-ceiling windows to take

in the cityscapes, and design emphasizing

brightness and clean lines.

AM: What amenities are offered in these

rooms?

KHE: All guests receive complimentary

morning coffee and tea and a hosted evening

wine hour. In addition, there is a yoga

mat in every room, mini-bar service, valet

laundry service, and access to public bikes

to explore the city.

AM: For those looking to maintain their

fitness routines, how can they do so at

Eventi?

KHE: In addition to our onsite 1,000 square

foot 24-hour fitness center that includes

Peloton bikes and other work out equipment,

we also offer custom designed PUB-

LIC bikes and yoga mats in every room,

free of charge.

AM: For those traveling with their fourlegged

friends, tell us how this hotel is

pet-friendly as well as Wag! Premium.

KHE: Kimpton Hotel Eventi welcomes

dogs and provides them with in-room

water bowls, pet beds and courtesy bags

for walks. We don’t charge a deposit or

cleaning fee for bringing in dogs, and

have no size or weight restrictions, nor

a limit on the number of pets allowed.

Our concierge keeps a list of pet-friendly

restaurants, parks and groomers as

well.

Guests receive complimentary access

to Wag! Premium, meaning they receive

10% off of services, no booking fees,

and round-the-clock access to licensed

veterinary professionals. If a walk is arranged,

travelers can leave a key at the

front desk to be handed over to the dog

walker upon their arrival.

AM: In addition to complimentary Wi-Fi,

you keep guests connected with access

to Press Reader (which Athleisure Mag is

on this platform), are there other digital

amenities that you offer?

KHE: Press Reader provides access to

a vast library of local, regional and national

newspapers and magazines, allowing

guests to keep up with the news

during their stay. Each guestroom also

includes a Crave tablet that guests can

use to set wake up calls, request housekeeping

items, get information about local

attractions, use as a TV control and

channel guide and more. All TVs include

Chromecast, allowing guests to stream

from their personal devices.

AM: Tell us about the Kimpton Library.

KHE: The Kimpton Library allows guests

to borrow from a curated collection of

books on property, so they can pack

light and still enjoy some of the most

popular literary titles.

AM: For those that may be getting in a bit

of work whether they’re there for business

or simply need to do a few things,

what is available at your business center?

KHE: We do not have a formal business

center, but our team is happy to assist

with small printing requests. Our concierge

can also guide guests to nearby

storefronts and libraries with extensive

offerings.

AM: Tell us about the Public Bikes that

are available.

KHE: Our PUBLIC bikes are custom-made.

Guests are invited to take

them on a spin at leisure and can use

our Manhattan Waterfront Greenway

map as a guide.

AM: NYC is always great to visit regardless

of the time of year; however, the

summer is always a lot of fun. What

packages are you offering for those that

are looking to book?

KHE: This month we are bringing the

fictional world to life with a new Dream

Blades offering. Taking inspiration from

retro neon sportswear and summers in

Malibu, we are launching a limited-time

complimentary roller blade lending

program for hotel guests looking for a

fun outdoor activity. Hotel guests will

be gifted neon retro skating accessories,

including candy-colored sun visors,

sweatbands and fanny packs, as

well as the option to rent rollerblades.

We also have our Celebrate Summer

offer, allowing travelers to make the

most of their time to the city by enjoying

a picnic in the park or taking surf

lessons at one of the city’s beaches.

AM: For residents who are looking to

enjoy a staycation, why should they

book at Eventi?

KHE: So often, New Yorkers forget to

be tourists in their own city. Kimpton

Hotel Eventi is located in a central spot

allowing guests to take in some of the

city’s most popular attractions, whether

they’re visiting for the first time or

the twentieth. Our rooms also offer a

peaceful escape above the hustle and

bustle of Manhattan, making it a great

spot to stay in the city while getting

out of a mundane routine.

AM: The hotel’s location is in the heart

of several neighborhoods that are a

must visit!

Although the hotel is great for those

that may really want to stay in, there

are a number of things to do outside of

it!

For the solo traveler: where should they

grab a bite for people watching, where

should they shop, and what's an attraction/gallery/park

they they should visit?

KHE: L’Amico on-property is the perfect

place for a solo traveler to sit at

the bar and people watch the world

around them. We are centrally located,

close to the shops in Chelsea, Flatiron

District, and Herald Square areas. We

are minutes away from Broadway and

the theater district - perfect for a solo

traveler to take in a show.

AM: Our shoot focuses on our models

enjoying a getaway so for those booking

their girl’s trips whether a staycation or

traveling to the city: where should they

go out for brunch, where should they

go for a spa session, and where should

they go for a bit of nightlife?

KHE: La Pecora Bianca and Oscar Wilde

offer great brunches nearby. We are

located near Juvenex Spa, a day spa

on West 32nd known for their Korean-style

Salt Glow Scrub. The Vine has a

great wine and cocktail list for guests.

AM: For the business traveler who will

be with a group of their colleagues:

where should they go for a drink to decompress

after a day of sessions, what’s

a great spot for sightseeing and to take

in the city, and what’s a great place for

a group exercise?

KHE: The Vine’s cocktails are expertly

curated and perfect to decompress

after a long day. We’re in the heart of

Manhattan, blocks from the Empire

State Building, Chelsea Market, The

High Line, Times Square and more. All

are great for sightseers. We are located

minutes away from a variety of boutique

fitness studios from yoga to boxing, and

more.

AM: For those that are booking Sales

Meetings, conferences, editor events,

etc. Why is Eventi a great place to host

this?

KHE: Our meeting spaces are spacious

and clean, and meeting attendees get

all of the perks of our central location:

great for those living in the city or anyone

visiting for the day or overnight.

These spaces are also filled with natural

light, fitted with large screens, and our

catering offerings are restaurant quality

courtesy of Laurent Tourondel. Our caring

staff, many of whom have been with

the hotel for years, take wonderful care

of our meetings guests.

AM: Are there events that Eventi participates

in such as Pride, Summer Solstice,

or NYC specific initiatives to support the

community/neighborhood?

KHE: We just hosted a special Pride wine

hour in collaboration with Absolut, benefiting

the Trevor Project. The hotel often

leans into major events to tie the

guest experience into major happenings

in the city.

@hoteleventi

The summer really allows us to enjoy a

number of sports and for many, there's

nothing like a round of golf with friends.

But with all the time that you spend on the

course, it would be nice to have a mobile

office that allows you to enjoy the game

while also checking in when you need to!

We caught up with Jason Tartick who was

a contestant on Season 14 of The Bachelorette

(Becca Kufrin's season) and although

he was eliminated in week 9, he would go

on to date and get engaged to Kaitlyn Bristowe

who was The Bachelorette for season

11! We wanted to know about his partnership

with Wyndham Rewards, their

Cubicle Caddie, his love for golf, what his

experience in Bachelor Nation has been,

meeting Charity Lawson, the current The

Bachelorette (season 20 premiered Jun

26th on ABC), and his upcoming projects!

ATHLEISURE MAG: You've partnered with

Wyndham Rewards to share The Cubicle

Caddie. Can you tell us more about it and

why you enjoy having access to it?

JASON TARTICK: Well, I’ve been a Wyndham

Rewards member for the past few

years and love how generous the program

is, so when we agreed on this partnership,

I knew it was the perfect fit. I’m

usually balancing work while I’m on the

go – and as an avid golfer, I love the concept

of the Cubicle Caddie – it’s the best

of both worlds. It’s essentially a trickedout

golf cart that helps golfers work from

the green and includes essentials like a

green screen complete with convincing

office backdrops and all the things to actually

help me do the job (like Wi-Fi and

noise-canceling headphones).

AM: What was the moment that you realized

that you enjoyed golf?

JT: Golf has always been a big part of my

upbringing. I played with my grandfather,

who has unfortunately passed, but

the memories will always live within me,

and playing with my father with is such a

treat - We compete like no other. From

my grand father, my father, all my friends

and even with Kaitlyn - we go golfing all

the time. But let me tell you, that girl is

one hell of a putter! The Cubicle Caddie

is such a nice addition with Wyndham

Rewards because it allows me to get

out on the golf course more often, to be

able to take a call or two, and utilize the

high-speed Wi-Fi Internet (which honestly

is better than my actual office Wi-

Fi). I love the game – to able to play with

family and friends, it’s such a treat.

AM: What is it about this sport that

keeps you coming back to it?

JT: It’s the comradery, the exercise, the

social aspect – To be out and about, to

compete. It’s the triple threat. There’s

no game like it.

AM: Does Kaitlyn go out on the course

with you and what are you guys up to

this summer?

JT: Kaitlyn and I live right by a golf course,

actually almost on the golf course. Sometimes,

we will do date nights where we

grab some wine and we go up to the

golf course and do a little putt-putt competition.

We’ll put bets on the line, bets

like who’s going to pick up the dog poop

for a week, who is doing the dishes or

buying the next round of coffees. It’s a

fun game for us and we get out often

which is great.

The big thing that we are planning this

summer is that pre-Covid, we had gone

to Kelowna and spent time a ton of time

in August, so I think that’s what we are

going to do this August. We are going to

head up to Canada to spend time with

her family, and we are so looking forward

to it.

AM: We always enjoy when the next

season of The Bachelor/Bachelorette is

coming back and as we wait to watch

Charity's season premiering on the 26th,

what was being on The Bachelorette like

for you and what was the biggest takeaway

that you had?

JT: At the CMA’s, I just had a chance to

meet Charity. She is so sweet and kind,

and I think this season is going to be absolutely

remarkable. For me, I really enjoyed

The Bachelor. It was such an amazing

roller coaster of an experience. I got

to meet so many people throughout the

process and it was a once in a lifetime experience.

From being on the show, almost

every area of my life has changed. I’m forever

grateful for the franchise and for the

show.

I think the biggest takeaway that I have

is that you just have to submit to the process

and let yourself go. I found that the

more people tried to control it, the quicker

they would break because of the pressure.

I think it’s so important that you allow

yourself to let go, control what you

can and not to worry about what you

can’t.

AM: Tell me about your podcast Trading

Secrets!

JT: Trading Secrets is a great podcast

where we have on all different celebrities

from all different industries come on and

talk about where they made money, how

they got money, where they lost money,

and when and how they got to where

they are.

