Athleisure Mag JUN ISSUE #102

ISSUE #102

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PUBLISHER

Paul Farkas

EDITORIAL

Kimmie Smith

Co-Founder, Creative + Style Director

Paul Farkas

Co-Founder, Artistic Director + Tech Director

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ATHLEISURE STUDIO

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table of contents

issue #102

jun 2024

175

STYLE FEATURES

THE PICK ME UP

180

96

IN OUR BAG

187 ROCK THIS FOR TENNIS,

PADEL, PICKLEBALL

+ COCKTAILS

BEAUTY FEATURES

VANILLA BEAUTY

Behind The Seams

Walter Mendez

This month’s cover is noted couture designer, Walter Mendez of Walter Mendez Atelier!

We talk about how he got into the industry, his passion, his creative process,

those who have worn his pieces and his recent exhibition at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

16

191

ATHLEISURE BEAUTY

9PLAYLIST

Kygo

®

International EDM DJ/Producer Kygo shares with us what he is listening to right now

for us to enjoy.

38

176

LIFESTYLE FEATURES

ATHLEISURE LIST

JW MARRIOTT LAS VEGAS

Escape with Flavor

40

Supermodel Chanel Iman talks with us

about Miami Swim Week and traveling!

Clearly Ahead

50

We chat with 3X WNBA Champion and

5X Team USA Basketball Gold Medalist,

Diana Taurasi.

178

ATHLEISURE LIST

JUICE GENERATION

AthleisureMag.com - 10 - Issue #102 | Jun 2024

Cooking For Champions

Chef Alexandre Mazzia

We took a moment to chat with 3 MICHELIN Star Chef Alexandre Mazzia who will

also be catering the Olympic Village at Paris 2024. We talk about how he got into the

industry, his approach to his cuising, being part of this year’s Summer Games, and

being an Olympic Torch bearer.

80

Art of the Snack

Blu on the Hudson

98

This month’s The Art of the Snack is

across the river and has epic views of

NYC! We find out about the cuisine and

what we should order on our next visit.

Back to Chicago

The Bear

108

S3 of FX’s The Bear dropped June 26th

and we talked with the cast to find out

about what we can expect from this

season.

If These Walls

Could Talk

125

We talk with Creator, Director and lead

actors of MGM+’s Hotel Cocaine to talk

about the show, the 70s, and The Mutiny

Hotel.

Governors Ball

2024

136

We had a great time this year at Governors

Ball 2024 June 7-9 at Flushing

Meadows Queen. A weekend filled with

music, food, and good vibes!

Issue #102 | Jun 2024

- 11 - AthleisureMag.com

This month's cover has been someone that

we have watched excitedly over the past

years. He hit our radar in 2012/2013 and we

were immediately struck by his design aesthetic

that ensures that you are the conversation

starter and statement in whatever

room you occupy! From the craftsmanship,

the visual texture, and passion of the designer,

Walter Mendez and his Walter Mendez

Atelier have been worn by celebrities,

iconic entertainers, socialites, and more.

When it comes to designing, it's about creating

a world and one that continues to

evolve from season to season. We wanted

to know more about how he got his start,

his creative process, his approach to his

RTW, couture, bridal and bespoke; his recent

The Golden Cage Exhibition held at

The Beverly Hills Hotel, what he's working

on, and how he takes time for himself.

ATHLEISURE MAG: I have loved your work

since 2012/2013 and certainly no later than

2014! So the fact that we’re chatting right

now is definitely a moment!

WALTER MENDEZ: Oh wow, you’ve literally

seen the journey and I am honored

that you have been aware of my brand for

that long! I think that everything that I say

in terms of what this collection means to

me, you’ll be able to understand a little bit

more. So that’s really beautiful, so thank

you!

AM: Well thank you! I’m the Co-Founder/

Creative + Style Dir of Athleisure Mag as

well as being a fashion stylist, so I have followed

your work on Instagram and those

who have worn your pieces. Your design

aesthetic, your approach to bodies whether

they are male or female is so amazing. I

grew up in a family of designers and product

designers. My mom was a couture designer

and so I have such an appreciation

for you and the space. So I know our readers

are going to love it, but I want to tell

you thank you for creating this and things

that I have looked at when I was in an airport

on my way to wherever or when I’m

scrolling as I go about my day – the pieces

truly transport me away to somewhere

else and it’s a vibe! So I thank you for

what you have done!

WM: Well thank you, it truly is appreciated.

There are moments like yesterday

when I was posting and last night I was

going through photos it made me say

wow. I’m genuinely so proud about what

I have accomplished, of my craftsmanship,

my aesthetic, my voice as a designer

and I’m just so proud of what I know

and what I feel that I represent. And not

just what I represent to my family, but

so many other people out there.

AM: When did you fall in love with fashion?

WM: I would have to say that falling in

love with fashion really started early on.

I remember being probably 4 or 5 and

I just remember putting on my favorite

jacket and what was so surreal to me in

that memory is that feeling of that jacket.

I just felt so cool and the minute that

I would put that jacket on I felt that I

was owning that room. I remember feeling

that feeling and I knew that that was

the essence that I wanted to capture in

my designs. It was the essence that I

want my clients to feel because it’s such

a beautiful feeling. I’m sure that you can

relate. You have an outfit where you can

say, “I know I slay.”

AM: Oh yeah!

WM: I know that when I walk into a

room, this outfit shows that I mean business.

That feeling, that is the essence of

my brand and the essence that I want to

give every client of mine. That’s priceless.

The energy that you’re able to

control your entire day – when you feel

good, you’re walking and you’re able to

walk to the beat of your own drum, people

notice. You attract a different experience.

AM: At what point did you realize that

you wanted to be a fashion designer and

then that you wanted to create your own

namesake collection?

WM: I think that I always played with the

idea of being a fashion designer and as

someone growing up who didn’t have

much, I found myself kind of wanting

more. Looking back, I see the beauty in it

and I always look at the fact that having

nothing allowed me to dream of everything.

You know, we all have the things that

spark our interest. We all have our things

that we gravitate towards on a level of

beauty. Because I’m just that type of person

who loves that, I thought, “ok, I may

not be able to afford it, and I may not be

able to go out and get it, so I’m going to

create it.” That’s really where my creativity

flourished and I found myself being

challenged. I remember my first dresses. I

honestly barely only had one sewing class.

But I knew I wanted to play with fabrics

and I knew I wanted to play with textures

and shapes. So how those dresses came

together, I don’t know, but they came together

and I saw the vision and the look.

It was just so beautiful to see my journey

evolve.

AM: I love that!

How do you describe or define your design

aesthetic?

WM: My design aesthetic in terms of modern

day context, I feel that I design for the

main character. For me, if I am dressing

you, I’m dressing you to be the star. If you

are coming to me, you are going to walk

into that event and you are going to own

the room. If you want to go to an event

and kind of be low key -

AM: Then don’t wear your designs!

WM: Ha ha – I want to give you that full

fantasy moment from the minute that

you walk into the room and for everyone

to want to know you, want to talk to you,

give you compliments and for them to be

in love with your essence. That is what I

give my clients because I know the power

and the importance of feeling good and

looking good. It’s really about learning to

get the most out of a special event. That’s

really what it is. Everyone that comes to

me, it’s for a special event. I know that

the level of production, the level of experience

that you’re going to – it’s elevated

and more than your average day. I know

that I can elevate it to another level.

AM: I will say that there are times when I

am watching a red carpet or a music video,

there is an ethereal quality whether

you’ve designed something that is closer

to the body or has various dimensions to

it, I can tell when it is one of your pieces

that I am looking at. I know it before the

credit has been rolled or stated. You can

just tell.

WM: Yes!

AM: It’s amazing, it’s absolutely stunning.

What was your feeling when you

launched your first brick-and-mortar

store? What did that feel like as it is such

a huge accomplishment.

WM: It was such a beautiful feeling because

for me, I felt that it gave me a

home. It was such a beautiful feeling to

feel that I have something that is mine

and I am focusing on a legacy. Even looking

back, in this moment now, I look back

at that Atelier – it was beautiful. I’m so

proud of it.

Despite being in a different situation than

I am now with the level of clientele obviously,

my world knowledge, my fashion

knowledge – I literally have always tried

to make the most out of everything that

I have. That is always the advice that I

have to myself. It’s about being creative

and how do I take it to the next level?

How do I challenge myself?

AM: How do you get inspired for each

season the you create or for that which

is bespoke? Where do you start pulling

from?

is bespoke? Where do you start pulling

from?

WM: When I design the collections, I always

pull from almost a point of my own

personal journey of where I am in that

time. So, I always have a lot of self reflection.

So what’s my outlook in life, what am

I excited about, what intrigues me, what

fantasy world would I want to go to next?

It’s all a form of a little bit of manifestation

and a little bit of a form of intrigue/

interest. Like for example, prior to the

Golden Cage, I did the Odyssey Collection.

For me, I looked at it and at that time, I

had traveled the world and I had seen

so many beautiful places and it was like,

what’s next? So it was the idea of playing

with a bit of an outer space world evolved.

I started being inspired by different stars,

three dimensional Saturn rings, the idea

evolved from that and I wanted it to feel

modern and sleek and sophisticated – but

for it to still have this element of wonder.

That led me to The Golden Cage where I

felt that I could do an artistic reflection of

my journey. I wanted it to be a love letter

to the younger me.

AM: Do you ever look at a fabric – sometimes

from a stylist perspective, I see a

fabric, a handbag etc and that notion gets

stuck in my head and I think about how I

can style around that idea for a look or series

of looks for an editorial. Have you ever

had a nagging item that eventually found

its way to being part of a beautiful collection?

WM: Yes and that happens very often! It

happens all of the time. Sometimes it can

be a physical item that I end up using a

prop or it can be a particular movie or music

or a certain film. Anything that is able

to evoke emotion in me can be used as

a form of inspiration. For me, it is so important

to capture that essence and then

it just evolved. It evolves when you put

the different pieces together, it evolves

into the next level. For me, it’s like how

does this go into a movie – let me create

the characters – let me create the story of

how can I make all of these dresses that

are very much so different but are still

part of the same story.

I’m often my very own movie producer,

casting director, costume designer,

and then it all just makes sense in my

head.

AM: You have created this brand that

is so coveted by so many people. It’s

luxury, it’s on the red carpets, in divas’

residencies, it’s on celebrities, socialites

– what does it mean to you to have that

kind of impact with the people that

want to wear your work and want you

to be part of their story when it’s their

moment?

WM: It’s truly surreal, it’s a blessing,

it’s a privilege. I love what I do and I

am so proud of what I do, but I am also

blessed that the people that believe in

me are able to not just want to wear

me, but to be part of my story! I understand

that every single client when

they are coming to me whether it's a

red carpet, an event, a gala whatever

it is – I know that you are coming to

me because it’s a special moment. The

fact that you are choosing your special

moment to share it with me and my designs,

that to me just speaks volumes.

AM: Obviously you’re known for your

RTW collections, couture gowns, and

bridal. I love that you were quoted

saying that, “fashion was meant to be

custom made.” I love that and agree it

is such a privilege to have something

made with me in mind. Tailoring is always

key. Why should people understand

this and the importance of tailoring,

investment pieces as opposed

to spending on items that are not constructed

with us in mind and in many

ways are throw away.

WM: Yeah, it’s important for me to

communicate the fact that fashion is

meant to be custom. Because I feel like

it is almost a fogotten fact. When you

think about history, traditionally, royalty

– everything was custom made.

Even if you weren’t royalty, you would

get custom made because things weren’t

mass produced. The challenge with mass

production is that we all have different

body types. I mean as a person, one arm

is different than another. We are custom

built as people. We have individual stories

and we have individual needs. So even the

girls that are the same weight size – one

can have a little bit of a shorter torso, one

can have a longer torso -

AM: One boob is bigger than the other.

WM: Yeah there are so many details that

are just custom to your body. So when

something is mass produced, they’re trying

to find the middle ground. They’re

looking at hopefully the most amount

of people that can buy it. So if you’re off

slightly by any way, it’s never going to fit.

There is nothing more important than a

tailored piece for you.

AM: One of the things that I was talking

about at the beginning – I’ve always been

a fan of your social media. I love how it’s

about you, your line, your collection. I love

seeing you with Olivier Rousteing, Creative

Director of Balmain, and your account reflects

such a vibe of authenticity, this world

of luxury, globetrotting, etc. How important

is your social media to your brand to

showcase to those that are your clients,

potential future clients, friends, or people

who are simply conduits that can refer

others to you?

WM: I like my social media, because to me

it’s more than ever, I want to be a beacon

of representation for my people. I love

sharing all of these experiences because

I want to show other people who maybe

are from my same background, same

challenges, or just not your perfect typical

white picket fence All American life –

there are people like us in those spaces.

These spaces are for all of us and I always

tell my family, especially my cousins, and

my friends that my success is your success.

I want to prove to you all – people

like us that we can be in these spaces as

well. I think that some of is is being done

for the inner me. I literally grew up

thinking that someone like me a POC

would be in these spaces.

Growing up for me, every brown person

that I knew, they weren’t in a place

of status or those positions. So growing

up for me, there was a period of

time where I wondered, “can I not get

there?” Is that not how it works? More

than ever, I want to highlight to people

that I want to show them that we can

get there. You can get there and you

can do it wherever you want and you

have to believe in yourself. We have to

start somewhere.

AM: If you don’t see it, it can be hard

to visualize for some people when they

don’t have a road map. You do have to

start somewhere. You have to put in

the work and you can have this lovely

life.

WM: Also, besides representation, in

addition to my skin color, I also look at

all of the queer youth to show people

in the LGBTQIA community that there

are people in positions of status, in positions

of wealth and in environments

of wealth. We don’t see that enough

and I want to show people that everything

that makes you, you can make

it into what makes you strongest to

what makes your career and to be successful

at it is what is truly a blessing!

AM: Tell me about your fashion exhibition

at The Beverly Hills Hotel. It looked

stunning as I have seen the pictures as

well as coverage on this. Why did you

want to do this, what was the idea behind

it, and how long did it take you to

do as it was like a Met Gala Costume Institute’s

Exhibition. (Editor’s Note: The

Met Gala is the first Monday in May and

is the Oscars for fashion. It launched in

1948 and was the brain child of fashion

publicist Elanor Lambert who played a

key role in launching NYFW. Although

it has evolved since it’s inception, it's

current iteration includes a red carpet

with noted celebs dresses by designers

that attend this event in a specific theme.

The Met Gala is a charity and fundraiser

for The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume

Institute. The Gala has traditionally

been timed to mark the opening of its annual

fashion exhibition. For 2024, the Met

Gala’s dress code was The Garden of Time

and the exhibit for this year is Sleeping

Beauties: Reawakening Fashion and can be

seen at the Museum and features 250 rare

items from the Costume Institute’s permanent

collection. The exhibit spans over 400

years of fashion history and includes Schiaparelli,

Dior, Givenchy, etc. This year’s exhibit

will include 3 main zones – Land, Sea,

and Sky which pays tribute to the natural

world).

WM: So the reason why The Beverly Hills

Hotel was the place that I wanted to have

that moment was that I have always been

inspired by the 1957 Cadillac ad that was

shot at The Beverly Hills entrance. I’m sure

you know what I am talking about based

on that reaction.