Unfortunately, in our system today, we

aren’t taught the things that we need to

know about career navigation and managing

finances, and that is the purpose of

this podcast. It has been a top business

charting podcast with over 100 episodes

and over 5 million downloads. It has been

so much fun so far and we have some really

great guests coming up this summer.

Some guests like Wells Adams, Macklemore,

the creator of Entourage, and many

more. It’s going to be a very exciting summer

for Trading Secrets.

AM: You have a lot going on including a

book - what can you tell us about this?

JT: Book number two is well on its way!

Manuscript is in and the title is going to

be: Talk Money to Me; 8 Questions Where

the Answers are Numbers Because Stories

Shift, Context Changes, but Numbers

Don’t Lie.

In each chapter, you will be asked a question,

and that question will be a number.

We will then teach you how to get that

number, what that number means, how

to improve it, what that number means

to your finances, how to have the conversation

with your partner and asking

them what their number is for that

specific Chapter. The second reason

why people are becoming divorced is

because of financial infidelity. That being

said, we need to get ahead of it and

start having those conversations.

@jason_tartick

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Wyndham

Rewards

We're always thinking about the song of

the summer or a series of songs that we

can identify with this time of year when

we look back! There's nothing like a series

of songs that you can dance too, have

great energy and have a number of memories

that you can attach to them whether

you're solo or with friends and family!

We caught up with Romanian singer/songwriter

INNA who is known for this kind of

music as well as creating fun videos that

are filled with dancing. We wanted to

know more about how she came to the entertainment

industry, how she goes about

creating and collaborating with her music,

her latest songs, Dance Queen House and

the fact that last year, she croosed over to

having over 10 billion views and streams!

She tells us all this and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the first

song that you remember that made you

fall in love with music?

INNA: Hmm, most likely Romanian songs

sung by my mother, grandma, grandpa. I

was born and raised in a family where music

was an important part of our lives. But

some of the artists who had a big impact

on me when I was a child were Mariah

Carey and Whitney Houston.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted

to be an entertainer?

I: From the very first years of my life. I was

singing all the time: in the church choir,

for my family and friends.

AM: How do you define your style of music?

I: Dance music, energetic, uptempo, about

love, friendship, having fun, enjoying life.

AM: When you’re creating new music or a

project, how do you get inspired?

I: I find that Inspiration comes from everything

around me: my life, my friends lives,

my memories, my experiences.

AM: How does your creative process

change when you collaborate with other

artists?

I: We establish sessions, we start talking

about different stuff, we think of a concept,

of an idea and we start developing

on it.

AM: You have worked with a number of

artists from Sofi Tukker, Daddy Yankee, J

Balvin, Alok and more. What do you look

for when it comes to those that you want

to work with?

I: Sometimes a song brings artists together,

sometimes the idea of “let’s collaborate,

I love your music and I respect

you as an artist.” It goes both ways.

AM: You’ve released a number of albums

and have received a number of MTV Europe

Music Awards, as well as others

throughout your career. Last year, you

crossed over to having over 10 billion

views and streams! What did this mean

to you to cross that benchmark?

I: It was and it still is surreal! It’s out of

my imagination. I didn’t dare to dream

it might happen to me. I am truly grateful

to my fans, to people listening to my

music and to my team, of course!

AM: You kicked off 2023 dropping Yummy,

tell me about this song!

I: Yummy is a sexy song I teamed up with

Stefflon Don and Dhurata Dora and it

kind of sounded like a banger. It’s a nice

collaboration, I enjoyed the female energy

and the fans enjoyed it as well.

AM: Tell us about the Dance Queen House

Album as this seems like an interesting

concept in terms of how you go about

creating albums that are released in this

name.

I: Last year marked the third season of

Dance Queen’s House, a session that

lasted for 16 days while I was isolated in

a house with producers and songwriters

from Global Records, my record label.

We work on new music, we have fun, we

shoot the entire experience and at the

end of these days, we release vlogs on

my YouTube channel and of course, the

album.

This is something I started doing in the

pandemic, because I wanted to stay in

touch with my fans and since I couldn’t

tour, these vlogs and new music were

the perfect way of staying close to them.

After these three seasons, I managed to

release 3 albums Heartbreaker from the

first season, Champagne Problems in two

parts and Just Dance in two parts as well.

AM: What’s it like to create your songs

for albums that are part of Dance Queen

House?

I: It’s very nice I get to share the entire

process with my fans and also do a lot of

activities.

AM: You also dropped your 9th studio album,

Just Dance which was released in 2

parts, why did you release it this way and

what songs are you excited about?

I: We worked on a lot of music in a very

short time, just 16 days, songs that needed

time to be produced to sound good.

And also, there were lots of songs, so I

felt we had to share them separately, so

that my fans get to enjoy them.

AM: Tell me about your latest release with

Gamuel Sori, Party Songs and how did this

record come about?

I: My manager played me the song, I liked

it and I jumped on it!

AM: Why is this song going to be on summer

playlists this year?

I: Party Songs is the perfect party anthem,

with summer flavour and amazing energy!

AM: Do you have any routines that you do

before you hit the stage and do you have

anything that you do after doing a show to

relax or to come down from all the energy?

I: Before the show, I rest for a bit, because

I’m usually travelling the same day. After

that, I enjoy a coffee to get me energised,

I start doing my make-up, my hair and I

am getting ready for the show. After the

show, I usually spend time with my team,

we talk about the show and after that, I

have to sleep a lot!

AM: Do you have any upcoming events or

projects that we should keep an eye out

for?

I: It will be a summer full of shows and festivals

and I cannot wait! Stay tuned and

check out my socials for updates!

AM: We like asking celebs about how they

stay fit. As a singer and dancer, what are 3

workouts what do you do to stay in

shape?

I: I’m walking 10 000 steps daily (or more

when I have more free time).

I go out with my skateboard

I workout at home, with different routines,

depending on the mood that day.

Or I go to the gym and I work out with

my personal trainer.

AM: We’re always looking for new dishes

that we can add for our meals and we

hear that you cook for your friends and

family and are vegan! What are 3 vegan

dishes that you enjoy cooking for breakfast,

lunch, and dinner?

I: Hummus, guacamole for breakfast (although,

most of the times, I skip breakfast)

Melanzana (eggplant with tomatoes, basil,

tofu and vegan parmigiana) for lunch

Pasta for dinner

AM: In addition to all of the amazing

things that you have done musically, you

are an advocate and support an array of

causes from being a human rights activists,

participating in campaigns against

domestic violence, supporting children’s

rights, supporting the LGBTQIA+ community

and raising funds for Ukraine. Why is

it important to you to use your platform

to support these diverse causes and to

make your following aware of this?

I: I believe it’s important to use my voice

to do good and help people in need,

support causes that need awareness.

This is something I won’t stop doing for

the rest of my life.

AM: What do you want your legacy to be

known as?

I: An artist who brings joy in people’s

lives through her music, an artist who

loves people and who loves to spread

good energy.

@inna

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 78 - 79 +

PG 144 9PLAYLIST INNA

We're always looking for an extraordinary

restaurant especially when we're able to

combine an amazing menu, with a team,

and also an experience, ambiance and a

story that makes you want to come back

and to continue to support it whether it's

in your neighborhood or an area of town

that you enjoy visiting!

We caught up with Chef Charlie Mitchell

who is the Executive Chef/Partner of Clover

Hill in Brooklyn and just won the Michelin

2022 NYC Young Chef Award Winner

as well as is a James Beard Finalist 2023!

These awards are amazing to be recognized

for a life of dedication and focus.

We wanted to find out about how he fell

in love with food, decided to work in this

field, his culinary journey, and how he continues

to share his vision through Clover

Hill. We also have the opportunity to chat

about he approaches his culinary style as

we get his chef insights which allows us to

think about how the foods that we eat and

the intentions behind the menus we enjoy.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in

love with food?

CHEF CHARLIE MITCHELL: Um, I would

say a long time ago when I was a kid to

be honest. I tell this story all the time, but

I just grew up around food and I grew up

with a family that just cooked for any and

every reason whether it was good or bad,

you know what I mean? It wasn’t hard to

fall in love with food when you saw it and

were around it so much and to see how

important it was to everybody.

AM: What was the moment that you realized

that you wanted to work in this industry

and to be a chef?

CHEF CM: A chef, I would say somewhere

in high school, you know. I just cooked. I

think that I wasn’t the most career oriented

kid to be honest in high school right?

I think that I wasn’t even thinking about

it until maybe I got to that Junior year in

high school and you’re kind of like, “let

me figure out what I want to do.” And I

think that because I was getting older

at that point – I wouldn’t say that I was

cooking anything serious or anything, but

I knew that it was something that I loved

to do when I was not in class at school. So

I thought that I could do this for a living.

You know, I was watching a lot of Food

Network.

AM: Oh yeah!

CHEF CM: Yeah, Food Network and stuff

like that. I mean it sounds corny now but

Iron Chef was that one show that I would

just say, “wow, this looks like some serious

cheffing,” you know what I mean?

When I would watch that show, I would

say, “yeah, I want to do something like

that.” But I had no idea how to be a chef

at that time.

AM: What was your culinary journey in

kitchens that you trained in on the way

to coming to Clover Hill?

CHEF CM: I mean, it wasn’t a very typical

journey at times, there were times

where it was a little rocky. My first 3

years of cooking, I would say my foundation

was in Detroit. My first cheffing

at my first restaurant that I worked in I

would say is where I got the most training.

It was a lot of hours, a lot of cooking,

a lot of on the job training, a lot of raw

cooking techniques and then I moved to

NYC to try to work in more fine dining

kitchens in a bigger market and that’s

why I came here. And that’s what I got.

I was working at places like Betony and

Eleven Madison Park and even in DC for

places like Bresca and Jônt, those were

like the most refined jobs that I had and

that kind of shaped the way that I knew

how I wanted to go about my approach

to food. I mean, it has been about 10

years this year now.

AM: How do you define your style of

cooking?

CHEF CM: I’m not really sure, I’m still figuring

that out. I always say that I think

that it takes chefs 20 years to really define

their cooking style for great chefs.

I look at myself and I consider me to be

halfway. So right now, my focus on my

style of cooking is to focus on the ingredients

that we are using. Sourcing

great products, great ingredients, caring

about whether what we’re using is

sustainable or not, who is growing our

vegetables, and then from there, I like

to focus on some techniques that some

people may consider to be old school or

very raw techniques. I like to make sure

that the food feels like you are being

cooked for, you know what I’m saying?

We still cook our proteins from raw and

we make sure that all our sauces are ac-

tually hot, we care about those things like

a person would care more for if they were

at home, than if they were in a restaurant.

If I had to sum it up, I would say that my

cooking style is right now, a little raw and

there is a lot of intuitive cooking. I cook

the way that I want to eat!

AM: Which is a good place to start!

CHEF CM: Yeah, exactly!

AM: Well, you’re the Executive Chef/Partner

of Clover Hill in Brooklyn. How did this

come about?

CHEF CM: Well actually, so, Clover Hill, I

was intro’d to Clover Hill when they first

opened in 2019 because the original chef

was a friend of mine. So I was actually introduced

to the restaurant because I was

in a transition and he was opening his

restaurant and they needed some hands,

some kitchen help. So I was around parttime/full-time

working there 4 days a

week for him and the COVID happened.

So that was my introduction to Clover Hill

and then time goes by and when the ownership

was looking to reopen it, ironically,

I had just moved back to NYC and they -

Clay Castillo just randomly texted me and

asked me what I was up to. I was standing

there with my now fiancé and I was like,

“yo, the owners of Clover Hill just texted

me out of nowhere.” She was like, “okay,

see what’s up.” So, maybe it was a day later

or a week later, but we had coffee and

we saw that our visions just aligned. With

me being somebody that was in transition

and him obviously going through it

with having to close his restaurant due

to COVID, he was very inspired to not

give up. That was his message and I was

in the same place and kind of young and

kind of hungry and we just decided that

we would go for it. Honestly, it was a very

organic situation where he was in this position,

I was in this position, and we had to

figure it out together and that’s what we

decided to do.

AM: Tell us about Clover Hill, what can

people expect in terms of the ambiance of

the restaurant as well as the menu itself?

CHEF CM: I think that the goal of the ambiance

is that Clay will say this, to feel like

home. It's a very homey approach which I

know that that sounds cliché sometimes,

but we look at it that way from the envi-

ronment to the hospitality. It’s not just

the décor, it’s about how you’re treated

when you’re there as well. It’s to try to

strip away some of the pretentious stereotypes

of fine dining. We want people

to feel comfortable which is what we

mean by that, to feel accepted, and to

be at a place where you can vibe, you can

laugh, you can talk as opposed to some

fine dining restaurants where you’re so

intimidated that when you walk in, you

see that it’s so bright and the tablecloths

are everywhere -

AM: Which fork am I using first?

CHEF CM: Right! And you’re worried

about your outfit and stuff like that. So

we want to strip all of that away and

make it about the food, the wine, and

the service. The food has evolved as our

price point has evolved. But it has always

been very seafood focused as well

as vegetables – so seafood first, vegetables

second. You’ll see a little bit of meat

here and there, so that is the primary focus

of the cuisine. As far as what it always

is, we change the menu 4 times a

year. We do complete menu overhauls,

but I use the food as well as Clover

Hill as a means to further my growth,

the restaurants growth and the other

cooks as well. The food changes menu

to menu, but it’s always very rooted in

seafood, vegetables, and flavors that

you know people either love or hate –

it’s very seasoned food. The idea of it

also being at home too is that, this is

something that we pride ourselves on.

Food is something that makes you feel

like someone cooked it for you. It needs

to have a sense of nostalgia to it, and it

needs to have a sense of warmth to the

food in every dish. So if it’s not delicious

and it doesn’t remind you of something,

if it doesn’t kind of bring you back to a

place – then it kind of doesn’t work. So

that’s in the DNA of the food.

AM: Congratulations on being the 2022

Michelin Guide Young Chef Award Winner

and the first Black Michelin chef in NY

which blows our minds even moreso that

you are only the second Black chef in the

US to do this! Honestly, we kept double

checking ourselves in prep for this interview

with you because we were shocked

that it has been so few, but there we are!

What does it feel like to win this award

and in terms of representation, being

sentation, being able to have this distinction

for yourself as well as for the restaurant

that you are at?

CHEF CM: Well winning the award, to be

honest, the Young Chef Award I had only

heard about a day or 2 before the awards. I

had never heard about it before. And then

when I won, it was a complete surprise!

I was just humbled and honored, mainly

because so many of my peers and chefs

that I look up to were also standing in this

room and seeing me at that moment, so I

just felt like that was just fucking cool to be

honest! I mean to have all of those chefs

looking at me when I was on that stage,

that was just cool! For the Michelin Star

too, me and Clay, I mean the whole team,

but for us and the ownership, it was just

like, what they went through with COVID

and then closing down and then where I

was at at that time and then kind of being

in a position where I wasn’t sure what my

next move was going to be. Just to see us

put the work in for that year and a half,

that validation and that visibility pushes

everything. It means that what we’re doing

is working and that the right people

were seeing us, so that was awesome!

For me as a Black chef, that was also like

a cherry on top, you know what I mean?

It’s not like you’re looking to be the first

or second of anything, it just kind of happens.

But for me, it was kind of learning

how to embrace it. Chefs and Black chefs

that are older than me are looking at

me like, “man, we did it!” Chefs that are

younger than me are like, “how can I do

it?” I’m just trying to learn how to embrace

it and to be a resource which I think is the

most important. Maybe it’s not full blown

conversations or full blown FaceTime sessions

with chefs, but it’s just about being

available and a resource for questions or

encouragement or just being somebody

that they can see doing it so that they can

do it! I mean winning it is great, the representation

is great, and I’m honored to

be someone to represent us in any kind of

capacity that is in a positive way!

AM: Exactly!

To follow that up, to be a James Beard Finalist,

that’s another one of those things

that is so much of an honor. What does it

mean to you to have this distinction also in

terms of the recognition?

CHEF CM: I mean, it was great! I think

that any chef that takes themselves seriously

on any level whether it’s casual,

fine dining, food trucks, or whatever

– you take it serious. You put in a lot

of work that goes into it, a lot of hours

goes into it, and I think that some people

may look at the last year and a half/

two years of my journey and say, “ oh,

it’s been so great – how does it feel?”

For me, it felt like, finally! I’ve been doing

this for all this time –

AM: So long!

CHEF CM: Yeah and it’s just the beginning.

Some people don’t realize how

many hours and how much time you

put into something. So it’s just nice to

be validated in any capacity – here’s this

kid that’s at this restaurant that’s doing

something that’s cool and good, had a

good product, and they’re happy that

I’m doing it. It’s encouraging – it encourages

me to keep going. It encourages

me to keep working as hard as we do.

So that’s what it means the most to me.

AM: What I really love on your Instagram

is that you talk about a lot of things. You

talk about menu development and a

number of nuts and bolts topics in the

kitchen. For our readers that don’t know,

what is menu development, what does it

involve, and why is it so important?

CHEF CM: Well it’s hard! The reason why

I share it is because – it’s been a new

thing that I have been wanting to share

because I think that some people have

a misconception about how easy it is.

I think that for me and having a small

team, it’s just me. So it’s not like, oh does

this taste good? It’s like, is it part of the

vision, is it a part of who we are, is it on

brand, and does it fit within our ethos?

If we go here, where do we go from

here? To constantly challenge yourself

and your own ideas, it’s hard, you know

what I mean?

AM: We love that you share it though,

because, when people are thinking of a

chef, they think of the restaurant and

that there are partners and staff, but

they don’t think about the hours, 14 hour

days and these little things that you’re

putting together to make a full picture. I

think it’s awesome that you show it!

CHEF CM: Yeah!

I think that menu development is even

something that I am just learning. I look at

chefs that have been doing this for years!

I reach out to them for advice and to see

how they go about it. I think that the most

important part about it is to just be curious

about what you do, to be curious about

food, and to continue to learn about food.

I think that the hardest part of it is to continue

to challenge yourself. Whether it’s

your own ideas or old techniques that you

have done before, and to not be too attached

to a notion like, “we’re going to

always cook the fish this way.” There may

be a better way and you’re just going to

need to be open minded to the journey of

exploring, you know?

AM: Well, it’s interesting that you had a

post recently that it is important to you

that all of your dishes fall into your core

values of good eats. What do you mean by

that and what are those core values?

CHEF CM: When I worked at Eleven Madison

Park, like Daniel Humm was kind of

known for having 4 or 5 things that a dish

had to have to fit in these boxes, which

they don’t have to have – but that’s what

he liked to say. For me, I am developing

my own things for myself. So what I mean

by that is – is it possible for a dish to go

out as intended which is important. Is it

meant to be cold – can it go out cold, is it

meant to always go out hot? Some dishes,

which sounds simple, but there are other

factors with those dishes that we have to

figure out in fine dining where you would

know that it is not executable at this level.

So being intentional is very important.

Obviously, being very delicious is the most

important. Is it visually appealing, but not

to sacrifice if it is delicious or intentional,

right? From there it’s, how does it make

somebody feel inside when they eat it? Is

it too spicy or spicy enough? Is it warm? Is

it nostalgia? Is it a little thought provoking?

Does it draw their memory? Those

are the kinds of things that I focus on the

most right now.

AM: What is an average day like for you at

Clover Hill?

CHEF CM: Well it has changed so much

now, I think that life now versus the first

8 months are so different that I feel like I

should tell the story of how it was in the

beginning! But right now, it’s different.

The learning curve right now is for me

to learn to be an Executive Chef. That’s

also what I want people to realize is that

I teach my cooks that each level is a different

learning curve. You’re a line cook,

you’re a CDP, you’re a sous chef, you’re

an Executive Sous Chef, you’re a CDC Executive

Chef right, so now I’m like learning

how to fall back a little bit and care

about other things that I don’t know

about. So right now, my day to day is still

12-14 hours but less cooking, more guiding,

more teaching, more meetings with

the managers and the ownership. We’re

looking at how are we pushing this

restaurant forward as far as cleanliness,

design, organization, new plateware,

new development, menu costing – for

lack of a better word – visionary things.

AM: Yeah dealing with nuts and bolts of

the business.

CHEF CM: As opposed to last year, I had

less staff, I didn’t have a sous chef at

the time. I was just cooking and keeping

my head down and now I’m in the

mode of focusing and actually running

this restaurant as opposed to just working

in the restaurant. Usually, the cooks'

days start around 10 or 11am and they

work until around midnight. My day

starts around the same time and I work

until around midnight/1am and then I do

it all over again. The cooks right now, everyone

on the staff, they work 4 days a

week. I work a 5 day shift, they work a

4 day shift. I think that that’s a way that

we try to give them a better live/work

balance. Like you may work 4 long days,

but you have 3 days off.