I have always seen that photo as such a

glamorous moment in life. I have always

been allured by it. I have always gravitated

towards it so when it came to creating

and curating an event for my next collection,

I felt that I would use that moment

of inspiration. I need to give my people

that moment in a modern day life. To be

able to be someone who looks up to the

entire Metropolitan Museum and what

they represent, an event like the Met Gala,

I needed to make sure that whatever I deliver

was up to that level because I know

that I can. I know that I can, I know that

I deserve it, and I know that my clothing

is worthy of it. I know that my clothing is

meant to be in those spaces because I see

my work as my art and I know that what I

can do, nobody else can do. I am truly and

authentically me in my essence and in my

work. It’s a mixture of me being so proud

of my work and me being educated and

making sure that what is being presented

is not only going to impress me, my family,

and my friends, but is also going to impress

my clients, my peers, and anyone in

the fashion industry. Because to me, it's

such an honor to be able to get the

feedback from people that know what

they are talking about to be like, “wow,

I’m impressed.”

AM: It was stunning to see it. What did

it feel like to be in the room with everyone

from your friends, family, clients,

etc. to toast you like that as well as this

body of work?

WM: It felt like the different dimensions

of my spirit were coming together

and being acknowledged. Like

I was being celebrated for my creativity

while also being comfortable in my

skin, in my queerness, in my creativity,

in my aura while celebrating my family

and being a beacon of light for everyone

that has not only paved the way

for me to be there but also paved the

way for people who will walk after me.

To me, I want to be that leading force

and to show people, if I can do it, you

can do it. You just have to believe in it

and you have to work hard. You have to

be consistent because this just doesn’t

happen overnight.

That’s why I am so appreciative that

you love and are aware of my journey

because you have seen the elevation

of my work, my craft, and my dedication.

AM: And consistency.

WM: Yeah, you have to wake up everyday

and give it your best. I always

believe that it doesn’t matter how fast

you are moving, as long as you never

stop moving. As long as you can say

that you are better than you were yesterday,

that is all that matters.

AM: Absolutely – 100%!

What is the next project that you’re

going to be working on that we should

keep an eye out for?

WM: That’s a hard one! There is a lot

going on, but I do like to be mysterious

as I always like to surprise people. Even

for this event when I was sending out the

invites, it was “you are invited to the Walter

Experience.” So many people like my

close friends, were asking what it was,

what it meant and I told them, it’s a Walter

Experience – when you get there, you

will know! I wanted it to be an experience

and a moment where I could show me and

the way that I process things and it’s such

a complex way. Even when I was working

on the set design with the team and Butterfly

Floral, I was like, “it has to be bigger,

it has to be grander.” They were trying to

process it and asked me if I was sure. They

wondered if I wanted things so giant.

AM: Yes!

WM: And I was like, “YES!” It is important

for me to have people to be able to

look up because that is a moment that for

me, reminds me of my childhood. Always

feeling like I was looking up and having

that sense of wonder and exploration.

Because this was a love letter to my inner

me, I had to give that perspective.

AM: I’m sure you’re coming to the end on

working SS25 in terms of the collection

side. Are you going to be showing here in

NY, are you going to be showing in LA –

what can you tell us about that?

WM: I can definitely tell you that that is

what we are in talks on with the team.

It’s really amazing to see not just the response

here in the States, but also the international

response from other fashion

capitals of the world. To hear them tell

me that they love what I do and that they

would like us to show there and to be

part of their calendar for Fashion Week.

It’s so surreal because every season that I

come out, I am so excited to see the Fashion

Weeks around the world and to have

them now that these companies and production

companies now want me to be

part of those Fashion Week calendars it’s

a blessing! It just makes me so happy because

those moments it's so much but in

a blessing! It just makes me so happy because

those moments it's so much but in

those times I come alive! I know that

I am meant to do that. Something

comes over me and I just get comfortable

in those spaces.

The fact that I am able to do what I

love and be authentically me and then

be able to produce art that is so widely

celebrated, it’s such a beautiful feeling.

AM: You have worked on so many dresses

so I know this will sound difficult.

Are there 3 that stick out in your head?

Whether it’s the dresses themselves

or a moment that generated making

them, or the clients themselves? Are

there 3 moments/dresses/looks in your

career where you were like, yes this is

what I really love?

WM: Yes there are 3 and yes it is very

hard to narrow it down to that. I’ll pick

3 that have just felt like full circle moments

for me and have just touched

me to my core. Because to me, now

I am at a position where it’s very important

for me to always celebrate

that child and celebrate that inner child

that dared to dream because that’s literally

where it all started.

I would say that one moment that was

really special was the first time that I

dressed Beyoncé (Mufasa: The Lion

King, Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé,

Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé)

as it happened on my birthday. I just

remember sitting there thinking that

Queen B just redefined my brand! I

will forever remember not just my

birthday, but the first time that I got

to dress her. It was a beautiful moment

because the first that that I got

to dress her, it was the first reveal post

twins. All eyes were on her and everyone

was watching. So to be able to design

a piece for her that not only made

her comfortable but also made her

look absolutely stunning, it was a huge

moment where all eyes were on her

and to be part of that was just amazing

and it was a blessing. So that would be

one of my absolute favorites.

Another favorite piece that I absolutely

loved was working with Mariah Carey

(Precious, The Butler, Girls Trip) for her Vegas

Residency and to see my gown on all

of the billboards all over Vegas and even

here in LA the billboards promoting her.

That residency in Vegas was such a surreal

moment because I had a flashback to

the younger me when I was in 7th grade

in my ESL class because English is my second

language. It hit me because I literally

picked Hero by Mariah Carey and that was

the song that I chose to translate to present

it to the class!

AM: I love that song!

WM: I had completely forgotten about

that and then it didn’t hit me until that

moment. I went to the opening night of

the residency and she closed the night

with that song. It was such a beautiful

moment for me to get to experience and

for me to be able to look back at that little

boy and think, wow. The journey to go

from that moment in my life to this one! It

was just a full circle moment. That was a

really special moment.

Then the third one, I have to say that that

one is hard. There are so many special

moments. I mean there are so many people.

I am going in between Selena Gomez

(Only Murders in the Building, Selena +

Chef, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me), JLo

(Enough, Hustlers, Atlas), Paris Hilton (The

Simple Life, Paris in Love, This is Paris) –

there are so many moments! Even my Oscars

moment last season was so special.

It’s really tough!

AM: I recognize that as I knew it would be!

WM: There’s also 2 epic Beyoncé moments!

As a whole, I remember growing up as a

kid, I had all of these posters of singers.

Remember those tabloid magazines like

J14? I had all of these posters of these celebrities

over my bed. Every celebrity on

that that wall, I dressed! Like Britney

Spears (Kenan & Kell, Will & Grace,

Crossroads), working with her was such

a beautiful experience for me because

my first exposure to American music

and the English language – I learned to

speak through the voices of beautiful

talented artists like Beyoncé, Mariah,

Britney and now here I am at a point

where they believe in my art.

AM: You have left such a mark on the

fashion industry, what do you want

your legacy to be?

WM: I think that my legacy is wrapped

in the word authenticity. I really push

all of my clients that I dress and I do it

with the way that I present myself and

people really finding their true beauty

and authenticity. We all know what we

want.

When we’re all going somewhere

and we know what we want, we say I

want to wear this, I wish I could wear

that etc. We know what we want and

sometimes it’s a matter of being afraid

or not wanting to do too much and

some people wonder whether wearing

something will get people talking.

But you know what you want so if you

know what you want, why not?

That is what I want my legacy to be.

I want it to be about authenticity. So

when people come to me, I tell them

to tell me what they’re dreams are.

I want to be let in and no limits so I

know the vibe, the essence, and who

you are as a person. What do you want

to show? Forget what people are going

to say – it’s about you – what do

you want? I try to do that with even

the way that I dress. I dress for me and

I’m not trying to follow a trend or to

be like anyone else. I’m doing me and

that lets me radiate on my own terms

and on my own level.

AM: As someone who I know your

schedule is always packed, when you’re

not designing or working on the next

project, how do you take time for yourself?

Do you find that time because I know when

you work for yourself it’s tough to turn it

off and we have to figure out ways that we

can focus on ourselves so that we are infusing

our energy back to us. That way we

can be our best selves for everything that

we are doing?

WM: I do try to make it a time to give time

for myself. I do know that it takes a lot

whether I’m meeting with my clients or I

am going into fittings. I invest all of my in

my work and with people so it’s very draining,

but I always make it a point to make

sure that I have my me time. My gym is in

the mornings, my yoga classes, those are

my me times. I try to make any moment

that I can with me – even if I am just walking

around the city. I put my headphones

on and I put a song on that makes me

feel good. I am runway walking down the

street – that is me! It’s just what brings me

joy, it clears my mind, and it sort of allows

me to process it. Because despite it being

a lot of work and very demanding, and a

lot to process and deal with and manage

because I have a large team at the Atelier

from pattern makers, sewers, hand beaders,

and teams of assistants, the PR team,

the Social Media team – it’s a lot to drive

the energy of my village. It takes a village,

but to me, I am in charge of driving that

energy and it’s very draining. Now when

I say draining, I mean it in the most loving

way. To me, draining is not a negative

word. It’s sort of like, if you love to run

marathons, it’s going to be draining – but

you love it! But I always make it fun. This

is fun. I live in a fantasy world. Because I

love it, I find those me moments in there.

AM: I totally get and feel the same way!

WM: Even talking to you right now! I’m

having fun!

AM: That’s the thing! We get to do so many

things and to engage with so many people

that you may feel tired, but when you love

what you’re doing you’re always able to

dip into that well. Somehow, you figure

out how you can refresh yourself.

In this industry and I know you know of

people like this as well, they went out

for something that they wanted to do,

it didn’t work out and then they either

stopped or soured on the experience.

Then there are those such as yourself

that wanted it, found a way, and they

are living exactly what they wanted

and I always find that to be amazing

and energizing as I love knowing those

stories especially when it’s from those

that I have admired their work from

their beginnings and have been able

to see that trajectory over time. It’s

such a vibrant community to be part

of.

@waltercollection

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | FRONT/

BACK COVER, PG 16 Chris Martin | PG

19, 20, 23, 24, 28, Alex W Photography

| PG 31 - 34 for 9LIST STORI3S Kelly Balchim

|

Miami Swim Week took place May 29th -

Jun 3rd of this year and a number of designers

took their looks to the runways

across South Beach as we already begin

thinking of upcoming travels next year! It

always ends up being a star studded events

as athletes, celebs, recording artists, and

enthusiasts show up to the shows as well

as the associated parties!

We caught up with Supermodel Chanel

Iman who was a Victoria's Secret Angel,

as well as walked their shows, as well as

iconic houses including Tom Ford, Gucci,

Versace, Roberto Cavalli to name a few.

She has also been in a range of campaigns

for Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, Bottega

Veneta and more. She shared why she

loves Miami Swim Week, shows she has

enjoyed watching this season, the power

of fashion, her summer travels, and partnering

with CÎROC Limonata.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What do you love

about Miami Swim Week?

CHANEL IMAN: I’m a beach lover so it’s exciting

to see the new swimwear designs. I

also really love Miami.

AM: Tell us about 3 of your favorite shows

that took place this season?

CI: The Louis Vuitton Pharrell men’s fashion

show is one of my favorites. Zuhair

Murad is also one of my favorite shows to

watch because of all the beautiful dresses

every season! Rick Owens is such an edgy

show with everyday great pieces I can’t

wait to rock.

AM: Why is fashion so empowering for

women and how can women use that as it

pertains to their swimwear?

CI: Fashion is so empowering for women

because it’s a way of expressing yourself

and how you feel for the day.

AM: How have you found confidence

through fashion?

CI: I feel confident about creating a new

look for myself every day. I like matching

highs and lows for a unique look.

I work a lot with my stylist, Monica

Rose, and she pulls the best.

AM: As someone who enjoys traveling,

what are some tips that you have that

we can use as we’re navigating across

the globe?

CI: Travel light and take pieces that

you can mix and match. Be conscious

of where you’re traveling so you can

respect the culture wherever you are

traveling. I try not to overpack so I

could leave space for new items wherever

I go.

AM: Where do you enjoy traveling

during the Summer and what are 3

must-haves that you will bring for a

stylish beach getaway?

CI: Europe is our favorite destination

to travel during the summer. We love

the South of France, South of Italy,

Greece, and Spain. I have to travel with

my body chains, swimwear, and a good

pair of flats.

AM: You have partnered with CÎROC

Limonata, can you tell us more about

this and why you enjoy it in your favorite

summer cocktails.

CI: Partnering with CÎROC Limonata

has been an incredibly exciting venture

for me. CÎROC Limonata is the perfect

blend of sophistication and taste, making

it an ideal ingredient for summer

cocktails. What I love most about it is

its vibrant lemon flavor, which is both

invigorating and versatile. Whether

I’m hosting a gathering with friends

or enjoying a quiet evening at home,

CÎROC Limonata brings a touch of elegance

to any occasion.

AM: Are there any projects that you are

working on that you would like to share

that we can keep an eye out for?

CI: It’s too early to share now, but

there’s something in the works. Stay

tuned to find out.

@chaneliman

@ciroc

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 41 Loamis

Media | PG 44 for 9LIST STORI3S Valeria

Sarto |

We can’t wait for Paris 2024 and to see

many of our faves showing their talent on

the world stage! We also love finding new

faves and rooting them on! Many athletes

have the pleasure of being able to show

this talent every season in their sport and

we’re honored to be able to talk to 5X Team

USA Olympic Gold Medalist and 3X WNBA

Champion, Diana Taurasi! Although we’re a

little over a month away, we all know that

she is the first basketball player (whether

male or female) in history to reach 6 Olympic

Games as she is on Team USA heading

to this year’s Summer Games! We’re so

pumped to see her compete and with the

WNBA in full swing, you can see her and

her fellow teammates on the Phoenix Mercury

as they navigate their season!

We took some time to catch up with Diana

to find out about how she came to basketball;

her passion for the sport; how she

trains during an Olympic year that takes

place during her season in the WNBA, and

the importance of sharing her eczema

journey!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in

love with Basketball and realize that you

wanted to do this as a career?

DIANA TAURASI: Well you know, it’s

something that I always wanted to do and

I stumbled upon basketball one summer

when my mom said that she needed to get

me and my sister out of the house! So we

were at the local city rec league and that’s

really where the love of the game started

for me you know! It was a great time to

play basketball, I mean 90’s NBA was so

popular with MJ, the Bulls, being a Lakers

fan and then in 96/97 the WNBA started!

So, it was just all of this momentum when

it came to basketball. That’s when for me

that I knew that I was going to be able to

do it for a long time!

AM: That’s great and growing up we know

what it was like during that era!

You’re a 3X WNBA Champion and a 5X

Olympic Gold Medalist, what does it mean

to you about the impact that you have and

continue to bring to the sport?

DT: Oh yeah, I mean, women’s basketball

is in such an amazing place right

now! We’re in such a great cross section

between talent and social media!

The eyes and the attention that it’s getting

right now – it’s just really an amazing

time to play basketball. At the same

time, it’s also a great time to shed a

light on a lot of the people that came

before that did it without the notoriety

and without the fame. It’s always nice

to know what the past is so that we

can go into the future in the right way.

AM: As you know, we’re a little over a

month away from the Olympic Games

in talking with each other today. What’s

it like to prepare for the Summer Games

as we’re so excited that you will be returning

for a 6th time! How do you prepare

for Paris 2024 and Summer Games

in the past when you’re also currently in

your season with the Phoenix Mercury?

DT: Yeah, it’s always an interesting

summer when it’s the Olympics. We

take a hiatus or a break for a month for

the Olympics. So right now, you’re just

so entrenched in your team and the

WNBA to make sure that your team is

in a good place and that you’re physically

in a good place individually. Once

that break happens, all of that goes

away and all you’re worried about is

bringing home Gold!

When you talk about USA Basketball,

we take that load with a lot of respect

and we know how challenging the

Olympics are as well as how good these

other countries are. So, it’s always the

most ultimate respect to the whole

world.