AM: Which is nice.

CHEF CM: Yeah it’s nice because it keeps

you in that 40-50/hour range instead of

that 60-70 hour range. So that’s what

we’re trying to do right now. I know

how mentally taxing that this job can

be and I just want them to be able to be

there when they are at work and to do

the things that I need them to do. Then,

they have enough time that they will be

able to do what they need to do when

they’re not here.

AM: After a night at work, what’s a meal

that you like to cook for yourself when

you’re at home?

CHEF CM: Nothing haha, I order takeout.

To be honest, I’m a better eater at home

now because I have Michelle to help me

out without. I’m very simple. I like to eat

very light at the end of the night for the

most part. Just because, you’re about to

go to sleep. So something like a protein,

rice, and vegetables are my favorite things

to eat.

AM: What are your go-to ingredients or

spices that you always have in your pantry

at home that are so versatile for you

to make a number of dishes when you do

decide to cook at home.

CHEF CM: Butter, garlic, and lemon. That

can make anything taste good and then a

cabinet full of spices. Anything from salt

and pepper to curry spices, paprika, cayenne

pepper, and all of that kind of stuff.

But if you have butter, garlic, and lemon

you can make anything taste good.

AM: When you’re not in the kitchen and

you have time off, how do you take time

for yourself in terms of self-care?

CHEF CM: Traditionally, I try to be as active

as I can. I try to run, I try to workout.

It also depends because sometimes the

work week can get crazy and then I try

to relax, spend time with mainly just me

and Michelle hanging out all of the time

to be honest. We just have to figure out

days where we can sit on the couch for 8

hours. But in a perfect world, if I can just

work out, recharge and watch some TV

or something that’s great. As opposed to

before where it was all about food 24/7.

On the weekends, it was all about cookbooks

and then I would go back to work.

But now, I try to pull back from it all sometimes

to just relax.

AM: That shows maturity where you give

that balance to yourself just like you do to

your chefs that you give 3 days off!

Do you have any upcoming projects that

we should keep an eye out for. I know that

last year, you were part of Chef Kwame Onwuachi’s

Family Reunion which must have

been an amazing time. Will you be doing

any other events like that this year?

CHEF CM: Um, I don’t know. Hopefully.

I think that the Family Reunion one we

missed out on this year because we just

didn't have time for it on the schedule this

year. I know that we’re doing some charity

events in October, we’re doing this

Michelin event in Sept called Euphoria

which will be pretty cool. Besides that

we’re keeping it pretty low key. We’re

just trying to figure it out and summer

gets pretty light in the city and especially

in our area of Brooklyn. So we try to

figure out ways to stay busy and to put

some things together.

AM: What do you want your legacy to be?

You have done so many different things,

you have gotten so many different accolades,

and yet you have such a bigger

road of the things that you can achieve.

What do you want that to be seen as?

CHEF CM: I think that cooking is one of

those things that is a passion driven career.

We get into this because we love

cooking and we have a passion about it.

I love it and unfortunately, I love restaurants.

That’s what I chose, I didn’t go

out for private, catering, or anything like

that. So for me, it’s about that I want to

be known as the best chef foodwise and

one of the best chefs to work for and/

or with. I want to make sure that I’m a

good leader and a good boss and a good

employer for my people. Hopefully I’m

one of those well known serious chefs

that is one of the best known chefs in

NYC and one of the best known chefs in

the country!

@chuckgood

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 86 Clay

Williams | PG 88 - 94 Natalie Black |

One of our favorite series that we can't

wait to see come back later this year for it's

latest season is Netflix's Emily in Paris! We

love the idea of leaving the US to work and

live in Paris, navigating a job that you're

great at but doing it in a place whose culture

and customs are different than what

you've grown up with!

When Emily Cooper (Lily Collins), comes

to Paris she learns how to think on her

feet in her personal and professional life

and along the way we see how her colleagues

interact with her. One of her

Parisian co-workers is Julien, played by

Samuel Arnold. We know that he too is

a rising star who wants to make a name

for himself and we see how he grows to

accept Lily. We caught up with Samuel to

find out how he approaches acting projects,

Emily in Paris, the importance of hydration

and his ambassadoship with Jovē.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You have worked in

television and in film, what are you looking

for when you're deciding on attaching

yourself to a project/role?

SAMUEL ARNOLD: When starting a project

I hope to be surrounded by passionate

people who are in love with storytelling.

I hope to be challenged by having to play

a complex tri-dimensional character and I

hope to have enough space to create and

say what I have to say through my acting.

AM: Emily in Paris is an amazing show

from the storyline to the fashion, and of

course Paris, it's a binge-able treat. What

drew you to the series?

SA: When I was asked to audition, I knew

it was going to be something big when

I heard Darren Star (Younger, Sex and

the City series and movies, And Just Like

That) and Lily Colins (90210, The Blind Side,

Curb Your Enthusiasm) were the names

attached to it. They are both the best at

what they do and I want to work with

people like that. And of course, I discovered

Julien and I was dying to play this

character after I read the script.

AM: Julien is such an interesting character

that has been great to watch as he

navigates his career and relationships

with others. How do you approach playing

him as he is that friend that you definitely

want in your group of friends who

will always keep it real with you?

SA: I have a very physical approach when

it comes to playing Julien. Obviously I

am enormously influenced by the wardrobe.

It gives so much to the character,

but also I found that dancing was working

for me. So I’ve been dancing the

character to life for three seasons now.

AM: We can't wait for the next season

which will drop this year. What are you

excited about that you can share with us?

SA: I’m like everyone else when it comes

to season 4. I have no idea what they

have in store for us and I quite like that.

I trust Darren and the writers to create

something exciting and amazing like

they’ve been doing so far. I can’t wait to

see what’s next for Julien.

AM: The cast of this show is incredible!

What are some of your biggest takeaways

from being part of this show?

SA: Meeting all those beautiful and talented

human beings was the best thing

that happened to me on this show. We’re

like family now. And we see each other

as much as we can in between shoots.

AM: At Athleisure Mag, we believe in hydration

as it's essential! You are the first

brand ambassador of Jovē, which was

announced at the Cannes Film Festival

this year. Why is hydration important

to you and what is the synergy between

you and the alkaline brand?

SA: I used to be a professional dancer,

and now I’m an actor. So my body has always

been my main instrument. And to

keep that instrument healthy and ready

to go, proper hydration is one of the

top things you can do. This partnership

with Jovē comes at a moment in my life

where I’m getting back to the gym and

getting into a more healthy diet, so Jovē

has been the perfect companion for the

actor that I am.

AM: What does Deep Hydration mean to

you?

SA: Deep Hydration is not only about

quenching your thirst but it’s about hydrating

every single cell in your body. Not

only do you feel better on the inside and

out, but Jovē is clinically shown to support

skin and cellular health, supporting

healthy hair, skin, nails and bones.

AM: Jovē has launched their Let Your Skin

Do The Talking campaign, which focuses

on skin health. Can you tell me about this

and what will you do to amplify that message?

SA: Jovē’s Let Your Skin Do The Talking

campaign amplifies the voice of what

healthy skin would ask for — deep hydration

at the skin and cellular level. My goal

as a Jovē ambassador is to amplify this

message and introduce Jovē all over the

world as I travel because a high-quality

product like Jovē deserves international

success.

AM: How important is your personal

well-being/self-care to you and what do

you do to achieve that?

SA: As an actor, my main instrument is my

body and it made so much sense for me

to partner with Jovē, who hydrates and

supports my instrument in a healthy way.

It feels good to promote something that

you love and believe in.

AM: You're an ambassador of Or Bleue

which focuses on providing drinkable water

to underserved communities. Why is

being involved in this organization so important

to you?

SA: Water is such a basic need, it blows my

mind that some people don’t have access

to it. I have it on tap and it’s easy to take

it for granted. I want to make the world a

better place and for me, it starts with

drinkable water for everyone.

AM: Are there upcoming projects that

you have that we should keep an eye out

for?

SA: I shot a movie last winter in Canada

where I played a character very different

from Julien. I can’t say more about it

but keep an eye out for it.

@superssama

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 102 +

103 9LIST STORI3S Netflix/Emily in Paris

| PG 107 Jovē |

As we mentioned last month, Governors

Ball settled into it’s new home Jun 9th-

11th at Flushing Meadows Corona Park

in Queens. In our conversation with the

founder of NYC’s music festival that kicks

off the summer season. Last month Tom

Russell shared with us how he created this

3-day festival and how this location is the

best one that allows music enthusiasts to

enjoy 3 stages of their favorite artists while

being surrounded by a park environment!

Over 100,00 people got to see the festival's

new home completed with the iconic Unisphere.

It’s exciting to see what upcoming

years will look like as we continue to flock

to this destination. This season there were

so many options from enjoying the stages

that showcased various genres of music,

food and beverage that allowed for diverse

appetites courtesy of food partners

that includes Queen’s Night Market and of

course, Instagramable moments that we’ll

remember for many years to come.

As soon as we saw the lineup that included

60 artists, we started sketching out what

we wanted to listen to as there was something

for everyone whether you listen to

hip-hop, EDM, and pop. We also knew that

we wanted to see this immersive environment

that really allowed you to feel that

you transported to what we love most

about attending music festivals! Here are

some of the moments that we were excited

about this took place over this weekend.

If you’ve caught Ice Spice perform, you

know that she tends to have more of a relaxed

presence when she’s on stage, but

she definitely had a lot of energy when she

hit the GoPuff stage on the 1st day of Governors

Ball. As she rapped across the stage,

she was in sync with her dancers and had a

fluid show that was really a fun experience

to watch.

Friday afternoon, we looked forward to

hearing Eladio Carrion’s set. We enjoyed

hearing his latest release Coco Chanel, as

well as Mi Error and No Te Deseo el Mal.

When it comes to bringing drama to her

performances with a side of education,

Lizzo always makes it a point to take her

time on the stage to share songs that we

all enjoy while also providing a state of

the union of sorts as she talked about

anti-LGBT laws, the environment, and diversity.

We also enjoyed when Odesza hit the

stage while the large crowd were entertained

with this duo's set as well as digital

and literal pyrotechnics. This larger

than life performance was a perfect way

for Saturday night's headliners to take

their set to the next level!

Hands down, we were excited about seeing

Kendrick Lamar as he closed out the

3rd night of the festival. He took his time

on the stage to have a set that included

songs that he has created across his career.

His cousin, Baby Keem also came

out to perform one of our favorites, Family

Ties. Of course, at the conclusion of his

set, fans were treated to fireworks and

pyrotechnics to close out this successful

festival.

In addition to these favorites, we're including

some of our other favorite acts

as well.

@govballnyc

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 112, 121 +

123 Roger Ho | PG 114 + 122 Deanie Chen

| PG 116 Alive Coverage | PG 118 Charles

Reagan | PG 120 Okay Nicolita | PG 124

Nick W NYC |


This month we caught up with Sepideh

Moafi who embodies her characters and

really makes us see the world through her

eyes and the storylines that they are involved

in where it's thrillers such as USA's

Falling Water, dramas that include HBO's

The Deuce and Showtime's The L Word:

Generation Q, and shows that look at our

relationship with technology and who has

the power to use them in our lives in her

latest limited series, FX Class of '09!

You can currently binge the entire season

of 8 episodes now on Hulu which looks at a

group of FBI agents as we see them going

through the academy in the past, in their

present day in their career and in the future.

We wanted to know more about how

Sepideh came to being an actor, how she

approaches her roles, and her thoughts on

the paradigm between technology and humans

intervention and those who decide

how this is instituted.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize

you wanted to be an actor?

SEPIDEH MOAFI: I think I was about 23. I

graduated from San Francisco Conservatory

of Music as a Vocal Performance major

at 21 and had started my career as an

opera singer. While opera was (and still is)

my first passion and finding my voice as a

singer completely changed my life, I was

becoming more and more curious about

theater and exploring the full potential of

characters without having to worry about

hitting that high C, for example. I enrolled

in a straight acting class with Bobby Weinapple

in San Francisco (he taught an acting

for singers class that I had taken at the

conservatory) and he said I had “it”, whatever

“it” means. I decided to audition for

some plays and started booking roles like

Juliet in Romeo & Juliet and Luisa in The

Fantasticks, so I decided to apply to grad

school on a whim and ended up getting a

full scholarship plus grants to UC Irvine’s

MFA Acting program. So I went.

AM: I have been a fan of your work from-

Notorious, Falling Water, The Deuce, The

L Word: Generation Q, and currently The

Class of 09! You always play characters

that are dynamic and continue to reveal

themselves in various ways. What are

you looking for when you decide that

you want to play a character?

SM: Thank you for your kind words. I

think the reasons for taking on a part

have changed for me throughout the

years. I was more character driven before,

now I think I’m more story driven.

At first I was just so eager to do anything

I could get my hands on. I even loved

getting to play characters who seemed

pretty two dimensional on the page

because that meant I got to find the

things that many people may overlook

or miss and bring all of the complexity

and nuance and heart to these characters

and make them feel like full, multi

dimensional human beings. Taking on

any character allows you to gain insight

and empathy for a range of personality

types — people that are similar to you,

people who think completely different

from you — you get to explore a variety

of career paths and life choices that

maybe you’ve never imagined before.

Acting is a beautiful way to explore humanity

and empathy, and I feel so lucky

to be able to learn and grow so much

from my work.

I fortunately haven’t had to deal with

typecasting; most of the characters I’ve

played both on stage and screen are

completely different from one another

and their racial backgrounds aren’t necessarily

specified. I remember having a

long conversation with Remi Aubuchon

(24, Stargate Universe, Silo), the show

runner for Falling Water after I got cast.

He gave me the choice to change my

character’s last name (Alex Simms) to

an Iranian last name if I felt compelled.

I thought about this deeply. Representation

is so important, but I kept asking

myself if it would be more impactful to

change her name to say, Alex Mohammadi

or keep it as Alex Simms. I spoke to

friends who encouraged me to change

the name to a Persian last name, but my

mom's words echoed those in my gut.

She said I should keep it as it is because

we need to be able to separate our judgements

and assumptions about who a person

is, their background and what they

look like based on their name. So I kept

her name Alex Simms.

Something that has changed is that the

more political I’ve become and the more

humanitarian work I’ve done throughout

the last decade, the more important it

has become for me to be part of projects

that I feel align with my politics and core

belief system. We need healthy, accurate

stories and representation of women, the

LGBTQIA+ community, people from the

SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African)

region, and all marginalized communities

but not with a superficial, checkbox

approach to diversity. My face on screen

makes a statement whether I like it or not,

so I’d rather take control of that to make

statements I can get behind. It’s important

that whatever project I decide to do

doesn’t play into toxic narratives about

marginalized people and doesn’t veer

from the kinds of stories and representation

I want to support and think we need

more of.

AM: How do you approach getting into

character to bring their authenticity forward?

SM: I think different characters require

diff kinds of preparation. For example, for

Lauren McCauley in Black Bird, I spent a

good two months doing research by reading,

listening to podcasts, watching documentaries,

reviewing documents from

the real life case, speaking to various FBI

agents on a regular basis, and reading

the script every day. I quickly discovered

that there’s no way in hell I could be an

FBI agent in real life (I find it too difficult

to control my emotions!), so the extensive

research helped me acquire the confidence

I needed to step into her shoes.

Dennis Lehane’s (The Wire, Boardwalk

Empire, Bloodline) brilliant script gave me

everything I needed to play her, the research

just helped me gain the confidence

I needed in order to embody her truthful-

ly. For Gigi in The L Word: Generation Q,

I did speak to a few of my real estate

agent buddies to gain some insight into

her day to day work life, but that was

kind of the extent of the research. I

think every character prep is different. I

remember doing so much prep work for

Niki in The Killing of Two Lovers but once

I got to set with our director Robert Machoian

(Mother Mother, Strong Enough,

The Foundry) and opposite actors Clayne

Crawford (CSI, 24, Graceland), Chris Coy

(The Deuce, The Peripheral, Accused) and

the kids, I felt like all that prep went out

the window. One could argue the prep

was there as my foundation but I honestly

felt like I was in a trance for the entirety

of that shoot. The energy on set

was abundant and infectious; we were

like animals in the jungle playing with

abandon. No matter what, I always start

with the words in the script and my gut

response to them. From there, I identify

the tone, the world in which the character

lives (their socioeconomic status,

their relationship to their ethnicity and

background, their gender, etc.) and that

usually informs what type of work and

research is needed. My only goal is to

give all of myself to every role. If by the

end of a film or show or play there’s still

something in the tank, I haven’t done

my job.

AM: What drew you to want to be involved

in Class of '09 and what do you

think about the past, present and future

format of the show?

SM: There are a number of reasons why

I was drawn to this show. The character

being able to explore the breadth of

anyone’s life over the span of multiple

decades is a fascinating, eye and heart

opening endeavor. This character, Hour,

specifically being from a family that had

to flee Iran felt resonant to me and her

constant grappling with the dilemma of

identity and belonging. The themes of

the show — exploring AI, technology,

surveillance, the fragility of humanity,

and this dance between security and liberty.

And lastly the cast, I felt very lucky

to be able to have this unique experience

with some of my favorite actors and human

beings. We formed life long bonds

(we’re still constantly texting on our

group text!)

AM: We've been watching this every week

and really enjoy seeing how everyone is

connected with one another and how they

evolve over various periods of time. What

are the takeaways that you want viewers

to walk away with after watching this series?

SM: Class of ‘09 is a limited series so the

story is contained within eight episodes.

But I hope this encourages the audience

to probe at these deeper questions

around the nature of security, surveillance,

and willingly or unwillingly living

in a technocracy. Benjamin Franklin, one

of the founding fathers, said “Those who

would give up essential Liberty, to purchase

a little temporary Safety, deserve

neither Liberty nor Safety.” We are seeing

increasing manifestations of major technological

companies abusing their power

with impunity and stealing our identities

for profit. We’ve seen fuller expressions

of this abuse in countries like China, Russia,

Israel. We must always remember

that our elected officials work for us and

we cannot forget that it is our job to hold

our elected officials and these major corporations

accountable so that we don’t

continue on this fast track towards a surveillance

state.

AM: Are there upcoming projects that

you're working on that you would like to

share that we should keep an eye out for?

SM: Yes! There’s a film coming out called

I’ll Be Right There with Edie Falco (The

Sopranos, Impeachment: American Crime

Story, Avatar: the Way of Water), Jeannie

Berlin (The Night Of, Succession, The Fablemans),

and Bradley Whitford (The West

Wing, The Handmaids Tale, Get Out). I actually

had the chance to work with Edie

on one of my first jobs after getting my

MFA. I booked a guest star role on Nurse

Jackie a couple of months out of school

and I flipped out because Edie was one

of the reasons I decided to pursue acting.

I remember telling myself to wait

until the end of the episode with her to

confess how big of a fan I was. I lasted

about three hours before I exploded

into tears and gushed about how much

I loved and admired her. I felt like I totally

humiliated myself but she was (and

still is) one of the most gracious, humble,

down to earth actors I’ve ever met.

I’m part of an HBO Max animated series

called Scavengers Reign coming out later

this year too. I’ve wanted to be part of

an animated project my entire life so this

was one of those moments where the

kid in me couldn’t believe it. Aside from

that, there are a couple of other projects

I’m developing, but I start work on a film

called Wild Berries which will actually be

my first Persian language speaking film,

opposite award-winning Iranian actor

Shahab Hosseini (The Salesman, Residents

of Nowhere, Nargesi). It’s pretty

much a two-hander so I’m very excited

to dive into this world with Shahab and

our director Soudabeh Moradian (Polaris,

The Anber Thief, In Between).

@sepidehmoafi

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 98 + 101

9LIST STORI3S, PG 128 + PG 131 FX/Class

of 09

The latest Fast and Furious movie is out

now! Fast X along with its spin-offs have

taken us around the world to see amazing

cars, maneuvers, and interesting storylines!

We have watched Jordana Brewster

throughout these movies and had the

chance to talk with her about becoming

an actress, being part of this franchise

that shows no signs of stopping, what we

can look forward to in this movie, another

movie that released this month and how

as a mom she incorporates post-game routines

with her children who are active in

sports!

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the moment

when you realized that you wanted to be

an actor?