AM: Over the past few years, various

athletes and celebs have shared their

eczema journeys. Why have you opened

up about yours and why have you partnered

with Sanofi and Regeneron?

DT: Partnering with Sanofi and Regen-

eron, obviously moderate-to-severe eczema

is something that I have had to deal

with for many years. I have tried everything.

I’ve tried the lotions, the topical

creams, the steroids, and nothing really

gave me what I needed. When I was with

my dermatologist, Dupixent was brought

up and I had never heard of it. I learned a

lot about it and if you go to ShowUpAd.

com, you can read so many stories and

there is so much information about it. It’s

something that just works for me! There’s

nothing better than being able to go on

the court with clearer skin! Playing basketball,

you’re always in a jersey and it’s

that one thing that if anything you want

clearer skin! It’s given me that relief and it

has made me so much more comfortable!

We enjoyed hearing Diana talk about her

love of the game, how important it is to

celebrate those who have contributed to

the WNBA from its start, and Paris 2024!

We also appreciate her sharing her eczema

story with us and how she feels relief in

knowing that she can play more comfortably

with her eczema under control! We

wanted to know a bit more about eczema

and took a moment with Dr. Annabelle Garcia

as it is estimated that 2.7 million people

in the US age 6+ have uncontrolled moderate-to-severe

eczema. Like Diana, many

who suffer with this may have tried a number

of solutions. The best place to start is

recognizing the signs of eczema so you can

see a dermatologist who can assist you in

your best solution.

For those that may not be familiar with eczema,

can you tell us what it is and what

are the signs? How can you tell if something

that may look like just a skin irritation

is actually eczema?

DR. ANNABELLE GARCIA: Yes of course!

So moderate-to-severe eczema is characterized

by these intense itchy dry patches

on the skin. They can crack or be painful.

Sometimes they can cover small parts of

the body and sometimes these patches

can cover large or sensitive areas. Really,

it’s the itching that is the hallmark of the

disease. It’s one of the things that can be

the most disturbing to patients. Sometimes

eczema can present in a very typical

fashion in a child for example in the

Antecubital Fossa which is in the elbow

area, behind the knees, cheeks – but

sometimes it does present in a classic

way. It can present differently based

on patients with different skin types.

In lighter patients, the plaques tends

to be a bit more pink and red where in

darker skin tones, they can appear darker,

hyperpigmented, or ashy grey color.

So sometimes it is hard to tell whether

something is eczema or not so it’s important

to seek medical care and see a

dermatologist for that expert opinion.

@dianataurasi

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Sanofi + Regenerson

We love when we have the opportunity to

sit down with actors that let us think about

the characters and the situations that they

present to us in the roles that they play!

Reza Diako has been in a number of shows

that we have enjoyed from Guy Ritchie's

The Covenant to Apple TV+'s Tehran, and

Netflix's The Diplomat! His approach to his

characters; his belief in having to shake

hands with the characters that he is portraying;

and the need to dig into himself

in order to present them to us on screen

is amazing. We talked about his approach,

how he got into the industry and his portrayal

and approach to Apostle Philip in international

phenomenon, The Chosen.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What is the first film or

TV show that you fell in love with and at

what point did you realize that you wanted

to be an actor?

REZA DIAKO: Let’s see. One of my first

favorite films was actually – it was quite

– well let me say that there are a lot of

films that I watched and as the story goes,

my mother was a big film buff since she

was young like 11 or 12. She would watch

Ingmar Berman (The Seventh Seal, Wild

Strawberries, Fanny and Alexander) films.

So I think that that got passed down to

me. You know, I have a psychology background

so I was always interested in

psychological films and so I think that at

some point when I was quite young I was

exposed to Persona by Ingmar Berman. I

found it really profound, but it was a lot

of serendipitous affects that got me into

acting.

There was a time when I was studying psychology

and then in medical school and I

was struggling because I was getting ill.

Weirdly, I was watching some videos by

Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean

franchise, City of Lies, Black Mass) and it

was weird because I spent a couple of

months looking into his interviews. I was

taking a lot of acting classes since I was

a teenager. Art ran in the family because

my mom was a painter, I did a lot of music

so forth and so forth and here I was

studying medicine and watching Johnny

Depp's interviews could there be a career

here and is it too late? It was funny

because I was taking classes more

so for the psychological reasons of

embodying humanity more at the individual

level, rather than what I was

studying which was categorical. What

is really weird is that some months later

serendipitously, I ran into Johnny

Depp on my birthday, and we actually

talked to each other and I told him

about how much I cared for him.

AM: It all lends itself to how you navigated

one part of your life and continued

into this direction that also meant

a lot to you.

RD: Right, it just shows the synchronicity

of the situation because after that

encounter, things just kind of flew. He

actually signed a Happy Birthday message

for me and after that we just kind

of parted ways. About 6 months later,

I’m at a place where I’m pausing medical

school because I had a very difficult

illness situation going on. Then my acting

continues and that’s when I realized

that my acting gave me a sense of

meaning and purpose and an impetus

and happiness. I decided to apply for

drama school because I had a great

acting coach in London for years and I

got in. Then I trained at Mountain View

in London and it was so serendipitous

and that’s when things started unfolding

as I was coming out of drama

school. They were casting Tehran and

looking for young Persian heritage actors

and I never thought it would come

by so quickly and it was so interesting.

But yeah, I was always watching films

with my mom and I would say that Ingmar

Berman's Persona and a lot of

interesting Iranian films as well people

like Asghar Farhadi (The Salesman,

About Elly, The Past) – A Separation

which had a big impact on me, but it

was the whole range. Then there was

Johnny Depp and his performances in

the Pirates of the Caribbean or I’m a big

Heath Ledger (10 Things I Hate About

You, A Knight’s Tale, Lords of Dogtown)

fan so watching The Dark Knight that was

a big moment as well into – I think that I

was always working on how to make an

impact on the world. Sometimes when I

saw those things and realized that it was

in my own internal world, but also in the

collective and in the impact that it made,

it was cool to see. It took me a while to

realize how much art can make an impact

and that’s when I knew. When I went to

the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to do a play

I knew that this was it.

AM: We enjoyed you in Tehran as well as in

The Diplomat.

RD: Thank you.

AM: I thought that that was amazing.

What do you enjoy about storytelling?

RD: Thank you first of all as that is kind

of you. What I love about storytelling,

and I guess in acting as well is coming at

it from a psychological background. I always

like to leave something behind that

impacts the world and makes us think a

little more. I think the world is a little bit

scared of looking internally. We always

point fingers outward and I think that

there is something about art and play and

creativity and story that I have even encountered

through studying people like

Carl Jung who gathered the collective

stories and found there were common

grounds. It’s fascinating because through

the collective or through the story or the

mythology, people find the individual and

through the individual that seems very

specific and particular about a particular

cultural area, people can find something

profound and collective. That is something

that I deeply love and resonate with

and that’s kind of the aim when I work. It’s

the work I do on projects with directors

that I love and on characters that portray

the complex weird parts of humanity in a

way that dares someone else to say, “hey,

that could be me” and I can understand it

and it makes them reflect I guess. It's kind

of the point!

AM: What is your creative process in terms

of how you look at getting into the

characters that you play?

RD: Yeah, I mean, that’s a complicated

one and it really depends on the people

and the teams that you are working

on and the director. I always believe

in surrendering deeply as I think

it’s the core of it. I learned that after

medical school that life is not a formula

and that art is not a formula. I think

that the purpose of art is actually to let

people know that the exhale is more

important than the inhale sometimes.

Because if you inhale so much -

AM: I have kind of been learning that

and being more aware of that lately.

RD: I know right? That’s what happens!

You inhale so much and somehow

you have to let go! So I guess

that the process is a cocreation. It’s

something that in all of my training,

it’s about being receptive to the other

and also to everything around you and

let everything impact you. That’s sort

of part of it to the core and with that,

without getting too technical because

I don’t want to – there is something

about coming from within and finding

that throughline and kind of making

a handshake with the character. I

always try to and to find that which

is hard. You have to dig deep again to

the corners of yourself like the character

in The Diplomat. Playing someone

who is so different than who you are

and you’re trying to find the common

ground through both imagination and

also your own experiences. I always

like to go to the child because of my

psychology background looking at the

pains and the little buttons that get

pushed and how the character tries to

build a world and character and persona

on top of it. You can kind of layer

things up a little bit. The true self and

the mask lets say.

AM: What kinds of characters and projects

are you drawn to? What do you

look for when you decide to attach

yourself to a project?

RD: What do I look for? I love to work

with certain directors because I love their

work and that is always a big thing. When

I say that I love their work, it’s not from

a personal cool vibe thing. It’s more like

going back to what I was saying before. I

like directors and projects I suppose that

are looking into exploring some complex,

taboo, or unspeakable act of human nature

at the core. Trying to aim for something

specific, cultural, and potentially different

cultures that is always something

that excites me. Despite that, and despite

the specificity, to have a collective relatability

at the heart and when I say that,

it’s something quite simple and essential

about the common human heartbeat. So

if you’re doing that, you’re doing quite

well. Having said that, I’m really open to

exploring all sorts. I’m a musician so I like

projects with music, I like projects that demand

physical change, I’m also a personal

trainer and I’m kind of a freak about accents,

dialects, picking up languages. So I

always love to work in different areas like

that, especially because of my weird and

complex background. I have never really

been able to be one thing.

AM: The Chosen has become such a phenomenon

and I know the 4th season is currently

streaming right now. You play Apostle

Philip. What drew you to the series and

why did you want to be involved in this?

RD: Yes, it is definitely turning into a phenomenon,

and it is definitely fascinating

to watch. I have been a fan for some time,

and it has been really cool to see it grow. I

can’t believe it started as a short film and

it’s insane!

What’s it like to be part of it? They call it

a Family, A Chosen Family and it was quite

a big embrace. So when I came, I felt very

grateful because like many of the fans, I

was a big fan of Philip and the way that

character was played. It was an interesting,

slightly scary, and extremely honorable

experience of joining. I think that

what I tried to bring is a lot of love as a fan

and a lot of that heartbeat. That was

also so deeply reciprocated as I have

never seen a set like that where there

is so much love and respect and a sense

of deeper meaning involved through

and through from the kind people in

catering that offer me free desserts,

to my room for whatever reason – I

have a gluten-free diet so that is really

sweet, to Dallas Jenkins (What If, The

Ride, The Shift) himself and even production.

AM: When you were approaching to

play Philip, it’s very unique as Yoshi Barrigas

(Six, Criminal Minds, Forty-Seven

Days with Jesus) previously played him

and now in S4, you are playing him.

Did you feel the need to marry the two

because you're playing a Biblical character

that existed, but now you have

the layer of playing someone that was

played by someone else in the same

production a season apart. How did

you approach that as I think that that

is a unique situation.

RD: It is, it was very fun. It was fun and

challenging. Going back to kindness,

I met Dallas on day 1 and he gave me

a big embrace and he said do it your

own way and you don’t have to replicate

anything. Having said that, being

a big Harry Potter fan, and seeing

the Dumbledore (Editor’s Note: In the

movie franchise Richard Harris (Patriot

Games, Unforgiven, Gladiator) played

the character in the adaptations of Harry

Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

and Harry Potter and the Chamber of

Secrets. After his death, the character

was played by Michael Gambon (Book

of Eli, Kingsman: The Golden Circle,

Judy) in the 6 remaining films of the

adaptations) change and certain other

characters that changed -

AM: Right!

RD: You feel like as a fandom, you want

to see some type of continuity or else

it feels jarred. It was kind of a fun challenge

and I felt very safe to bring my-

self which was not so difficult. I really felt

connected with Philip when I watched it

because of the fact that I had been to 10

schools in 4 different countries and I’m

kind of a nomad anyway. People notice

that I can sleep anywhere on set and I’m

known to do that especially since the last

2 years the work in Egypt, in Europe, and

in America you’re always on the go! I understood

that nomadic side and living in

the wild and living in a simple way and

also I think because of my personal journey

in psychology and having that interest

in Jungian therapy, I have done a lot

of soul searching and facing the different

difficult parts and my therapist as well as

other people say that I am kind of an old

soul. People have said I’m an old man in a

young guy's body which is not necessarily

the funnest thing to say or to receive

sometimes! I’d rather be young! So that

part wasn’t so hard for me to relate to the

heartbeat. Someone who has lost as in

S4, Phillip is losing his mentor, and I had

a therapist that passed away after a long

journey and there was a lot of common

ground there and on the other hand, it

was a very interesting process along the

lines of what you learn in drama school in

terms of the craft. Sort of the body work,

the dialect work, I watched the previous

actor’s work who portrayed Phillip, obsessively

and I was inspired by people like

De Niro (Taxi Driver, Cape Fear, Goodfellas)

who took over Marlon Brando’s (Last Tango

in Paris, On the Waterfront, Apocalypse

Now) role in The Godfather and I felt that

he did that so I felt that I should probably

take a lead from his papers. So I obsessively

followed that, and I tried to sustain

some level of mannerisms and aspects of

him the best way that I can to keep some

continuity and more so because as a fan, I

would have wanted to see that.

AM: S5 is currently in production correct?

RD: That’s right!

AM: More often than not, people are always

talking about it and where they are

in the season or bingeing the previous seasons

to get current.

You also have additional projects coming

out that I’m also excited for. Can

you tell us a bit about The Astronaut

which has Kate Mara (Transcendence,

House of Cards, Class Of ‘09) which we

love and Laurence Fishburne (Matrix

franchise, Clipped, Megalopolis) which

is amazing. What can you tell me about

it and who do you play?

RD: Sure I can! It was a deep honor to

work on that. It was a very lucky encounter

that got me on that project,

and I was so grateful to work on it. I was

offered to work as the NASA Director,

Ethan Marshall. Going back to the old

soul thing, they said this guy needs to

be 50 and I’m not. Even though I have

a beard and I may not look young.

AM: You still look under 50 even with

the beard.

RD: When I shave, I will show you and

I will prove it!

So it was interesting and I had to think

again, both from an age and experience

wise in terms of how he would

embody things around him. The fact

that it was a NASA leader, I tend to

try to be very obsessive and very inspired

again by what I was talking before

about shaking handshake with

the character, you have to let the character

direct you and if that’s not happening

how can you reflect that back

to someone. I let myself be so consumed

with all the parts of the character

that may be different to me. So

I went to the library and got a bunch

of different books and everything I

could get, videos, footage, etc. about

NASA projects and I basically had to do

2 Doctorate degrees in physics and engineering

in a matter of weeks which

was a challenge and it was doomed to

fail. We gave it a shot and it gave me a

lot of interesting knowledge into that

whole world of NASA and it just was

very interesting. I was particularly happy

about it because I had been working

very hard to convince the industry

that I am not just the Middle Eastern and

Iranian guy, so having that honorable position

to work as an everyman kind of Ethan

Marshall guy was a good step in the direction

that I would love to go. So that was a

big happy moment for me and the team

was amazing as well! Kate is amazing and

it was such an honor to work with her!

AM: You also have Reading Lolita in Tehran

which will also be out this year and I

know it’s based on the bestselling memoir

of the same name. Can you tell me about

the film/book and who are you playing in

this?

RD: That was a different one. As much

as The Astronaut happened very quickly,

Reading Lolita has been almost a 2-year

journey! We knew that the film was being

made and Eran Riklis (Miral, A Borrowed

Identity, Spider in the Web) had us read

for a while and he is a genius and I adore

him. The project took a long time and I

think it’s because he wanted to have Golshifteh

Farahani (Girls of the Sun, Pirates

of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,

Brother and Sister) on. There was a revolution

in the 1980's in Iran and then what

ensues is a cultural revolution that went

on for a few years. It was interesting because

it was a real-life historical event and

it was also one that I know that my mother

went through as well as other Iranians

that I know. They have those memories,

her university closed down, she had to

pick up painting underground because

she was studying fashion and they don’t

do fashion anymore because that’s now

against the religious political viewpoints

of the time. So it was a very interesting

period, both historically and personally

and I think that it is one of those stories

where you read about something in the

corner of Iran about something that we

may not know exactly about, but it can

say a lot about, the level of chaos that

follows after a revolution where people

expect some kind of immediate euphoria.