JORDANA BREWSTER: I grew up in Brazil

watching soap operas and so I realized

that at the age of 9 years old, I really really

wanted to be an actor as a career.

AM: We’ve enjoyed seeing you throughout

the Fast & Furious franchise. What attracted

you to this show?

JB: I loved the role of Mia, I felt that she

was really strong and had a really specific

point of view. I also loved the culture

of street racing. I thought it was – we

weren’t necessarily the good guys, we

weren’t necessarily the bad guys either so

I was intrigued with that culture and that

sort of grey area that we were exploring.

AM: Did you think that you would still be

part of this franchise after all of these years

and why have continued to be involved?

JB: Never! I thought it was going to be a

really fun summer job because I was in college

when we started shooting Fast and it

came out over the summer. So I thought

that it would be a fun summer gig. Never

did I think that it would go over 22 years

and 10 movies!

AM: You play Mia Toretto, can you tell us

about her and why you enjoy playing her?

JB: I love her strength. What attracted me

was her strength and that is what I love

exploring now. But now, I love the physicality

of it. I love the fight scenes, I love

training for the fight scenes, I love the

stunts, it’s challenging because I want

to be able to prove to everyone that I

can do it.

AM: What can you tell us about Fast X

for those that have yet to see this film?

JB: For those of you that haven’t seen

it, I think that Jason Momoa (Game of

Thrones, Aquaman franchise, Dune: Part

One) is a fun and interesting villain that

almost makes it so hard to hate him.

He’s sociopathic and to see that in a Fast

and Furious movie, was really fun.

AM: What do you want to see in future

Fast and Furious films?

JB: I would love to see a female spin-off

with Helen Mirren (Catherine the Great,

1923, The Good Liar), Nathalie Emmanuel

(Game of Thrones, Die Hart, Maze Runner:

The Death Cure), Charlize Theron

(Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde,

Bombshell), Brie Larson (Captain Marvel,

Avengers franchise, Lessons in Chemistry),

and Michelle Rodriguez (Machete,

Avatar, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor

Among Thieves)! That would be so much

fun and I think that there are so many

strong female actresses in the franchise

now that it would be awesome to have

a female spin-off.

AM: You have another movie that’s out,

Simulant, tell us about this movie and

why you wanted to be part of it?

JB: I think that now with the headlines

of AI and how far we have come now

with Artificial Intelligence, Simulant will

resonate with audiences because I play

this widow, Faye who brings her husband

back as a robot and has to grapple

with what that means. I think that that

possibility is not too far in our future. I

think that audiences will love Simulant

and I had a really fun time filming it! It’s

also directed by a female director, April

Mullen (Imposters, DC's Legends of Tomorrow,

The 100) who’s super super talented.

AM: When you’re not on set, you’re on the

field with your kids! What do they play and

what is it like getting them prepped and

your post-game routine for them?

JB: So my kids, they’re very very active.

They love playing football, lacrosse, Jiu Jitsu,

soccer – there’s not really a sport that

they don’t like. So there are tons of uniforms

and tons of sweat so they get really

really stinky. What I have learned that has

really helped me in their routine is Lysol

Laundry Sanitizer and what I have also realized

is that it is the bacteria that makes

the clothes so so stinky. Luckily, Lysol kills

99.9% of that so I just add that to my routine

and they come out smelling fresh and

clean and ready to play again.

AM: Tell us about Lysol’s Labs Tour.

JB: I will be visiting NY in about a month

and I will do the Lysol Labs Tour and we

are going to teach people how to use

the Lysol Sanitizer and how to add it to

their step. I think that it’s going to really

streamline a lot for moms and it’s really

going to help them. I think that the kids

are going to be grateful too because they

are no longer going to be stinky.

@jordanabrewster

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 136 Peter

Mountain/Universal Pictures | PG 138 Lysol

|

THE ART OF

THE SNACK:

NEW YORK

GOA

This month's The Art of the Snack takes

us to Goa New York, an Indian restauran

that takes our taste buds to another level

with their savory dishes! We had the

chance to catch up with Chef/Owner and

Restaurateur Hemant Bhagwani who has

opened a number of restaurants in Canada!

With Goa New York, he brings his

vision of Indian food here in NY for us to

enjoy. We wanted to find out more about

his culinary background, how he got into

the industry, opening Goa, and what we

can expect when we come in with our

friends and family for an amazing meal!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Can you tell us about

your background and culinary journey?

CHEF HEMANT BHAGWANI: I was born in

India and got my hotel and culinary management

degree in Switzerland. I then put

my learning to use in Sydney and Dubai,

getting involved in every stage of a restaurant

from start-up operations to turning

around struggling ones to taking successful

ones to new heights. I landed in Toronto

in 2000 and launched my Canadian

career. After adding a professional sommelier

certification to my qualifications, I

decided to set out on my own in an effort

to get Indian cuisine the recognition and

respect it rightfully deserves. Since 2002,

I have opened 57 restaurants.

AM: You are a celebrated Indian chef/chef

restaurateur in Toronto and have opened a

number of restaurants in Canada. Why did

you want to open your first U.S. project?

CHEF HB: I have long wanted to bring my

style of Indian food to the U.S., and I am

very excited to start with New York City.

This is truly where it's at! Getting Indian

food recognized for its range, flavors, variety

and array of ingredients is what I have

always strived towards. The logical next

step for me after Canada was the U.S.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You're known for channeling

the vibe of Goa. Can you tell us about

this and what that means?

CHEF HB: In 2017, feeling burned out from

many years in the restaurant industry, I

sold my company and took a six-month

sabbatical. I spent those six months in

Goa, where I fell in love with the place,

the culture, and most importantly the

cuisine. Goa is not just a place. It's a vibe.

It's colorful, vibrant, pulsating with energy.

It's unlike anything and any place

else! Goa is India's happy place or as I

call it the 'Miami' of India.

AM: You launched Goa New York in Tribeca

in Feb, from an ambiance standpoint,

what can diners expect when they are

coming for their next great meal?

CHEF HB: Goa New York is a luxurious

space that draws its inspiration from

nature as its palette. When you step

through the doors, you are greeted by

the sight of two peacocks that were

custom designed for the space. Whimsically,

we call them Melody and Mayura

(peacock in Hindi). As you continue further

inside, you will see our interpretation

of the Tree of Life, inspired by the

century-old banyan tree in Arambol,

Goa. The wallpaper is also evocative of

nature scenes with flora and fauna. We

aim to combine the ambience with exquisite

food and drink offerings, and

music, to bring a sublime experience every

time.

AM: What ingredients and spices are associated

with Indian cuisine?

CHEF HB: Indian cuisine is actually many,

many different regional cuisines. But

religion also plays a role in how the

same dish might be prepared. Broadly

speaking, and just to name a few spices,

Indian cuisine uses turmeric (also recognized

worldwide now for its health

benefits), cumin, coriander, garam masala,

fenugreek, asafetida, and Indian

red chili powder (which is brighter and

hotter than paprika), as well as ingredients

such as cinnamon, bay leaf, mace,

nutmeg, fennel seeds, carom, cloves,

mustard seeds, curry leaves. What my

restaurants specialize in is using locally

available high-quality ingredients and

giving them the traditional Indian treatment.

The result is what you will experience

when you visit Goa New York.

AM: Your menu reflects your culinary journey

across the world. Why was it important

to bring this modern, playful and interactive

take to the food that is offered here?

CHEF HB: One learns from one's travels! I

have been traveling, learning, and evolving

since I left India right after high school.

Along the journey, my skills have been

honed, my repertoire has expanded, and

the learning continues, of course. This is

the very reason I am here, to bring MY

take. That includes the modern aspect,

and the playful and interactive take. I believe

that when you come to my restaurant,

you are my guest as much as you

would be at my home so you get to have

the full benefit of my experiences around

the world.

AM: What are 3 appetizers that you suggest

that we should have when we come

in?

CHEF HB: I recommend the Shrimp Balchao

Toast Tiger Shrimp in a spicy tangy

spicy sauce, red radish, prawn chili oil,

on Japanese milk bread toast; Goan Style

Slaw Goan Salad with 16 ingredients,

green chili, salted star fruit, and plum

dressing; and Hamachi Ceviche Coconut

Broth, kokum dressing, crispy puffed rice,

and chili salsa.

AM: What are 3 entrees that we should

have with friends and family?

CHEF HB: Great for friends and family are

the Goan Prawn Curry with okra, drumsticks,

coconut, kokum, dried mango,

Portuguese chili-garlic oil; Pork Tenderloin

Sorpotal an essential pork curry from Goa,

slow cooked, with caramelized onions,

roasted kohlrabi curry; and Laal Maas

8-hour slow-cooked, bone-in goat leg in

Rajasthani red chilies. I also recommend

the Butter Chicken because I do think we

make the best butter chicken in NYC - it's

charcoal smoked.

AM: What are 3 sides that we must have?

CHEF HB: Some of our great sides include

the House baked sourdough poi

bread which we serve with a choice of

chorizo butter or balchao butter; Shakuti

Chicken Pao white chicken massaged

with coconut and then cooked in a spicy

tamarind curry, served with pao bread;

and the Rawa Fish Fry with granulated

wheat chili crisp, pickled red cabbage,

green chili chutney. The chicken and

fish are listed as appetizers, but I love to

have them as sides! The portion size is

perfect to add as a side to any dish.

AM: In terms of cocktails, what are 3 that

we should have?

CHEF HB: The Goan Paradise a classic Goan-Portuguese

cocktail from the 1920s

with coconut feni (Goan spirit), fresh

lime juice, spicy syrup smoked on the

table; Kokum Margarita with Ginjo-shu

tequila curry leaf, lime juice, kokum salt,

agave nectar; and the Goan Shandy with

ginger wine, ginger cordial, lemon juice,

wheat beer, ginger matchsticks - are all

great options!

AM: Dessert is a great way to end a meal,

what are 3 that we should share with

friends and family?

CHEF HB: I recommend the crispy Jalebi

Rabdi, which we serve with Moscato;

Bebinca Goan layered coconut cake

paired with sherry; and the Cumin-chocolate

Fondant with tawny port.

@goanewyork

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Michael Tulipan

One of our shows that we can't wait to

watch is FX's Mayans MC which is a spin-off

of Sons of Anarchy! This series focuses on

the Mayans biker club, the Galindo Cartel,

complicated relationships that are generated

in a number of ways and fighting to

stay together by any means necessary!

We sat down with Sarah Bolger to talk

about being part of this cast, the series

finale, her character Emily Galindo, what

she learned about being part of this show,

what we can expect for the final season,

about relationships that were established

between cast and crew, and upcoming

projects!

If you have not watched the previous seasons

or have missed some of the episodes

of this season, spoiler alert, we will be

talking about plot points that include the

previous seasons as well as up to episode 3

of this season. Catch up on Hulu and watch

each week on FX.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the moment

that you realized that you wanted to be an

actor?

SARAH BOLGER: Oh my God, so I started

acting – well, to answer your question, I

don’t remember! I started acting when I

was 5!

AM: Oh my God!

SB: My first feature film was a little Irish/

UK co-pro film called, A Love Divided.

That’s when I was 6 years old. That’s when

we filmed it! But I will say that around

the age of 13/14/15, when high school becomes

more important and when it becomes

a thing where one says, that one

must be in school – one must pay attention

– one must not miss class – it became

really apparent to me that I missed acting.

Like, this is every child. No child wants to

be in school I’m sure; however, for me, it

literally was a thing where I’ve never felt

more at home in a place, than on a film

set. That still remains true to this day as

sort of woo woo as that sounds! It’s so

true and it’s just one of those things that I

have always felt really comfortable with

and that I have always felt really confidant

in. I have always felt that something

about it was just the right place

for me. So yeah, it was early on as mad

as that sounds!

AM: We love hearing that and we love

that even in doing it such a younger age,

you were able to reconnect with it again

which is awesome!

SB: Yeah, thankfully, I have been able

to do a bunch of little parts back in the

early days and then I did a film when I

was around 10 that ended up bringing

me to LA because it got nominated for

a couple of fun things and proudly, that

project was something that was really

beloved and it was so interesting. I can

look back on that today and it’s one of

the few things, it was called In America,

it’s one of the few things that I can actually

rewatch because I’m so young in it!

I don’t remember it and it’s a different

person than me!

AM: You have been in some of my favorite

shows from The Tudors, Once Upon a

Time, Agent Carter, Counterpart and obviously,

Mayans MC, what do you look for

when you’re deciding on whether you’re

going to audition for a role?

SB: I know when Mayans came along,

there was a history of a couple of roles

where I was playing a princess if I am

going to be honest. I remember loving

how opposite Mayans was to any of

the worlds that I had been able to portray

or to live in before artistically and

I thought, this fascinates me. Not only

in that the predecessor show was so

amazing, it was more of that, “ok, this

is just a world of violence and gangs and

California, and modern day and family

and culture! It’s just so wonderful and

exciting and important – with Mayans

in particular, it just felt so different than

any other show that I was able to do before.

Specifically, I didn’t have to wear a

corset which I thought was great!

AM: That was a relief!

SB: Yeah, my ribs took a break, you know?

AM: Exactly!

You said that what attracted you to playing

Emily. How do you approach playing

her?

SB: Well I think that what’s so beautiful

about having 5 seasons of a show is that

every season, I have to approach her a little

differently, because she has grown like

I have grown! We all change and I’m not

saying that we change so drastically year

to year, but in circumstances to which Emily

has lived in, being part of the Cartel

which is stressful, I can only imagine how

it is so stressful! It’s stressful to act in – not

only to be in real life! Things like that and

her having a child. These things that I personally

as Sarah have not been something

that I have experienced – it was just a lot to

her that I felt that I had to do my research

on and really learn her and change her as

her circumstances changed as the stakes

got higher. As it got higher and the show

progressed, it got really clear that Emily

was a person that was very dependent on

changing herself to fit into whatever circumstance

that was. Whether it was her

ex-love, using people as crutches, whether

it was hiding behind organizations, or

her husband – I think that what happened

with Emily which was so cool to be able to

do is to remove herself from that sturdy

position that she had put herself in and it

kind of made her very wobbly and made

her make a lot of mistakes and made her

very unsteady and very uncertain. That’s

kind of very cool and very human – very

very human.

AM: How do you feel that she’s kind of connected

between two very different characters

– between EZ (JD Pardo) and Miguel

(Danny Pino). How do you feel that she

perceives that balance that she is always

having to walk between the two because

she’s inextricably tied to them constantly?

SB: Totally and well said! I think that for

Emily it is the balancing act of secrecy

and lies. She has this person, EZ, who

is her childhood crush, who is the love

of her life potentially, who by the way

she knows that she can never be with.

He’s progressed in an avenue of his life

where she can no longer catch him. She

has progressed to an avenue in her life

that he couldn’t fit into. So it’s not like

there is this long lost yearning for what

could be.

I think that when it comes to EZ, Emily

reverts to childhood, reverts to help

me, she reverts to “I need you,” save me

– she reverts to these things that happens

to younger loves.

With Miguel, if people were to ask me if I

think that she loved him, I think that she

beyond loved him. I think that without

him, she wouldn’t have Cristόbal (Obadiah

and Benjamin Abel), her child and

as much as she fears him or hates him,

there is a constant and truthful admiration

maybe for him, for the love that

they shared in that pocket of time that

gave them their family. It gave her hope,

it gave her security, and that gave her a

future.

I think that between the two, it’s like

fragmented love. Emily has almost no

lover for herself because she keeps part

of her love for EZ and she keeps part of

this love for Miguel, but really, she is lost

in and of herself. So I think that if you

were asking me, she is in between these

two people, but it’s tearing her apart!

AM: Right!

SB: It’s only ruining her, it doesn’t ruin

the other two.

AM: It’s so interesting to watch and we

see your face and we see all the emotions!

SB: She’s just so sad!

AM: Last week’s episode was just oh my

gosh – this is awful!

SB: I know! Are you up to episode 3?

AM: Yes, yes!

SB: I had to check ha!

AM: I mean on one level, they’re on the

swing set together and they’re saying so

much, but neither can go back because too

much has been done!

SB: No! There is no going back for either

of them. I know that I’m definitely pulling

from history here in terms of the Emily

and EZ story. Even though their story is

very different, they have kind of had a little

bit of a mirror life. They both had this

trajectory of escapism, escaping their history,

escaping their family, being together,

going to college, getting degrees, getting

jobs, and they were both crumped

by EZ’s prison sentence. In truth, it sentenced

them both to a life that they didn’t

intend to lead. That’s not necessarily talked

about because Emily – that’s not something

that she has on her shoulders all the

time. But me as Sarah looking from a distance,

I’m looking at the show thinking

that their actual trajectories are very very

similar. They both have had to dig down

and they feel that they are almost left with

no choices right? Whether it’s the cartel

of the MC, it’s these things that they had

no intention of ever being involved in, but

now they are so deeply involved in that

the only way out is down!

AM: Yeah, it’s just heartbreaking because

the puzzle pieces can’t fit.

SB: Right and of course, who knows how

they will end, but I just know that for me,

the storyline for me has not been about

her trying to get back to EZ, but actually

just having Emily get back to herself.

AM: Absolutely.

We’ve watched Emily do this over the past

5 seasons. For those readers that may need

a bit of a refresher and to catch up, where

did we leave Emily in season 4 and where

are we picking her back up again this sea-

on?

SB: At the end of season 4, Emily had

removed herself from her husband, had

gone on the run, had taken – sort of kidnapped

Cristόbal, her son, as it was and

with the aid of her sister, was able to

escape and with the help of her knowledge

of certain criminal behavior, she

was able to get a passport with a different

name. She was able to steal Miguel’s

additional cash and sort of go on the

run and hide from him and people were

convinced that Miguel had died, but she

was never convinced of that. She took

a job working in a restaurant, just so

she could send money back to her sister

and her child just to feed them. I think

that the point of season 4 for Emily was

that any life was so much better, even

if it was a dingy apartment with cockroaches,

it was so much better than that

castle which was just a prison. She had

been on the run and the final episode of

season 4 is Miguel finding Cristόbal – killing

– well we don’t know who necessarily

kills her sister in terms of which hand,

but the organization kills her sister and

Emily being asked maniacally by Miguel

to return home and that all is forgiven,

and that they need to be a family again.

Emily is without choice, she’s without

options, without funds and without her

child – so there was no other choice for

her, but to return back to really just be

close to her kid again.

AM: In looking at the 3rd episode of this

season, it was really interesting because

it’s looking at the complicated nature

or relationships. Not just between Emily

and EZ, Emily and Miguel, but more importantly

you have Filipe and Miguel –

there’s this whole crazy thing going on!

SB: I know! He has this whole thing for

brothers.

AM: It’s crazy because at the end of the

day, you ask yourself where does Cristόbal

hang in the balance on all of this?

It’s such a big family network, but it’s not

a known family network yet – so it’s a lot

of plot twists. What can you tell us about

what we can expect as we continue to

watch this season as I know you can’t really

give spoilers, but what should we be

looking out for?

SB: I think that family has always been a

really big theme of the show. It’s been an

important theme whether it’s the blood

you come from or the blood you create.

It tears us, it humanizes us, and humbles

us and I think that knowing how important

family is, I feel that this will be an important

story developing from that, but

also I think that even for Emily, I wonder if

Emily ever gets all of that information and

what would that do to her and her family?

I guess we will see.

AM: We will see!

SB: We will see!

AM: What have you enjoyed the most

about playing the part and also being part

of this cast? What’s the biggest takeaway

that you’re going to have once this show

completely wraps?

SB: That day, my last day on set – I know

that the end of a job is emotional for everyone.

You’ve literally spent 16 hours

a day, 5 days a week and mostly at midnight

with this community and with this

crew, and with this cast! They know when

you didn’t sleep, they know if you have a

headache, they know that the rain is miserable

and we’re all soaked together or

the heat is crazy and we’re all overheated

together. There’s so much that you share

and there is so much by osmosis that they

learn about you and that you learn about

them. There is just this element of the familiar

– every day you’re like, “don’t worry,

I’ll see you next year.”

Episode 10 wrapped and you’re like, we’ll

get another season. There wasn’t that

this year. Not being able to say, “hopefully,

I’ll see you in 4 months,” was really gut

wrenching for me. For both, our cast and

our crew. I mean this so sincerely, our cast

is insanely talented, but we have the best

crew in the world! From the camera

department to the AD, to the transpo

unit, to costume – they work so hard!

Again, we spend so much time together!