The euphoria comes, but then after it’s

some kind of peace or Lion King kind of

story – that "Pride Land" has some type

of moments that potentially might not

come. So, that’s the kind of fun thing

that I love about Reading Lolita.

I love the character Bahri which means

maritime or the sea in Arabic. I found

that really cool. Something about this

guy is so interested and in love with literature

and art. He is an artist at heart.

But at the same time, he is very deeply

enamored by his teacher and lecturer

Azar Nafisi played by Golshifteh Farahani

- which for me was a dream lifetime

goal to work with. He’s oscillating

between the two places of that plus

being part of the Islamic society out of

need and out of his personal reasons,

but it is interesting because again it’s

one of those great complex characters

where you would make a judgement

and say he sucks because he’s part of

this tyrannical group and how dare he,

especially the way he is describing the

book. His writings of Huckleberry Finn

and what he thinks of that, but then

also secretly watching Azar Nafisi, it’s

one of those where you don’t know

what to do with it. But you see the human

spirit and the heart underneath

it. It was a lovely thing. I saw him as a

caged dove.

AM: Are there any other upcoming

projects that you have coming up that

we should keep an eye out for besides

the 2 we just talked about?

RD: I can’t wait for S5 of The Chosen.

The script is amazing and I can’t talk

about it. The moments are great and

I think it’s going to be kicking things

up a notch! Other than that, there are

some things in the pipeline that are

coming up. I need to keep those a mystery

for now.

AM: We were talking about your background

obviously before you became

an actor, your background in psychology,

going to Medical School and all of

those things that you did, why were

you initially interested in those areas

and why is mental health so important

to you?

RD: Thanks for asking that! I think that

when I was 15 or 16, I would always think

that I wanted to do something that make

a massive impact on the world and not

from an ego standpoint, but in a way to

make the world a better place. Over the

next 3 or 4 years, slowly this idea emerged

that I would love to set up a psychotherapy

center particularly for children and adolescence.

I think that my reason for that

was in my travels and attending 10 different

schools, I had friends from Korea, India,

and Iran – I went to American schools

and those in England etc. Everyone has

some sort of trauma whether it was acute

or chronic, something from their families

or from school and they are carrying

these things around. They would talk to

me about it, but if someone could actually

hold these people the level of impact

that it would have on the next generation

it would be massive. That was kind of the

drive. I kind of went on this big self-discovery

as I am a fan of The Dark Knight so I

was on a sacrificial Batman journey saying

that I am going to make my life about this.

It led to a bit of challenges when it came

to my illness in medical school, but it was

interesting because this diagonal path

that emerged with acting – the dream is

still there. I feel it every time I get success

it comes from God, The Universe, The Collective,

or however you want to put it. I

feel very humbled and blessed. It makes

me want to save up the finances and all of

the wonderful blessings that come with it

as part of the plan to hopefully become

an advocate and to create this center for

the future and serendipitously, I ran into

someone else that had the same dream

so it’s nice when you surrender and the

weird stuff that happens.

That was the main thing and I did a lot of

personal therapy and I love Jung because

he looked for the common as opposed to

the difference and in all of my travels, that

is something that speaks to me as well.

AM: When you’re not on set, how are you

taking time for yourself as you’re busy and

you’re focused on doing the impact for

others – but you have to fuel and infuse

yourself.

RD: I’m learning that myself and am

learning to do that more! I am a bit of

a workaholic and a bit of an obsessive.

But not from an ego place, I am on a

mission to make things happen that

is good for me, but also for everyone

else. That takes a lot of energy and I

think you should give your 100% and

then you surrender. It either works

out or it will work better – there is no

other way. Even if there is pain or suffering,

it’s only for a while and it just

means that something good is on the

horizon.

What do I do? I have a very nice therapist

who has taken over the job of

the previous one who had died from

COVID. Jokes aside, that is very helpful

because when you’re trying to constantly

be on set and you get exhausted,

I’m a very big advocate for it.

On the other end, piano is a big part

of my life. That’s where I find myself!

Ludovico Einaudi, I’d like to learn his

entire repertoire – a lot of classical.

That’s how I started. Engaging in art –

drawing, painting, playing piano since I

was 7 or 8. I sometimes write – I would

say that it is emotional vomit, but some

would call it very bag poetry. But that’s

really helpful just to get in touch and

then other than that I try to just have

a cross between work and not work.

I love this art and I love this medium

and currently I’m on a break from The

Chosen so I am in NY immersing myself

in theaters and going to Lincoln Center

and watching my heroes like Philip

Seymour Hoffman (Capote, The Talented

Mr Ripley, The Hunger Games franchise)

and John C Reilly (Gangs of New

York, Moonbase 8, Winning Time: The

Rise of the Lakers Dynasty) doing True

West and then watching films from all

over the world. I love to get inspired

by the unknown as opposed to the

known. I like to open myself to new

places and then try to keep healthy the

best that you can physically – exercise,

sleep, read – the basics!

AM: Haha right? Taking a shower! Try to

live like a normal person!

RD: Haha I just took one a couple of hours

ago! So I’m doing well – coffee, black coffee.

@rezadiako93

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | OC Ryan West

There are so many elements that surround

the Olympics, each time the world's best

athletes showcase their passion, dedication,

and commitment to their sport. With

a range of activities that take place, we

love finding out more. We had the pleasure

to chat with Chef Alexandre Mazzia who is

the chef/owner of AM Par Alexandre Mazzia

the hottest 3 MICHELIN Star restaurant

in Marseille and a former professional basketball

player, and he will be one of 3 top

French chefs who will be preparing 40,000

meals in the Olympic Village during Paris

2024!

We wanted to find out more about his days

as an athlete, his continued love of basketball,

how he got into the culinary industry,

AM Par, being at the Olympic Games and

even being able to take part in running

with the Olympic flame as a Torchbearer!

ATHLEISURE MAG: You spent your childhood

in the Republic of Congo. What

was that like and what about living there

shaped the way that you looked at the

world?

CHEF ALEXANDRE MAZZIA: I was born in

Pointe-Noire in the Congo, at the Clinique

des Manguiers. My cooking is neither

Congolese nor Marseillaise, but it is inevitably

somehow influenced by its environment,

with most of the products coming

from the Marseillaise environment. It's

this Marseillaise and Congolese luminosity

that is imprinted.

Spices and chilli are things that are now

part of French cuisine that weren't there a

few years ago (6-7 years ago). Today, people

are a bit more assertive. I leaned on

my roots, on the person I was, because it's

true that I can't go against who I am. So it

was important for me, in a natural way, to

transcribe my cooking. And my cooking is

described through the roasting, through

the chillies, through the spices that are

fundamentally who I am.

So, I'd say that my cooking is sparkling,

distinctive, sincere, transparent, but yes,

it's influenced by my childhood, my entire

career, and, above all, by a great intensity.

AM: You graduated with a science degree,

but for a time, you were a professional

basketball player while you were

navigating working in the culinary industry!

When did you realize that you

wanted to be a chef?

CHEF AM: My journey into the culinary

world isn't as straightforward as many

might think. Initially, I pursued a science

degree, which was a completely

different path. Interestingly, during

that time, I also had a stint as a professional

basketball player. It was a unique

period when I was balancing my passion

for sports with an emerging interest

in the culinary arts. The transition

from being on the basketball court

to standing behind a kitchen counter

wasn't immediate. It evolved over time

as I became more immersed in cooking,

discovering it as my true calling.

My realization that I wanted to be a

chef dawned on me gradually rather

than as a sudden epiphany. While

playing basketball, I started to explore

cooking more seriously. It wasn't just a

hobby; it was a passion that kept growing,

compelling me to delve deeper into

the culinary world. Despite the stark

differences between the two fields, I

found that both required a similar level

of dedication, creativity, and perseverance.

AM: Where did you train and what were

some of the kitchens that you worked

in prior to opening AM Par Alexandre

Mazzia?

CHEF AM: My career path is one that

can be called atypical. Immediately

after my baccalaureate, I was lucky

to attend a cooking school where I

learnt the basics of cooking and general

knowledge of the Hospitality industry.

It gave me a chance to master the

practical skills of cooking. After that, I

acquired several diplomas and certifi-

cations, with a specialisation in pastry,

chocolate and candy manufacturing. I got

those diplomas while alternating school

classes and work. It allowed me to build

experience very quickly while discovering

a world I felt I belonged to.

From that time on, I started accepting

myself more. Since I came from abroad

and only arrived in France at the age of

15, in the beginning, I used to be very independent.

Cooking allowed me to travel

a lot and open up. And then my passion

became more than a passion. It became

the source of my inspiration and motivation

from which I learnt all my knowledge

- practical and theoretical. It helped me

learn about general culture, people, and

Chefs and understand better the different

cultures present around the world. Not

just on a country level but regionally too. I

also got to understand a great deal about

“savoir-faire” (know-how) varieties making

the base of French cuisine. It allowed

me to have a strong knowledge foundation

on the matter. As I travelled, I got to

discover new flavours and become more

aware of the importance of textures in

cooking.

AM: How do you define your style of cooking

and what influences it?

CHEF AM: My cooking blends spice,

smoke, and chilli, linking to my childhood

in Pointe-Noir, Congo, to my life in Marseille.

My signature spice mix includes galangal,

ginger, and cumin, enhancing the

flavour and depth of each dish. Smokey

aromas from burnt woods like vine shoots

and olive tree add complexity, while my

knowledge of over 45 types of chillies introduces

a dynamic tension and variety

in heat and flavour. I wanted this culinary

approach to celebrate a fusion of oceanic

and smoky elements with a vibrant chilli

kick.

AM: You opened AM Par Alexandre Mazzia

in 2014 in Marseille. What do you love

about Marseille and why did you want to

open your own restaurant?

CHEF AM: AM Par Alexandre Mazzia is

a glimpse of my soul. It is about discovering

myself through my cuisine. There

is a wordplay in the name of my restaurant,

in all subtlety, is a display of transparency

and authenticity. It is a place

where I give the best of myself, as I am

devoted to its guests.

AM: What does it mean to you to have

received your first Michelin star in 2015

after your restaurant was open for a

year, your second in 2019, and your third

star in 2021 for AM Par Alexandre Mazzia?

CHEF AM: All awards that my restaurant

has won are equally important to

me. Each award represents a recognition

of our hard work, dedication, and

commitment to providing the best

dining experience to our guests. The

awards have also motivated my team

to perform at their best and maintain

the high standards that we have set for

ourselves.

There's no real success here. It's just a

continuation of work that's been going

on for many years. And I think that the

way of looking at things was a bit different

before, or the way of operating

was different before. Today it's part

of a collective vision, in other words,

we've opened doors. We've given the

keys to a way of working, but also to a

totally personal way of operating.

I'd say that success is the fact of being,

of doing just what you are with complete

transparency, but with passion.

It's a unique cuisine, my cuisine. It's so

personal that I don't think anyone else

can do it. So that's why people from all

over the world want to discover it, why

we've won all these awards, and why

these awards represent our know-how.

AM: For those that have yet to dine at

your restaurant, tell us about the ambiance

that we can expect when we walk

through the doors?

CHEF AM: At our restaurant, we offer a

unique and memorable experience with

8 tables that seat up to 22 people and a

team of 26 dedicated individuals. Our cuisine

is "transversal," bringing together

the best of local produce from fishermen,

farmers, and tableware designers. Our

dishes are created using a personal "alphabet

of taste" developed from my own

experiences. It is an extraordinary experience

that many guests have never experienced

before.

AM: You believe in the Triangle of Tastes -

tell us more about this and how it weaves

into your dishes.

CHEF AM: My cooking blends spice,

smoke, and chilli, linking to my childhood

in Pointe-Noir, Congo, to my life in Marseille.

My signature spice mix includes galangal,

ginger, and cumin, enhancing the

flavour and depth of each dish. Smoky

aromas from burnt woods like vine shoots

and olive tree add complexity, while my

knowledge of over 45 types of chillies introduces

a dynamic tension and variety

in heat and flavour. I wanted this culinary

approach to celebrate a fusion of oceanic

and smoky elements with a vibrant chilli

kick.

AM: You are 1 of 3 French Chefs that will

be catering the Paris 2024 Olympic Games -

this is such an honor, but as someone who

has been an athlete, what does it mean to

you to be able to serve your country and

the world in this way?

CHEF AM: I think it's a source of pride,

pride for me, for my family, pride for the

people, to represent France for the duration

of the Olympic Games. It's a way of

showcasing expertise, a signature, and a

career. I think that I'm always thinking of

people transmitting everything that I've

done, which showcases a whole range of

skills that are, I would say, quite simply

unique.

AM: How long have you been planning what

you will make and can you tell us some of

the items that you plan on cooking? When

it comes to meeting the neuro-nutritional

challenge of feeding athletes,

what have you been keeping in mind?

CHEF AM: I'm first and foremost a chef,

so our unique know-how is our ability

to adapt. We adapt on a daily basis,

we're there to serve our customers,

it's our daily job to adapt to the allergies

of diners who don't eat this or that

product. But beyond that, when they

came looking for me to take part in the

Olympic Games, of course, I knew very

well that I was going to be working for

the athletes, so I needed all my work

over the years with the nutritionist,

sports doctor, physical trainer, mental

trainer and a certain federation of different

disciplines so that I could have

as many skills as possible to satisfy the

demands I was going to have. So it's

true that I worked for the athletes. It

wasn't necessarily more complicated.

All I had to do was concentrate on the

tastes and flavours and simply be myself,

just as I am in my everyday life.

What I think and what the OCOG and

Sodexo Live! wanted to achieve was to

find someone who represented their

region and, above all, who had a sporting

background and who was bound

to be able to adapt in a simple way. It's

about putting our expertise at the service

of athletes, for their performance

and recovery. It also means playing

for a team, playing for the "Olympic

Games" that are taking place in France.

@alexandremazzia

@jeuolympiques

@paris2024

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Chef Alexandre

Mazzia

THE ART OF

THE SNACK:

BLU ON THE

HUDSON

We always enjoy a culinary experience

when we can step outside of the city and

look back at it to fully appreciate it when

we're back! We make our way across the

river to Weehawken, NJ to enjoy a meal at

Blu on the Hudson for an upscale experience

that will create a number of memories

this summer whether it's any day of

the week or a holiday!

We caught up with Andrew Christianson

General Manager of Operations to find out

about this restuarant, its ambiance, and

what we should order when we're there

with friends and family that we want to

impress.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did Blu on the

Hudson open?

ANDREW CHRISTIANSON: Blu on the Hudson

opened in January, 2023 and has never

looked back. Our opening was a smashing

success and a brand, we have done some

exciting things in the last year and a half.

Our reception by the surrounding community

has been incredible.

AM: To bring Blu on the Hudson's 30,000

sq ft concept to life, you partnered with

Designer Peggy Leung who has worked on

Tokyo DisneySea as well as being the lead

designer for TAO Las Vegas. Can you tell us

about her background?

AC: Peggy Leung moved to New York,

joining Rockwell Group as a Senior Designer.

The experience working with this

talented group of artists and designers

was transformative, allowing her to take

her creative visions to the next level. She

was introduced to different design processes,

from concept to schematic design

creation, and was able to collaborate with

other artists and designers on a series

of high-profile projects. Her experience

during this period includes the Radio City

Music Hall, the Kodak Theatre and various

branding and graphic design projects.

In 2004, Peggy joined Studio GAIA as a Senior

Designer. Demonstrating her acumen

for managing projects and teams through

the creative design process, she quickly

rose to Studio Leader and was later

made Managing Partner of the firm.

Peggy was accountable for the successful

completion of high-end projects including

hotels, casinos, restaurants,

lounges, bars and nightclubs in the United

States and abroad, providing leadership

and expertise on Award-Winning

projects.

AM: Blu on the Hudson is a large space.

Can you tell me about the ambiance of

this property (from lounges, main dining

rooms, sushi bar, rooftop event space

etc) for those who are coming in with

their friends and family?

AC: Blu on the Hudson is a dining destination

for all ages. We believe that it

is important for us to remain elevated

yet approachable, as everyone deserves

to feel those luxurious moments in life.

Our spaces are as versatile as our clientele.

AM: Tell us about your Executive Chef

Juan Carlos "JC" Ortega in terms of his

culinary background and kitchens he

worked in prior to coming to Blu on the

Hudson?

AC: Upon arriving in NYC in 1995, Chef

Juan Carlos (JC) Ortega initially took a

position in a small Italian restaurant on

East 62nd Street. Shortly after, he landed

his first job with BR Guest, as line-cook

at Blue Water Grill, which was touted

as one of top seafood restaurants and

dining destinations in NYC. Chef JC impressed

both his co-workers and those

above him; after rigorous training, he

was promoted to Sous Chef and Executive

Sous Chef, respectively, at Blue Water

Grill.

In 2003, Chef JC took the helm at Ocean

Grill, another BR Guest restaurant, as

Executive Chef. In 2010, he was also entrusted

with the opening of Atlantic

Grill West. Chef JC then accepted the

position of Executive Chef at Blue Fin, in

the flagship W Hotel New York.

Thereafter, Chef JC joined Catch Steak NYC

as their new Executive Chef, until he was

offered the opportunity to be part of creating

the Blu brand in Weehawken, New

Jersey. As leader of the Culinary Department,

he undertook creating and launching

Blu on the Hudson in July, 2022. As the

Concept Executive Chef, he is responsible

for developing the menu and managing

the daily operations of the restaurant’s

culinary aspect.

AM: In terms of roles and responsibilities,

what does the Executive Chef and Executive

Sous Chef focus on at the restaurant?

AC: Our team of chefs focus primarily on

culinary excellence; we do not spare expense

when it comes to the quality of our

product, from beginning to end.

AM: Tell us about your background in hospitality.

AC: I am the General Manager of Operations.

Previously I was acting director

for Restoration Hardware. I traveled the

country and spent much time in their premiere

properties and most esteemed projects

to align the vision of the brand. I have

worked predominantly in fine-dining environments.

He previously was the General

Manager for James Beard winning Chef,

Maria Hines. I worked as a Sommelier and

luxury hotel General Manager before joining

Blu Hospitality Group.

AM: Tell us about your Raw Bar and Crudo

and Haute Caviar program.

AC: We purchase our seafood directly

from the Fulton Fish Market and receive

deliveries daily. Also, Chef JC and Blu Team

members visit the fish supplier, located in

the Bronx, to source fresh produce. Our

Raw-Bar highlights include Seafood Towers,

a seasonal selection of chilled shellfish;

Blu’s Signature East Coast Oysters,

with tomato vinaigrette, Meyer lemon

and cucumber; and Chilled Maine Lobster,

with avocado-yuzu aioli and orange dressing.

Our Haute Caviar Program is one of

our top sellers; last year, we sold 400 oz.

our top sellers; last year, we sold 400 oz.

of Haute Caviar.

AM: What are 3 appetizers that you suggest

that we should start our meal with

when enjoying with friends and family?

AC: When starting your meal at Blu on

the Hudson, we suggest ordering Bluefin

Tuna Tartare, Seafood Tower and

Nori Tacos (2 pc), which have a choice of

Salmon & Ikura, Bluefin Tuna & Spicy Aioli,

Hamachi & Avocado or Japanese A5

Wagyu.

AM: The menu is seafood forward which

also includes your steak program and

homemade pasta. For entrees, what

dishes would you suggest that we should

order?

AC: Our Ahi, Hamachi, Salmon, Branzino

and Oysters are delivered fresh and

never frozen; you cannot go wrong. If

you are in the mood for a steak, our Australian

Wagyu, quality wise, is the best

available outside of Kobe, Japan.

AM: Tell us about your Beverage Director

Jeremy Le Blanche from his background

as well as places that he worked prior to

coming to this restaurant.

AC: Jeremy Le Blanche has had a decade-long

career in cocktail creation

and has traveled the world from France

to Australia to New York. His career, as

a beverage director, started at some of

the best five-star hotels in Courchevel,

the ski capital of the world, nestled in

the French Alps.

Before landing in New York, Jeremy

spent three years in the United Kingdom

working as Head Bartender and

Head Mixologist of Meister Bar, at German

Gymnasium, London. Jeremy is the

Concept & Beverage Director at Blu on

the Hudson in Weehawken, where he’s

working his creativity to a higher volume,

aiming to learn from different perspectives

of the business. Jeremy has

been featured in Food & Wine.

AM: What are 3 cocktails that you suggest

we should have when we come to eat?

AC: We recently launched our Summer

Cocktail menu, which features creative

twists on classics using the finest Mezcals,

Tequilas, Gins and Bourbons. Cocktails,

curated by Beverage Director, Jeremy Le

Blanche, include The Dual, Blu’s take on

an old fashioned; Dragon of the Winds, a

sophisticated variation of a classic rum

punch; and Don’t Be Shy, Blu’s version of

a spritz.

AM: Tell us about your Sommelier Adam

Greer, his journey prior to coming to Blu

on the Hudson and about the Wine Program

that you have.

AC: Adam received a Certification from

the Court of Master Sommeliers of America.

He worked with Chef John Fraserat's

Michelin-starred restaurant, Dovetail,

where he developed a sense of how to

pair wine with various dishes as the culinary

creations on the menu changed daily.

Adam's strengths lie firmly in finding

smaller producers, family-owned wineries

and wines of outstanding value and

quality. The wine list features all the major

and some minor regions of the world,

including Piedmont and Tuscany, Italy;

Bordeaux, France; Rioja and Galicia, Spain;

and locally The NY Finger Lakes and New

Jersey. Adam has been featured in Wine

Enthusiast, Taste France, Food & Wine

and more.

AM: Tell us about Social Hour.

AC: We offer our Social Hour (also known

as happy hour) Monday – Friday from 4 –

6 p.m. where we offer an approachable

cost to our specialty cocktails and rotating

starters from the kitchen. We have

guests that come from NYC to join us multiple

times a week.

AM: The Brunch menu for this meal has a

number of options! For the perfect brunch

pairing what cocktail, entree and side

would you suggest that we should have on

our next visit?

AC: For brunch, we suggest starting off

your meal with Blu’s Seasonal Black Truffle

Bloody Mary; guests can substitute

tequila or mezcal upon request. Diners

who have a sweet tooth may consider

ordering Ricotta Stuffed Pancakes, with

blueberry compote and organic maple

syrup or those with a savory tooth may

indulge in Crab Cake Benedict. Truffle

French Fries and Crispy Bacon both pair

well brunch entrees.

AM: With the phenomenal views that

diners will be able to enjoy, what will you

do for 4th of July?

AC: Blu on the Hudson will be opened

on July 4th, starting at 11 a.m. Details are

still being finalized at this time.

AM: For the rooftop, in addition to using

it for private events, will it be another

space for guests to enjoy prior to or after

their reservation?

AC: Our rooftop, which has spectacular

views of the Manhattan skyline, is set to

open in the fall. It is an all-glass enclosed

atrium and perfect for events.

AM: For those coming from NYC, how

can they access the restaurant?

AC: There are several ways to get to Blu

on the Hudson from NYC. There is an

eight-minute ferry that leaves from multiple

points around the island that brings

people to our front door. An Uber from

the city takes 15 minutes with several

bus options as well ranging from 15-20

minutes. If you are looking for the best

views of New York, guests should dine

at Blu.

@bluonthehudson

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Blu on the

Hudson

On June 26th 9pm ET, S3 of FX's The Bear released

all episodes from this season which

is available exclusively on Hulu in the U.S.

and on Disney+ in all other territories! We

had the pleasure of hearing from portions

of the cast about this show that has truly

been a phenomenon for those in the culinary

industry, enthusiasts and more as

we head back to Chicago it deals with the

highs and lows of running a restaurant,

navigating the industry as well as the complexities

that take place FOH, BOH as well

as outside of the four walls that they operate

in!

The press conference included Executive

Producer and Restaurateur Chef Matty

Matheson (Craig of the Creek, It's Suppertime!,

Workin' Moms), who also plays

Neil Fak, Jeremy Alllen White (Shameless,

Homecoming, The Iron Claw) who plays

Carmy, Ayo Edebiri (Black Mirror, Abbott

Elementary, Bottoms) who plays Sydney as

well as who directed Episode 6 "Napkins"

of this season, Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Girls,

The Dropout, Andor) who plays Richie,

Abby Elliott (Saturday Night Life, Odd Mom

Out, Cheaper By The Dozen) who plays Natalie,

Liza Colón-Zayas (In Treatment, Law &

Order, Titans) who plays Tina, Lionel Boyce

(Loiter Squad, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The

Jellies) who plays Marcus, and Ricky Staffieri

(Chicago P.D., Better Call Saul, This is

Us) who plays Ted Fak.

If you have watched or caught up on the

previous seasons of The Bear, we suggest

that you watch as there will be light spoilers.

In terms of S3 the conversation focuses

on the trailer and how it ties into the

previous seasons.

PRESS POOL: Matty, in addition to your

playing Neil, you are an executive producer

and from a menu creation perspective,

what are the decisions that are involved in

creating those dishes?

CHEF MATTY MATHESON: Yeah, like,

Courtney Storer is also a producer, and

she handles a lot of the menu development.

I work with her and her team and

ideation stuff of what Carmy and Syd

would be thinking about; and how to execute

those types of dishes; and create;

those types of menus; and who they

are and how they would present themselves

through a culinary lens. But yeah,

a lot of the dishes—you know, we had

some really good chefs, and Courtney is

amazing at executing and creating that

food and bringing that to life. And there

were some dishes that were more difficult

than others. A lot of the desserts

that Lionel and Marcus were creating

and storytelling were difficult. Pastry is

very - you know, it's a lot of science, a

lot of stuff going into that. But overall, I

think just trying to make beautiful food

and thoughtful food and pushing the

envelope.

PP: What was it like cowriting the first

episode, what that experience was like,

what you brought to the table and also,

what it did for you.

CHEF MM: I think a lot of people that

have had amazing careers, like Carmy

had or chefs in general, have worked under

a lot of chefs. And there's little pieces

that you grab onto throughout your

life, and that's how and what makes you

who you are, the good and the bad. And

in culinary school, I had this chef that

told us this story about how 30 chefs

made who he was and told me this story

about working under all of these chefs

all over Europe and working with chefs

and cooks and just learning all of these

different trades. And you know, it is a

trade. And so, I think picking up these

little skills along the way - and you never

stop learning - is who you are made of,

you know? The people around you. And

we kind of wanted to tell a story of what

and how Carmy was kind of built in that

way.

PP: It seems like Neil's role is increasing

with every season and we're seeing more

of him. Was this planned from the beginning

or did it grow organically out of the

way the character interacted with the

other characters?

CHEF MM: I’m not too sure. I think they

saw that I could remember a couple more

lines. And then, I think Chris Storer (Ramy,

On The Count of Three, Dickinson) kind of

chucked me a couple lines, and then I think

we'll keep it moving. But yeah, I don't

know. I really don't know. I think happy to

be here and then, you know—

JEREMY ALLEN WHITE: I think, yeah, I

mean, I think Chris was responding to

Matty's work on the show. Matty had never

acted before the show, and it turns out

he can do it so beautifully and he can be

so funny and lovable. And so, I think Chris

wanted to work with him more and more.

And it's also like I've never seen Chris be

more joyful...

EBON MOSS-BACHRACH: Yeah.

AYO EDEBIRI: It's true.

EMB: Yeah.

JAW: ...than when he's directing a scene

with Matty and like throwing lines at him.

It really is the most excited that I see Chris

is working with Matty.

CHEF MM: What Jeremy Allen White said.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Jeremy, we got a taste

of Carmy's mentality following the finale

and how the walk-in incident impacted

him in the trailer. But going into Season 3,

how will that experience impact him and

his employees at The Bear?

JAW: Yeah, I mean, you know, what happens,

I do get out of the walk-in refrigerator

and that's good. And then yeah, you

know, I think Carmy does what he does,

which is he sort of buries himself back into

his work and really tries to challenge himself

and in doing so, really challenges everybody

around him and I think becomes

quite challenging to be around, as well. A

lot of challenges.

PP: Things were not in a great place between

Richie and Carmy when we last saw

them. How will their relationship move

forward as the season progresses and

can they overcome the differences that

they have?

EMB: They're great now. They're great.

They...

(Laughter.)

AE: Play pickleball on Wednesdays.

EMB: They wake up every morning, go

for a jog. You know, a little coffee klatch.

No, I mean, you've got to watch, I think,

right?

JAW: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean,

yes, Carmy is like continuing to do what

he does best, I think, which is like be incredibly

avoidant of all the issues that

he has going on.

AE: No. What?

JAW: And that's what you'll see, yeah.

AM: Last season Richie got to work at another

restaurant which really softened

him and informed him a lot. How did

that inform you moving forward with

the character and into Season 3?

EMB: Season 3 picks up I think not long

after Season 2 ends. And I don't know, I

think Richie is in a place where he's sort

of seen...he's been exposed to maybe a

more evolved way of being, and I think

he kind of sees a path to head towards.

But it's one thing to see the path and

it's another thing to walk it. So, I think,

like any kind of personal growth, it's forward

and back and there's not a kind of

clear and one-direction path.

PP: In the Season 3 trailer, Carmy presents

Sydney with a partnership agreement.

What does this promotion mean

for your character and how does Sydney

and Carmy's relationship evolve in Season

3?

AE: Well, I think that that's one of the

things in the season that we sort of deal

with is what it means to Sydney and what

that next step would mean for her relationship

with Carmy, who's somebody

that I think she really has looked up to but

now is sort of in the thick of doing business

with. And it's I think a lot more chaotic

than she might have idealized before

they really started working together. So

yeah, I think that's sort of something that

you'll see.

JAW: Yeah. Yeah, I think for Carmen, he's

not the best communicator, but he will often

kind of make a sort of grand gesture

like that to try and communicate to Syd

or the kitchen or whomever. And I think

that's his way of kind of reaching out. But

oftentimes, I feel like people aren't prepared

to sort of receive like - I think he's

got a lot going on in his mind all the time,

and people aren't always aware of exactly

what's going on. And so, yeah, I guess...

again, yeah, you'll see obviously how that

affects Carmen and Syd's relationship. But

I think Carmen's trying to welcome her in

a little bit was the point of the partnership

agreement, yeah.

PP: What is going on with Tina this season.

And then Ayo, would love to hear what it

was like directing an episode.

LIZA COLÓN-ZAYAS: What's up with Tina

is she is struggling to, you know, be her

best and the challenges and wrestling

with the demons of her past and you

know, white-knuckling.

AE: Yeah, directing was a blast. I really

loved it. It's like a dream to get to work

with our crew as an actor. And so then,

I guess by extension of directing that

feeling was only amplified. I was just so

impressed and so moved every day. And

then, I got to direct some of my favorite

actors in the world, and it just felt like a

bit of a master class, but also a gift. Like, I

was just in the best circumstances of truly

just masters of their craft beside me, and

I just felt so lucky. I was kind of like this is

maybe the best job in the world? Or tied

for first place, at least, with the one of

acting. Yeah, so it was really wonderful.