I won’t have that tomorrow, I won’t

have that next year. It makes me so sad

because they were a huge part of my life

for the last 6 years! It’s 5 seasons but it’s

6 annual years.

AM: Yeah, that’s a long time! It’s a significant

chunk.

SB: Oh my God, I feel like, you know –

we find ourselves in our mid to late 20’s

– that’s when I started the show! I grew

up there! I have become a woman who’s

paid attention to taxes through the

show!

AM: Facts!

Do you have any upcoming projects that

we should keep an eye out for?

SB: You know, there’s a show that I am

attached to and it’s called Rematch that

is all secret except that I know that that

piece of information has been released.

It’s about Garry Kasparov who is a famous

chess player and that’s the blurb

that has been released so that’s all that

one can say and hopefully that will be

released sometime very soon. But that’s

very excited and I really enjoyed filming

that in Budapest.

@sarahbolger

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 156, 158,

161 + PG 176/179 63MIX ROUTIN3S FX/

Mayans MC

ATHLEISURE LIST: Las Vegas, NV

HAKKASAN LAS VEGAS

When we're out in Las Vegas, we know

that when it comes to have an epic,

over the top night out, you have to

head over to the MGM Grand Hotel &

Casino in Las Vegas and do it up at Tao

Group Hospitality's Hakkasan Nightclub!

This premier venue is a worldclass

destination for top DJs and artists

for an experience that you won't

want to miss!

When the Denver Nuggets won their

hard fought NBA Championship, we

found them here for their victory celebration!

NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic,

Jamal Murray, Michael Porter, Bruce

Brown, Aaron Gordon, DeAndre Jordan,

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and

the rest of the team started their night

with dinner at Hakkasan enjoying signature

dishes before they continued

their night at the nightclub which was

packed with a massive crowd who also

joined in on the celebration!

The team kept the party going by sitting

at their VIP tables that was on the

stage. DJ Pauly D and Justin Credible

were in the booth and their win was

toasted with a 3-liter bottle of Perrier

Jouet Brut Champagne.

Obviously, this was a great place to enjoy

their massive win, but even when

you're not rubbing elbows with your

favorite athletes who are world champions,

you can enjoy the nights that

Hakkasan has to offer by organizing

your night with dinner at their restaurant

and then coming in to enjoy your

favorite DJ who happens to be there

for their set from a number of genres

that you have on your playlist.

For those navigating how to get to the

nightclub you walk from the front of


the hotel through the casino and take

a left toward Whiskey Down. Walk

past it, The David Copperfield Theatre

and TAP and Hakkasan will be on your

left.

If you're on The Strip, Hakkasan is located

near the entrance of the Las

Vegas Strip. Once you walk into MGM

Grand, take a right and you'll be at

Hakkasan for an epic night ahead!

HAKKASAN LAS VEGAS

NIGHTCLUB

3799 S Las Vegas Blvd

Las Vegas, NV 89109

taogroup.com

@hakkasannightclub

PHOTO CREDITS | Sam Marshall

for Tao Group Hospitality



ATHLEISURE LIST: Brooklyn, NY

RESTAURANT YUU

Restaurant Yuu is located between Williamsburg

and Greenpoint in Brooklyn

with a classic dining style at a beautiful

black stone chef's tasting counter.

Chef/Owner Yuu Shimano trained at

Tsuji Culinary Institute in both Osaka,

Japan and Lyon France. He graduated

in 2002. His first 12 years of his career

was in France where he began at

two-Michelin-starred La Villa des Lys

at the Hotel Majestic in Cannes before

becoming the Chef de Partie of Meats

and Sauces at three-Michelin-starred

Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris. In 2017

he was tapped by Tokyo Restaurant

Factory to open MIFUNE New York

where he served as Executive Chef for

5 years and garnered a Michelin plate.

Their Pastry Chef Masaki Takahashi

previously worked at two-Michelin-starred

Narisawa in Tokyo. Chef

de Cuisine Shuji Furukawa previously

worked as Executive Chef at The Gallery

by Odo. Sommelier Akio Atsumoto

worked at the three-Michelin-starred

L'Effervescence in Tokyo.

Their French 18 Course Omakase Menu

focuses on traditional and classical

French cuisine that they modernized

creating new flavor profiles to impress

guests. The 18 courses are served

through 22 different dishes, as some

of them like Trout (a smoked trout

tartlet with fennel cream, finished

with smoked trout roe) and Octopus (a

bite-sized octopus fritter made from

simmered octopus and shrimp croute


and served with red) is the first course.

Three dishes that are the chef/owner's

favorite is his signature Duck and Foie

Gras Pie, a house made pie filled with

duck breast and duck thigh, spinach,

and foie gras, served with a black pepper

cognac and duck jus sauce; Ayu, a

young Japanese ayu fish wrapped in a

shiso leaf then fried, served with shutou

sauce made of fermented bonito

cooked in soy sauce, and egg yolk; as

well as the main dessert Plum, a miniature

soufflé served in plumb compote

with almond ice cream.

Their tasting menu is seasonal and will

change every 3 months with the next

menu launching at the end of July. The

Duck and Foie Gras Pie is their signature

dish so it will remain on the menu.

Their digestif offerings after the meal


is a coffee and tea service paired with

four mignardise: Pistachio Macaron,

Chocolate Grand Marnier Muscadine,

Kiwi and Tarragon Pate de Fruite, and

Lemon Cream Tart. Their sommelier

Akio Matsumoto can recommend a

bespoke digestif of sake or fortified

wine based on their preference of a

dry or sweet after dinner drink.

RESTAURANT YUU

55 Nassau Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11222

yuunewyork.com

@restaurant_yuunyc

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | Dariia

Neshama



Stay connected and follow us across our

social channels on @AthleisureMag!




Bingely Books

ZERO DAYS

Gallery/Scout Press

Ruth Ware

We like a good thriller and Ruth Ware's

Zero Days, gives us just that! Husband and

wife team Jack and her husband Gabe

are hired by companies as penetration

specialists to break into buildings and to

hack security systems. After being

hired to do this work, the job

goes wrong and when Jack goes

home, she finds her husband is

dead! Not only is he dead, but

she knows that the police have

her as a suspect. Now she's running

against time and must clear

her name as well as find Gabe's

killer.

As she navigates this mystery,

she has to reassess everything

that she knows and figure out

who she can trust to help her figure

everything out!

EGG ROLL & SWEET TEA:

ASIAN INSPIRED, SOUTH-

ERN STYLE

Gibbs Smith

Natalie Keng

The fusion dishes that are presented

in Egg Roll & Sweet Tea:

Asian Inspired, Southern Style

allows us to bring Asian and

Southern cuisine together with

100 recipes.

You'll find a number of dishes

that hit our comfort food spot

including: Fried Chicken Spring

Rolls with Honey, Rainbow Black-

Rice Salad, Okra and Tomato Stir-

Fry, Black-Eyed Pea Hummus,

Golden Milk and Sorghum Hot

Toddy, and a number of several

recipes for an array of egg rolls

and sweet teas.

Natalie Keng is known for cre-


shows how it doesn't have to be unhealthy

and heavy - it is a reimagination

of our favorite dishes!

This cookbook has you covered from

breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizers,

snacks, desserts and so much more.

We loved seeing Sheet Pan Catfish

with Okra, Corn and Tomatoes; Chile-

Soaked Watermelon with Smoked Almonds;

Creamy Roasted-Garlic Mashed

Potatoes; Pimiento Cheese Hummus

and so much more!

Whether you grew up eating this or

you've wanted to try it but in a lighter

way, add this cookbook to your shelf!

ating Asian sauces that take your dishes

to another level. She created this cookbook

as a way to combine her favorite

dishes that she grew up with. She is focused

on these core dishes, sauces, and

drinks that allow home cooks to prepare

and share these finds with friends

and family!

SOUTHERN LIGHTS: EASIER,

LIGHTER, AND BETTER FOR

YOU RECIPES FROM THE SOUTH

Gibbs Smith

Lauren McDuffie

There's nothing better then making

a dish that you grew up with and being

able to add a twist to it to make it

healthy! In Southern Lights: Easier, Lighter,

And Better For You Recipers From the

South, Lauren McDuffie takes a fresh

take on Southern-style cooking and



Bingely Streaming

BLACK MIRROR

Netflix Series

Netflix

It's been awhile but Black Mirror is back

with 5 new episodes that let you think

about connectivity, technology, interpersonal

relationships and so much more! This

season we're left with wondering

about the extent of privacy

and how by giving it out, we may

be allowing more access to who

we are then we ever thought! We

also look at how much our love

for True Crime may uncover secrets

and behaviors that we never

thought that those who we know

have! It also makes us think about

how the act of assisting someone

or giving time to others can have

adverse affects. We found that

we were able to binge all the episodes

in one weekend day and

left our screens wondering about

these themes as well as hoping

that there would be another season

to keep us pondering soon!

AND JUST LIKE THAT

Max Original

HBO/Max + Spotify

Fans of Sex and the City were

treated to And Just Like That last

year which picked up with the

our favorite ladies of NYC. We returned

to them last year in new

ciscumstances as well as bringing

in new friends to shake up what

we knew about them and to diversify

their lives!

This month, the second season

is back with more stories to tell,

more challenges to take on, and

to to continue to strive to live

their best lives with an array of

nuances!

As you know, this show also has a

podcast companion series which

takes us into the writer's room to

talk in depth about each episode

as well as to talk about how they


approached writing the episode,

whose personal experiences it was

based on and how it ties into art,

styling and more. Episodes of this

spin-off series drop weekly and if you

missed anything, you can catch up on

Max for this series as well as Sex and

the City. Also listen to the podcast

show on your favorite platforms.

HIDDEN SIGNAL:

EVERGREEN

QCODE

Spotify

We're enjoying another immersive

audio drama from QCODE has been

released and it takes us to the end

and possible beginning of the world

in Hidden Signal: Evergreen. Hidden

Signal is an Anthology for QCODE

and Evergreen focuses on a hand selected

team of the world's greatest

minds who are trapped in a subterranean

biosphere. They realize that on

Earth, an asteroid has destroyed the


surface and that they are tasked to create a

new society. Mistrust abounds among the

group and the line between hero and villain

is not easily seen in this fictional podcast.

With so much uncertainty, can they come

together and trust one another?




Athleisure Mag JUN ISSUE #90

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