AM: Did you choose the script that you

were going to direct or is it just a decision

you made with Chris Storer?

AE: I mean, a little bit of both, I guess?

Like, he had one in mind. We're lucky

enough to read all the episodes as actors

beforehand, and we'd been talking

about it for a while. And I know that

he had one in mind, and I think he and

the other producers, like Joanna Calo

(The Baby-Sitters Club, Hack, Beef), had

talked about it a bit, about how the episodes

would be distributed. Because I

wasn't the only guest director this season.

Our AD, Duccio Fabbri (She Said,

The Whale, Native Son), also directed

an episode. And so, I think they had in

their minds who would go where a little

bit. But then we had a conversation,

and he was like, "Which scripts are you

responding to?" And I was like, "I would

literally give you my firstborn child, who

does not exist yet, if I could do the Liza

episode, because I would love to work

with Liza in that way." And then, he was

like, "Well, we have nice little parallel

thinking." So, yeah.

PP: Grief seems to be kind of a river that

runs through the entire connective tissue

of the show. And no one has seemed

to really deal with their grief related to

Mikey's (Jon Bernthal) passing and also,

it seems like there might be some grief

for Marcus, as well, coming up. Will there

be any reckonings with unprocessed grief

throughout this season, and what does

that mean for the restaurant as a whole?

ABBY ELLIOT: Yeah, I think with Natalie,

she's processing her grief and she's

about to become a mother. She's pregnant

and so, she's grappling with the

fact that her brother had this horrible

demise and her relationship with her

mom and her brother is not in a good

place. So, I feel like, yeah, she's dealing

with the grief in that way.

AE: Yeah, I feel like a lot of different

characters have grief that touched

them in different ways in how they're

dealing with it. I mean, I think you said it

very aptly. That's one of the connecting

threads of the show, so I think it's in the

process of being dealt with by different

characters in different ways in this season.

EMB: I would say that it's even one of the

strengths of the show and I think one of

the reasons that it's connected with so

many people is I think grief is the river

that runs through all of us. And it's the

one sort of - maybe one of the only common

things that we all share in the human

experience. And so, yeah, that continues,

and everyone deals with it in their own

way. Or not, you know.

@thebearfx

@mattymatheson

@jeremyallenwhitefinally

@ebonmossbacharach

@ayoedebiri

@lizacolonzayas_lcz

@lilcutieforever

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | FX's The

Bear

Photo Credit: Mercedes Mehling, Unsplash, Royalty-free

NEW YORK, NY | SUN | 30 JUNE | 12:00 P.M.

GREENWICH VILLAGE | SUN | 30 JUNE | 12:00 P.M.

SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM – PIER 16

& THE SEAPORT – PIER 17

| SAT | 29 JUNE | 12:00 P.M.

LAMBDA LOUNGE BK | SAT | 22 JUNE | 2:00 P.M.

THE DL | SUN | 30 JUNE | 2:00 P.M.

Athleisure Mag has been a Media Sponsor

of NYC Pride for the past 7 years and it has

great to continue our sponsorship for an

8th year in a row to support the community

which brings people together through

an array of events throughout the city!

There have been a number of fun events

that have taken place over the past few

weeks and if you're still looking to support

and enjoy the festivities, we suggest that

you head out to Mets Pride Night sponsored

by Citi on Jun 28th as well as to make

a day of it on Un 30th where you can enjoy

the iconic March as well as Pride Fest!

What we have enjoyed this month is that

there have been a number of events to

take place so make sure that you check out

these events and more by visiting the site

so that you can coordinate with friends

and family.

This year's theme of Reflect. Empower.

Unite. focuses on the LGBTQIA+ community

and marks the 55th Anniversary of the

the Stonewall Uprising as well as the 40th

Anniversary of the Heritage of Pride, the

organization that puts on NYC Pride. This

theme aims to highlight the importance

of The March as an intersection for liberation

and joy of the community as well as

looking at the activist history that created

the movement as well as to reflect whether

you're an individual, ally, community

leader, activist to understand the challenges

that have been overcome as they find

ways forward.

These events aim to bring the city together

across the boroughs in the city as well

as the world at large together. Last year,

we talked with Sandra Perez (MAY ISSUE

#89 in 2023) Executive Director of Heritage

of Pride. She talked about how NYC Pride

started, why it is an important event, and

how they use their platform.

@nycpride

PHOTO CREDIT | NYC Pride

We've enjoyed watching the screeners for

Hotel Cocaine which is currently streaming

on MGM+! We are transported to the

late 70s and early 80s when Miami is in the

midst of a shift from vacation and retirement

destination to the epicenter of sex,

drugs, crime, and a battle between those

who are on opposing sides of the law while

embracing disco, wealth, and more! The

events that unfold are based on accounts

by those who lived it that took place at The

Mutiny Hotel which still exists today, but

without the activities that made it famous

during that time.

We had the pleasure of connecting with

Creator, Showrunner, Executive Producer,

and writer Chris Brancato (Narcos, Narcos:

Mexico, The Godfather of Harlem) and Director,

Guillermo Navarro (The Twilight

Saga: Breaking Dawn 1 and 2, Night at the

Museum franchise, The Last Days of Ptolemy

Grey) who know how to bring these

stories to life so that we can see the complexities,

conflict, and humanity of the

characters in their stories. We talk about

their love for storytelling, working together,

and framing this show in all of its nuances.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We are so excited to be

able to talk with you! Chris, I know you created

Narcos as well as Godfather of Harlem

which I have been a huge fan of and

Guillermo as the Director of Godfather of

Harlem – once again, it is a fantastic show

and you also directed Narcos, so it’s nice

to see you guys working together on this

show!

What do you guys love about storytelling

in general?

GUILLERMO NAVARRO: Well, it’s a tremendous

opportunity to actually reflect

on life and to put our own ideas into it and

to tell those stories. There is nothing better

than that!

CHRIS BRANCATO: I love the process and

the friendships that you make from the

writing room where we create the scripts

to the production people who put every-

thing together, and then editorial where

we make a “finished product,” so to

speak! The goal is always to entertain.

AM: You guys came together for Hotel

Cocaine which I have watched all 7 of the

screeners and can’t wait to find out what

happens in E8! The story is amazing. Why

did you want to tell it and specifically

Guillermo, what attracted you to this series

and why did you want to be part of

it?

GN: Well I have been partnering with this

one for awhile and finally we reached

and found a Latin story and so I completely

just went for it. It was an opportunity

to talk about the relationships of

the Latin world with America and it focused

on the drama of 2 brothers and

the delivery of this and the story about

what had to be happening in Miami to

receive all of that input and to become

what it is!

AM: In terms of creating the show Chris,

what was your thinking? I love the characters,

the complexities and the depth

of them, and they keep unveiling themselves

in different ways and it is shot so

beautifully. How did all that come together?

CB: Well, it’s interesting. Guillermo and I

did Narcos together. We first met on the

show Hannibal and I realized he was a

directorial genius – [Guillermo motions

teasingly that Chris is going on and on

buttering him up until Chris notices]

AM: Wait, you are and I have enjoyed

seeing your direction in a number of programs

so these are facts!

CB: Right? So effectively when I did Narcos,

one of the actors that was a friend

of mine came up to me and said, “you

know, my father was the General Manager

ager of the Mutiny Hotel. He said it

was the Studio 54 of its day in Miami and

it was the home to DEA Agents, drug

dealers, movie stars, rock stars, and so

the subject matter fascinated me and I

knew that to do it right and to give it the

proper Latin perspective, I was going to

need to find a partner. I searched far and

wide in the Latin world and I couldn’t

find anybody other than him [Chris teases

Guillermo by shaking his arm] so that is

how we got stuck together!

AM: I love that story! Obviously, this story

takes place in Miami but you shot it in the

DR?

CB: Yes, because the Domincan Republic,

we scouted Puerto Rico, Colombia, and

the DR, but ultimately, we decided that

the Dominican Republic had the best look

of a 70s Miami because Miami is so overbuilt

now, we could never replicate Miami

in the 70s!

AM: Well I love the DR and I always love

whenever I spend time down there regardless

of the city!

What do you want viewers to take away

from this show. I can’t say enough about

how much I love how it was put together,

the characters, the way it was shot etc. I

can’t wait to see the finale to see how S1

ends.

GN: Well, that the impact of the drug

world on society is real and it’s very profound.

And that, I come from Mexico

and the social tissue is destroyed by the

drug world. For me, it was very important

thing to talk about that every time someone

consumes it, people die. So it’s about

accountability and responsibility of something

that is consuming entire societies.

CB: We like to deliver themes like that in a

very shiny wrapping.

AM: Right!

CB: So the sex, drugs, disco, Latin music

pel collars, bell bottom pants, and the

Mutiny girls. So again, the goal is to entertain

and put the nutritional value in a

hidden way so that the kids don’t notice

the broccoli!

@cbrancato86

@hotelcocainemgm

Now that we have a framework for this

series thanks to Chris and Guillermo we

wanted to contiue to frame this show

as well as the lens that we should view

as. We talked with Danny Pino (Scandal,

Law & Order: SVU, Mayans MC) and Yul

Vazquez (Magic City, The Outsider, The

Godfather of Harlem) who play brothers

Ramon Compte and Nestor Cabal in this

era in Miami as they navigate the DEA,

drugs, the Mutiny Hotel, past and present

family dynamics and so much more!

AM: As a fan of both of your works in

other shows as well as obviously in Hotel

Cocaine, why were you attracted to this

series and why did you want to be part

of it?

DANNY PINO: Thank you for this question!

Yul Vazquez! That is the short answer.

I’m not saying that because he is

here. But he is, he’s right here! The reality

is that the first phone call that I got

about Hotel Cocaine came from Yul. Yul

and I, there are not a lot of Cuban Americans

in Hollywood right? So whenever

I would go to an event and I would

meet other Cuban Americans, we would

eventually land on, “have you met Yul

Vazquez?” I’d say, “no I have not met

him, I know of him and we have mutual

friends. He’s a fantastic actor, but I have

not yet met him.” Or I would go to a set

and someone in the crew or in the cast

would say, “well, you’re Cuban American,

have you met Yul?” We’d have the

same conversation! “I love his work and

I haven’t met him.” Then, we happened

to meet on Law & Order: SVU! And we

became fast friends. It’s like when you

meet somebody that you feel that you

have known your entire life! I’m not

talking about like your entire acting life,

I’m talking about – were you at my 15s?

Were you at my baptism? Because I feel

like you must have been in the Catholic

church with us!

The phone call where Yul calls me and

says - look, I have been working on this

show, The Godfather of Harlem with Forest

Whitaker - the fantastic Forest Whitaker

with Chris Brancato, the creator of Narcos

and there is this show set in Miami, 1978,

called Hotel Cocaine, based on the Mutiny

and we’d be playing brothers. I said, I’m

in! He was like, maybe you should read the

script. And I was like, wait, maybe I should

read the script! That’s the short answer to

your question! Once Yul kind of set that

up, I was already – the momentum and

the inertia towards doing it was already

in motion.

YUL VAZQUEZ: I mean, it was pretty

much the same for me. Danny really was

the only choice really for this. It was too

perfect but you know sometimes when

something is so perfect it doesn’t wind up

happening?

AM: Right!

YV: This is a no brainer and then suddenly

it doesn’t happen! But this was one of

those times when the no brainer happened

the way it was supposed to happen.

I absolutely love working with Danny

and he knows that that is the truth! I

know that I can stand there with him and

we can get through any scene no matter

what the journey of the scene is and we

can work around it and figure it out and

we get to the end of the scene and I know

that when he opens his mouth, I am going

to believe everything that he says! That

sounds like simple obvious things, but

not always the case. Not always the case.

I always knew with Danny, I am going to

have a guy that was there today. Not a

guy who decided that he was going to do

this 3 weeks ago. You know, rehearsed

it in the mirror because that is one thing

that makes me insane. When I get somebody

and I’m like no matter what you do,

this person is going to do the same thing

because they have locked themselves into

this thing. We figured out this flow with

this whole thing and we improvised a lot

of things and we had the freedom from

Chris Brancato, Michael Panes (Godfather

of Harlem, Bull, Law & Order: Criminal In-

tent) and Guillermo Navarro whi is a

huge part of the design, the brains, and

the engine of the show. He encouraged

us by saying that we knew this world

better than any of us are going to know.

We know what it’s like to be a Cuban

from Miami and so that’s what we did!

It’s really what we did and I think that

we brought a lot of ourselves into the

thing more so then I think that I have

ever done!

DP: You’re talking to a musician/artist.

Yul would come at this scene with the

same words, but in a totally different

way! So to be present and to be able to

play jazz with him all the time and you

know, a lot of the script is written in English.

We know as many Cuban Americans

know, and many Latinos know, that

we don’t speak in English all the time.

YV: Correct.

DP: Our probably chosen language or

first language is Spenglish and so we

would manipulate some of the script

to have the same intention, the same

wording, but to be able to go back and

forward fluidly in Spanish to give the authenticity

of what you would hear not

only in that time period, but in modern

day Miami!

PRESS POOL: As you reflect back to all

the roles you have played throughout

your career, what lessons have you taken

from them that have helped you in your

role in Hotel Cocaine today? How has it

shaped you to be the actor that you are

today in those roles?

YV: I think that every stitch is a stitch in

the fabric of an actor’s career. You try

to vary it as much as you can and then

you try to decide the parts as much as

who is involved and who’s hands it’s in.

So I think that everything feeds everything.

I also paint, I’m a photographer,

and I am also a musician so everything

feeds everything and I don’t think one

thing takes away from another. I see everything

as one orb. So, I think that ev-

erything in life feeds everything. Meet ing

you and it’s the succession of events for

me. That’s how I think that we arrive to

where we are today.

DP: I mean, Yul is a renaissance man. He

does everything incredibly well and for

me, talking about different characters

and how it now leads to Ramon Compte,

the General Manager of the Mutiny Club

and Hotel, I’ve played characters who

were on the right side of the law – in fact

they were the law. In 2 successive shows

whether it’s Mayans MC or Hotel Cocaine,

playing characters that you can potentially

consider an outlaw – right? I think that

what I find which goes to the heart of your

question, the throughline for the characters

is with great writing whether it’s Meredith

Stiehm (Homeland, ER, NYPD Blue)

on Cold Case; whether it’s Warren Leight

(In Treatment, Law & Order: SVU, Law &

Order: Criminal Intent) on Law & Order:

SVU; whether it’s Elgin James (The Outlaws,

Lowriders, Little Birds) on Mayans

MC; or Chris Brancato for Hotel Cocaine,

all of those showrunners are fantastic at

developping a character who rides the

line between on the right side of the law

and a potential on criminality.

All of those characters, whether it was

Scotty Valens on Cold Case where he had

some anger issues and would go back and

forth on being able to control that or Nick

Amaro who was also going back and forth

on being able to control his anger and his

frustrations and what not with his job

and within his family, you can say similar

things about Miguel Galindo and now we

have arrived at Ramon Compte who also

has to ride that line. It’s just like what Yul

said, there’s a building and a learning from

each experience especially when the writing

is so dialed in and so challenging for an

actor which is the best thing that we can

have to be able to have that range which

we can sort of carve through a performance

and to go back in forth between

scenes where you say, “I really love this

guy, I could absolutely see myself doing

the same thing – exactly what he is doing,”

and then the very next scene saying,

“how could you choose to do that? I

hate this person!”

DP: Right? So that’s the currency that

actors love to deal in.

PP: When we see the scenes that you

guys have together at the Mutiny Hotel

and this is a testament to who you are

as actors, but when you have the club

scenes there is so much going on with

the dancers, the lights, and all of these

things are happening all around you – as

actors, how do you not get distracted by

all of the things that are taking place in

the background? What is your secret?

YV: It’s hard! It really is hard and sometimes

let’s say that your patience it tested

– yeah it is! It’s a great question and it

is very very hard, for me.

DP: I think it’s one of those things where

– and it is a fantastic question because a

lot of people don’t realize exactly what

happens. They play the music and cue

us into the song so that the background

artist can get the rhythm of the song

that is going to be played and then they

kill the song. So the background artist

can continue with the rhythm so that

we can say our lines in silence so that

we don’t have to record the line over

and over again for clarity. And that gets

a little strange because you can still hear

the heels and the platforms stomping

on the dancefloor so it is a little distracting

in that way. What helps is to have

an actor like Yul. When you have an actor

like Yul and you have words by Chris

Brancato and Michael Panes, where you

are engaging in a scene that matters

and has life and death circumstances

and ramifications, that tends to crystalize

everything and you start to get that

much more focused.

YV: Yeah, so Danny’s right. All we really

have is each other and that helps! Having

him helps anchor things for me! He’s

right, exactly what he said. It becomes

a very interesting challenge you know

because it is all of the things that the

audience never sees. You know the old

saying, “you don’t want to see how the

sausage is made.” That’s really true!

PP: For people who live in Miami, the Mutiny

is such a staple and an icon of an era

that created the backbone of what Miami

is as a city from the glitz and glamour, to

the element of crime and other things.

Danny you’re a Miamian and went to FIU

and you grew up there and you know the

city. What does it mean to you to portray

this era that shaped what Miami is nowadays?

DP: That’s a fantastic question and as

we’re both from Miami, we talk about it

all the time! We talk about not only the

impact of the Mutiny, but the impact of

the 70s, it was such a transformative period

of our city! It really changed Miami

from being sort of a sleepy retirement/

vacation spot to a cosmopolitan hot spot.

Then it changed when the Mutiny upped

the ante on that and it became a hedonistic

pleasure palace! Right? People were

flying in all over the world to have an adult

experience at the Mutiny. I have actually

stayed at the Mutiny, it’s not what it was

before, it is now much more lowkey. It’s

like a hotel residential sort of establishment

now, but the structure is still the

same, the pool is still the same, and you

still feel that if the walls could talk, you’d

be hearing some fantastic stories and I

think that that’s what our show does. The

walls talk in our story.

@eldannypino

@yuluminati

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Hotel Cocaine

In last month's issue we looped you in

on a fun music festival that kicks off the

Summer season in NY. From Jun 7th - Jun

9th Governors Ball kicked off with 3 days

of music across genres at Flushing Meadows

in Queens. We enjoyed being able to

hear from our favorite acts across 3 stages

throughout the days on an endless sunny

weekend. Nestled in the park, attendees

had the ability to feel like they left the city

to be transformed into a musical oasis with

sets filled with their favorite songs.

With acts that included The Killers, Post

Malone, SZA, Peso Pluma, Sabrina Carpenter,

and Reneé Rapp to name a few. While

we hung out at the festival we took in the

sets from our VIP that also included food

and beverage vendors that kept our taste

buds engaged and our energy up.

The last day defintiely included our favorites

and with good vibes flowing throughout

the weekend, we were transfixed all

the way to the last song played by SZA who

closed out a successful weekend. We're

already looking forward to next year's

lineup although we're months away from

knowing who will perform, but if this year

was any indication, we can't wait to see

who it will be!

@govballnyc

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 137 Phelphs

| PG 138 Paigge Wharton | PG 139 N Bradley

| PG 140 Charles Reagan | PG 141 Sambalaban

|

On Jun 10th to Jun 11th, the Athleisure Mag

team had the pleasure of spending 2 days

in Brooklyn to enjoy Bar Convent Brooklyn

which included hitting the tradeshow floor

of this industry event in order to our tried

and true brands as well as new brands. It's

also an amazing time to meet up with others

from the spirit and hospitality industries

whether you're onsite or a number

of events that took place during the day

and night. Although it would be impossible

to give you a play-by-play of all of the

things that we took part in, we did want

to highlight moments and brands that we

engaged with during this show in addition

to what you may have seen on our IG @

AthleisureMag. If you want to know more

about the backstory of this show, why it

was created, its aims and more, we suggest

that you revisit our interview in the

MAY ISSUE #101 with Jackie Williams the

VP of Events at BCB!

The night before the official kickoff event,

we headed to Hawksmoor, a noted steakhouse

to take part in the Martini (Fords

Gin) X Manhattan (Woodford Reserve)

event which allowed guests to enjoy drinks

that were created by mixologists from the

restaurant as well as noted guest bartenders

Holly Graham of Tokyo Confidential

and Ramsey Musk of Accomplice Bar. In

the battle between gin and bourbon, everyone

wins and there were great oysters

to keep the vibe going and to prepare us

for the next 2 days of drinks!

On the first day of the show, it was all

about learning the lay of the land as this

show was at Industry City and takes up a

number of buildings as well as courtyards

which allows you to have a lot of options

whether you're sitting and taking a break

or just want to have a moment. It's always

fun to see how brands like Hendrick's Gin

and Campari create amazing spaces that

really show you their brand while also having

the ability to meet new brands that are

navigating the space. We enjoyed Juliette

Peach Liqueur which was a refreshing sip

that could be enjoyed alone, but was even

better when it was paired with champagne

to give it a bubbly feel. On a hot day, this is

something that is simple to make and

easy to drink while looking elegant!

This year, there were a number of Mezcals

and Tequilas to enjoy! We spent

some time with the team at Cierto and

sampled their range of tequilas. We were

initially drawn into their faceted shaped

bottles which reminded us of a diamond,

but their Blanco was incredibly smooth

and one that we will enjoy sipping for

quite some time (along with their full

line of tequilas). It's always worth trying

something completely new and realizing

that it must have a place on your bar cart!

We were feeling the speakeasy vibes of

Templeton Midnight Rye Whiskey as we

loved hearing about its history and in

addition to sampling it, we were excited

to have our bottle engraved which is another

flex that you can enjoy as you build

your bar cart or bar top depending on

how you store your favorites.

We spent a large part of the day at the

show and our list could go on when it

comes to what we sampled, but this

show is also great as there are additional

events that take place throughout Brooklyn

as well as in Manhattan. We made 2

stops, the first was iichiko's Summer Party

at Bar Goto Niban. This event allowed

us to head to this super cute and intimate

bar and to enjoy shochu cocktails

that were paried with Japanese bites!

In addition, there was shaved ice (literally

looked like cotton candy) that also

had shochu in it from Kuramoto Ice. This

was offered at their booth at the show;

however, we hadn't seen it and made a

note to swing by the next day, but were

pleased to be able to try it in this setting.

We walked about 10mins away and

found ourselves at Leyenda bar which

had Diplomático Rum being served as

well as tacos and other tasty bites. We

enjoyed hanging out here at this James

Beard nominated bar which is co-owned

by Julie Reiner and Ivy Mix. It was a fun

night and although we could have stayed

awhile longer, we wanted to make our

way back into the city for Industry Icons at

Great Jones Distilling Co which is the first

distillery since Prohibition. With guest bartenders

making phenomenal drinks, the

ability to see this beautiful space with a

stunning bar as well as great bites, it was a

mix between a low key meets vibrant night

to prepare us for the next day of events

that we would participate in.

It's worth noting that for this year's show

we liked the food trucks that were available

which was definitely a great way

to keep your energy up and STUF'D had

the perfect combo of fries and a rib eye

sandwhich which was much needed and

enjoyed in the courtyard.

On the second and last day of this show,

the goal was to continue to sample brands

throughout the space as well as to connect

with those that we had made appointments

with. Our appointment and Guided

Tasting with Silent Pool Gin was an immersive

experience to learn about the English

town that makes the gin; why its location

makes the gin; what it is; and being able to

learn how the different components come

together for a well balanced drink!

One of the our favorite parts of the day

was to step into a session with Jaime Salas

Proximo Spirits Head of Advocacy Agave.

We had a deep dive into Cristalino Tequilas

(one of them being a Mezcal which was

an added treat). This sampling seminar

was a great opportunity to be able to get

to know more about each of the 8 tequilas

that were being shared from the portfolio,

to learn more about the terroir, and

to train our paletes so that we could identify

what tasting notes were involved. We

have had the pleasure of talking tequila

with Jaime so we knew it would be a great

and thoughtful session. We also had the

opportunity to swing by their booth prior

to this tasting in order to get a preview of

what we would be enjoying at the Liquid

Lounge!

Overall, the 2 days, the booths, and the

parties/events really allowed you to connect

next with this diverse community

through sips whether you were focused

on vodka, gin, mezcal, whiskeys, rum,

canned spirits, innovations in non-alcoholic

offerings and more!

The ability to learn and sip at your own

pace and to be able to share your passion

and knowledge with other enthusiasts

across the industry is always a good

time! With our last sips on the way out,

it was everything that we expected it to

be and of course, we're already excited

for getting ready for next year as you

know it'll involve a number of our favorite

brands that may or may not be presenting

a new product; the opportunity

to try various cocktails and to chat with

those brands about the beverages; and

of course seeing things that are new to

you or are completely brand new to the

market!

@barconventbrooklyn

PHOTO CREDITS | Bar Convent Brooklyn

Many of us are finding that we're traveling

all over the world to see our favorite

artists and music festivals! It's a great

way to travel to a different locale and to

see our artists to carry out there sets! We

caught up with Puerto Rican rapper and

singer, Dei V who is currently on tour to

talk about his passion for music, his latest

single off his recent album Quién es Dei V?,

those he has collaborated with and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall

in love with music?

DEI V: I think I fell in love with music at a

very young age. I used to watch my pops

play guitar, my sisters used to sing and

I don't know I've just had love for music

since I was young. I didn't want to be

an artist till I was like 20 years old and I

moved to New York. That's when I started

to have more love for being an artist, a

rapper, a trap or a reggaeton artist. That's

when all that started when I moved to

New York. I loved the vibe, the old school

artists I used to collab with, the Puertorican

ones so I think the move to New York,

that's when the love for being an artist

started.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted

to be a rapper and singer?

DV: I realized I wanted to be a rapper and

a singer when I tried it for the first time,

when I tried to write a song for the first

time. I noticed that I was very very good.

Everyone used to tell me “you should do

it, you should do it, you should do it” and

like, that's when I started. I started writing

for one of my friends and everything

I wrote sounded good so I wanted to do

music myself you know and bring my own

sound.

AM: How would you describe the Dei V

sound?

DV: I would describe my sound as different

and unique. I feel like I’m bringing to

the table and nowadays doing what I’m

doing. I feel like I’m in my own lane and

I’m bringing a flow and a style that no-

body’s bringing out there.

AM: In terms of your creative process,

where do you like to start when it comes

to putting together a song.

DV: There's not really a process, I just

put a beat, I call the best producers or

I look through beats and the feeling

that the beat gives me, I go for that. I

just go with the flow. I don't really have

a process, I just put a beat and go with

the flow and vibe. I sit with the people

that are in the studio and just make it

fun, you know, there's not really a process

it’s just having fun and doing what I

know how to do.

AM: You have collaborated with a number

of artists including Karol G, Myke

Towers, and Bryant Myers. What do you

look for when it comes to collaborating

with artists?

DV: I really just like to work with people

that do genuine stuff and humble people,

people that like my music and people

that have the same love as me for

music. I don't really look for artists who

have big numbers. If they're good and I

like it I’ll probably collaborate.

AM: We've been enjoying your latest single,

Clima with Foreign Teck what was

the inspiration behind this song?

DV: I would say rainy days when the

weather is kind of chilly. People just kind

of want to be with somebody inside, stay

inside with somebody, watch Netflix,

eat munchies and stuff like that's where

the inspiration for the song came about.

I think the weather and rainy days, you

just want to chill with somebody.

AM: We know this time of year the schedule

is hectic with touring, are there any

upcoming dates that we should know

about?

DV: Actually, I’m on tour right now. I already

did the Dominican Republic, Colombia,

Bolivia... but now I'm about to

fly to Spain and I’m going to be out there

for 2 months touring and I finish the tour

in Mexico so those are upcoming dates

that I have, Spain and Mexico.

AM: When you're not recording music or

hitting the stage, how do you take time

for yourself?

DV: I just really like to spend time with my

family and have fun, catch up on everything

that I couldn't do and just spend

time with my family. I like to cook, I like

to be in the house playing video games. I

like to play basketball. I do exercise once

in a while. That's basically it.

@deivpr

PHOTOS COURTESY | PG 151 + PG 154 for

9PLAYLIST Kidd Camara | PG 153 Album

Cover |

For the past 4 seasons, we have enjoyed

9-1-1: Lonestar which allows us to follow

the work and lives of first responders

that are in Austin Texas! With an engaging

ensemble cast, we took some time to

talk with Julian Works who plays Mateo

Chavez. We've watched as he's grown with

his fellow fireman, become involved in a relationship,

and really coming into his own!

We wanted to know more about how he

got into the industry, his passion for storytelling,

being in 9-1-1, how one trains for

this role, his movie The Long Game, and

more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the show or

movie that made you fall in love with storytelling?

JULIAN WORKS: I’ve been a movie buff

since I was really young and loved so many

classic films like Rear Window, La Dolce

Vita, Rebel Without A Cause, East of Eden,

On The Waterfront, A Streetcar Named Desire,

Rocky, Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather,

Taxi Driver, and Midnight Express.

They definitely lit a spark in me, and after

hosting a YouTube Sports channel called

Mun2 with my uncle as a teenager, I decided

to audition for a rendition of The

Odd Couple at my high school. I ended up

booking the lead role of ‘Oscar Madison’

and the rest is history!

AM: Prior to you coming to 9-1-1: Lone Star,

I first remember seeing you on The Affair.

What is your creative process in approaching

the characters that you have played?

JW: I do extensive research for any role

that I play. In the case of The Affair, I came

into the recurring role of ‘Angel’ after the

show had been airing for 3 seasons, so I

took it upon myself to binge-watch as

many episodes as possible before the audition

so that I could grasp the tone and

the rhythm of the show. In the case of

9-1-1: Lone Star, on the other hand, I had

the privilege of developing the character

from its inception and the writers have

molded the character around what I’ve

brought to the table over the past 4 sea-

sons. For The Long Game, I first read the

novel by the great Humberto G. Garcia,

then researched what it may have been

like to be a Mexican American in 1950’s

Del Río, Texas and of course brushed

up on everything golf-related (including

playing the game quite a bit before we

began filming). Doing a deep dive into

script and role analysis is also a part of

my process. It always helps when you

have a great director like Julio Quintana

(Blue Miracle, The Vessel, Disgraced) or

television showrunners like Tim Minear

(9-1-1, Ratched, American Horror Story)

and Rashad Raisani (Burn Notice, 9-1-1,

9-1-1: Lone Star) at the helm who guide

you and put all of the pieces of the story

together.

AM: What drew you to 9-1-1 Lone Star?

JW: Producers Ryan Murphy (Glee, Pose,

American Horror Story), Brad Falchuk

(Nip/Tuck, Scream Queens, The Politician),and

Tim Minear. As soon as we

saw their names attached to the series,

my team and I knew we had to do everything

in our power for me to work

with them. It has been one of the most

rewarding work experiences of my life.

AM: What is the training like to be on

this show in terms of wearing the gear

and being able to be in the mindset of a

firefighter?

JW: It definitely takes some getting used

to and ample training time. The gear is

super heavy, so you have to be physically

fit to handle the long hours with

bulky clothing and able to handle sizable

equipment, sometimes in hot weather.

We’ve gone through extensive training

with real firefighters and incredible consultants

with our production team to

make sure we honor the real firefighting

heroes who risk their lives every day for

us.

AM: Tell me about how you came to the

9-1-1 Universe as you actually had a few

episodes in the flagship and how did that

then bring you to 9-1-1: Lonestar?

JW: I booked a memorable Guest Star

role opposite the legendary Angela Bassett

(Waiting to Exhale, American Horror

Story, Black Panther universe) on the flagship

show, 9-1-1. A year later, when 9-1-1:

Lone Star was casting, I read for ‘Mateo

Chavez’ late in their casting process, fresh

off of filming a TV show in Canada. Luckily,

much of the creative team and the

producers were the same on both shows,

and they thought I’d be a great addition

to the cast. I thank my lucky stars for that,

since playing ‘Mateo’ has been one of the

greatest experiences of my life until now.

AM: You also get to play a twin every now

and then - what do you love about Marvin?

JW: I only played ‘Marvin’ once on the

original 9-1-1 show. I love that he’s a very

genuine and charismatic person who just

lacks direction in life. To his benefit, Angela

Bassett’s character, ‘Athena,’ gives him

the tough love that he needs. She is the

reason he reflects on his life and looks to

change for the better at the end of the episode.

AM: For those that need a refresher where

do we end with Mateo from last season

and what can you tell us about where we

pick him up again for next season?

JW: Without giving away too much, let’s

just say that he and Nancy (Brianna Baker)

are a part of the fifth season’s storyline.

Stay tuned for new and big climate

events, explosions, amazing rescues, and

the evolution of old and new relationships!

Like all previous seasons, ‘Mateo’

will have a breakout episode where new

and exciting things will be revealed!

AM: For fans of the show, what are the

takeaways that you want viewers to feel

about Mateo's arc or the show in general?

JW: I love ‘Mateo’s’ humor and optimism,

even when faced with great adversity or

personal challenges. He keeps getting

back up and trying again, until he achieves

his goal and I’d like viewers to really take

that positive attitude and indefatigable

outlook with them, into their own lives.

AM: You are in The Long Game which

hit theaters last month and debuted at

SXSW last year where the film earned

the SXSW Narrative Spotlight Audience

Award. What drew you to this movie?

JW: The incredible novel, Mustang Miracle,

by Humberto G. Garcia, the script,

and our indomitable director Julio Quintana.

I almost worked with Julio before

on another movie right as I was offered

9-1-1: Lone Star, and after watching that

film, I knew I had to work with him. The

stars aligned and I had an incredible experience

working with him and the entire

cast and production team that made

the film possible.

AM: For those who have not seen this

movie. Tell me about it and who do you

play?

JW: I play ‘Joe Trevino,’ a young Mexican-American

caddie who ends becoming

the San Felipe High School’s most

valuable golfer and a champion, along

with his team, for the Texas State Championship

in 1957. The film is based on a

true story and tells the story of the racism

and prejudice of our country’s past,

but also the hope, evolution, and inspiration

that everyday Americans have

demonstrated to make America a better

home for us all. Simply put, it’s a story

about the triumph of the human spirit

over adversity and illustrates the lesson

for people of any background that you

can do anything if you believe in yourself,

work hard, and have a strong team

around you to reach your goals.

AM: You have an incredible cast that's

also in this film from Jay Hernandez (Suicide

Squad, Magnum P.I., Last Resort),

Dennis Quaid (Lawmen: Bass Reeves,

Full Circle, The Day After Tomorrow), and

Cheech Marin (Shotgun Wedding, Machete,

Nash Bridges). Canelo Alvarez is an

Executive Producer of the movie. What

did you enjoy about being in this film?

JW: Besides having the privilege and the

honor to embody the late ‘Joe Trevino’

and work with our talented director,

cast, and production team, I loved the

preparation, both physically and mentally.

I also loved our filming locations, from

Colombia to Texas, and learning from so

many wonderfully talented people. Of

course, having Canelo Alvarez executive

produce our film was phenomenal, and

meeting him at his most recent fight in

Las Vegas was surreal.

AM: When you're not on set or when

you're preparing for your next role, what

are 3 workouts that you do to stay in

shape?

JW: I love to box, train in mixed martial

arts, and go on long-distance jogs and

hikes.

AM: How do you take time for yourself?

JW: Music is an important outlet for me.

Listening to it and creating. I love a variety

of music, from Nipsey Hussle, Drake,

and Dr. Dre, to Elvis, The Bee Gees, and

Michael Jackson, and compose lyrics for

future songs that I’m looking to record.

AM: Are there and upcoming projects

that you can share?

JW: I am currently filming the 5th season

of 9-1-1: Lone Star and the entire cast is

very excited to be back on set! We look

forward to sharing the continuation of

our storylines and our characters’ journeys

with fans this Fall. Stay tuned!

@julesworks

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Dylan

We alwyas enjoy watching our favorite

shows and the actors that portray characters

that are memorable. In addition to

enjoying their creative pursuits, it's always

interesting to see when their life experiences

initiate an entrepreneurial endeavour

based on issues that they may have

come across.

We sat down with Maria Camila Giraldo

who we recently enjoyed watching her

in Netflix's Griselda. We wanted to know

more about how she came to acting, how

she approaches her characters, how she

came to this series and to find out about

her wellness brand, Fungiments. Co-founded

by her and her fiance, Cole Garson they

set out to create this brand that uses mushrooms

and adaptogens.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the first film

or TV show that made you realize the power

of acting?

MARIA CAMILA GIRALDO: The first film

that made me realize the power of acting

was V for Vendetta. The performances

were so compelling and intense that they

truly demonstrated how acting can convey

deep emotions and complex ideas,

leaving a lasting impact on the audience.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted

to be an actor?

MCG: I think I was born an actor. Ever since

I was a baby, I would grab the camera and

perform different characters. As I grew

older, I started producing my own short

films and homemade talk shows. This passion

for performance and storytelling has

always been a part of me.

AM: How do you approach playing your

characters as we know everyone has their

own process.

MCG: My approach to playing characters

depends on the character and the story.

Currently, I'm very influenced by Ivana

Chubbuck's technique. It's an amazing

method that helps me connect my own

reality with the character's reality, allow-

ing for a more authentic and powerful

performance.

AM: We enjoyed watching Netflix's

Griselda - how did you become attached

to the project and what drew you to this

series?

MCG: I started auditioning for Griselda

in October 2021. It was a lengthy

process. Initially, I was considered too

young for the original role I auditioned

for, but they eventually called me in for

a different role. I didn't hear back until

the end of November 2021 – that’s when

I received the exciting news that I had

to move to LA for the project. I had always

wanted to be in LA, having visited

on and off for the past three years, so it

was a perfect opportunity for me.

AM: The storyline and telling Griselda's

story was amazing. On your IG, you shared

that you had a vision board where you

noted that you would be on a top show

and Sofia Vergara (Modern Family, Chef,

This is Me ... Now: A Love Story) was also

on there and of course we saw that come

to pass this year! What was your biggest

takeaway from doing this show?

MCG: My biggest takeaway from doing

this show is the importance of dreaming

big, working hard, and preparing for

the opportunities you want. If you do,

the moment you’ve been waiting for

will eventually show up. Having a vision

board was a constant reminder of my

goals, and seeing it come to fruition was

incredibly rewarding.

AM: You're going to be in a film with Al

Pacino (The Godfather, The Irishman,

Serpico), is there anything that you can

tell us about this?

MCG: Initially, I was hesitant because I

didn't like horror movies. However, my

managers insisted I take a look at the

project. When I did, I realized it was

more than just a horror film—it was a

psychological thriller that delved into

mental health, a topic very close to my

heart. After my concussion and personal

struggles with mental health, I felt deeply

connected to the story and its significance.

AM: You were recently at the Cannes Film

Festival and we loved seeing your look on

the red carpet. What was it like attending

this festival and were you there promoting

a film?

MCG: Attending the Cannes Film Festival

was a dream come true. We were there

for private screenings of The Ritual (Editors

Note: This is her upcoming film with

Al Pacino) The experience was incredible -

the magnitude of the event, the glamour,

and the sheer amount of talent present

was amazing. It was an honor to be part

of such a prestigious event and to witness

the global celebration of cinema.

AM: As someone who has been playing

a number of roles, you are also an entrepreneur

in the wellness space! What led to

your wellness journey to becoming an entrepreneurial

aha moment?

MCG: When I went through a concussion,

I realized that there weren't many natural

alternatives for managing my anxiety

or improving my focus and concentration

that didn't involve medications, and I

didn't want to go that route. So, I tried everything

and looked everywhere. I found

a lot of relief in mushroom supplements

and adaptogens. After searching through

pharmacies and supermarkets and not

finding anything similar, I saw a big opportunity

to create a fun brand that people

can connect to. That's what led me to create

Fungiments and become an entrepreneur.

AM: Tell us about Fungiments and its use

of mushrooms and adaptogens.

MCG: Fungiments uses mushrooms as the

hero ingredient, blending them with other

adaptogens to enhance their targeted

effects. This approach allows us to create

products that truly work, unlike other

mushroom supplement brands that of-

ten include mushrooms in low milligrams,

leaving you unsure if they are effective.

Our formulations ensure that each product

delivers tangible benefits for your

specific needs.

AM: Tell us about your assortment and

although you just launched, do you have

plans on additional items to add to your

offerings?

MCG: Our body is like an ecosystem, and

our goal at Fungiments is to create products

that support each system within it.

For example, we have Super Prune gummies

which support digestion with Turkey

Tail mushrooms along with other functional

ingredients. Super Bouncy is for

those lacking energy and focus, made

with Cordyceps, ginseng and more. We

recognize that we are holistic beings, and

one issue, like lack of energy, can often

be connected to another, such as poor

sleep. Although we just launched, we already

have plans to expand our offerings

to cover a wide range of needs, including

sleep, energy, and overall wellness, ensuring

that every aspect of your health is supported.

AM: When you're not working on your

next project or working on Fungiments,

how do you take time for yourself?

MCG: When I'm not working on my next

project or Fungiments, I take time for myself

by exercising. I have chronic pain, so

movement helps to alleviate my symptoms

and keep me feeling better. Additionally,

working out has a positive impact

on my mental health, and I also focus on

skincare to take care of myself both physically

and emotionally.

@maria.giraldo

PHOTOS COURTESY | Fungiment

ATHLEISURE LIST: Las Vegas

JW MARRIOTT LAS VEGAS

RESORT & SPA

We enjoy traveling for a number of

reasons and sometimes it's great to

get a bit of R&R in general. We suggest

making our way to JW Marriott Las Vegas

Resort & Spa and Rampart Casino.

Booking a series of days or a weekend

is the perfect way for a proper reset.

The property sits on 54 acres in Summerlin

where it hosts gaming, dining,

luxury accomodations and of course a

spa and pool.

Their Spa Aquae is known for their

holistic wellness that focuses on the

mind, body, and spirit. They offer a

membership program that includes

their state-of-the-art fitness center, coed

Hydra Lounge, and complimentary

mentary amenities for this package at

$169/month where you have preferred

pricing for spa treatments, retail discounts,

welcome gift, and more.

If you are local to the area, you recieve

a 30% discount on a full roster of spa

services Mon - Thurs and on Fri - Sun,

you can get 20% off.

We love a spa day and it's even better

when we take a dip in the pool as

well. Starting in July, the pool will be

open from 10am - 7pm daily. For hotel

guests, the pool is complimentary and

for those who are not staying at the

hotel, you can also enjoy it for a nominal

fee. Enjoy your time at the pool

with comfortbale lounge chairs, tow-


els and poolside dining at Waterside

Café from 10am to 6pm. With an offering

of casual fair available as you

lounge throughout your day, it's the

perfect pairing.

To take your pool experience to the

next level, they have standard and

grand cabanas for guests throughout

this season. A standard cabana

includes a television, mini refrigerator

with water, plush seating and designated

cocktail server. Each cabana offers

space for a maximum of six guests. A

grand cabana is also available and includes

double the amenities as a standard

cabana for a maximum of twelve

guests. Outside food and beverage is

not permitted.

JW MARRIOTT LAS VEGAS RESORT

& SPA

221 N Rampart Blvd

Las Vegas, NV 89145

marriott.com

@jwmarriottlv

PHOTO CREDITS | JW Marriott Las

Vegas Resort & Spa

To find out about special events taking

place at the spa and pool or other

areas of the hotel, make sure that you

check out their social channels to see

about what is taking place during your

stay.

Issue #102 | Jun 2024


ATHLEISURE LIST: NYC: Williamsburg, BK + Meatpacking District NYC

JUICE GENERATION

Earlier this month, we headed over

to Juice Generation for the launch of

Juiced Gelato! For those who have yet

to enjoy cold pressed juices at their locations

or when they are shipped to

you, we'll fill you in!

Jucie Generation was founded by Eric

Helms in 1999 with a goal to make fresh

raw juices available to NYers as an accessible

options for whatever our lifestyles

were and dietary backgroungs.

The brand continued to grow by offering

cold pressed juices, smoothies,

and açaí bowls. Over the years they

have grown their locations and they

ship nationwide.

They are known for their Get Ur Green

On, Supe Dupa Greens, Celery, Watermelon

Dragon, Carrot Apple Ginger,

Citrus Super C, and Spicy Lemon cold

pressed juices, they fuel your body

with essential nutrients that are low in

sugar. These have been drinks that we

have oscilated between on a number

of visits.

This month, they launched Juiced Gelato

which takes their organic, cold

pressed juices to the next level to

have them in a gelato format! Not only

is it great for the hot weather that

we have been enjoying, but the nutrients

are next level! Currently, this gelato

is available in their Williamsburg

location in Brooklyn as well as in the

Meatpacking District in NYC. When

you're enjoying your scoops, you can

have it in a cup or in a cone. This cone

is 100% plant based and is known as

the world's first-ever cold-pressed

cone. It's made from upcycled organic

juice pulp. It's crispy, wholesome, gluten-free

and hand-crafted specifically

for Juiced Gelato.


On the night of the launch we were

able to enjoy the range of gelatos

along with champagne. We love that

the range is low sugar, sweetened by

agave and has no dairy. Here are our 3

favorites:

Supa Dupa Greens has a tangy taste of

green apple and every shade of green.

It includes only 4 grams of added sugar

per serving.

Celery is energizing with light and

zesty lemon. There are only 5 grams

of added sugar per serving.

Spicy Lemon bursts with tart and tingling

lemon-ginger-cayenne refreshment.

It has 6 grams of added sugar

per serving.

Keep your eye out for when you can

get this gelato shipped to you!

Issue #102 | Jun 2024

JUICE GENERATION

JUICED GELATO

350 W 14th St

NY, NY 10014

JUICED GELATO

210 Bedford Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11249

juicegeneration.com

@juicegeneration

PHOTO CREDIT | Juice Generation



Stay connected and follow us across our

social channels on @AthleisureMag!

Issue #102 | Jun 2024


Bingely Books

BURGERS & BACON COOKBOOK

Fox Chapel Publishing

World Food Championships

In Burgers & Bacon Cookbook: Over 250

World's Best Burger, Sauces, Relishes, &

Bun Recipes, you can enjoy recipes that

are created from the World Food Championships.

We like that the component

guide gives you a reference for every topping,

burger, bun, and sauce that is found

in a recipe so that you can mix and match

to make your own creations! There is no

excuse to not have your burger take it to

the next level!

In addition to the recipes, use the

QR codes to see these championship

dishes being made, reading

chef bios and so much more! We

think that you'll find yourself using

this book regardless of your

cooking level and it's always fun

to shake up your latest go-to

burger. There are a number of

variations to give them a global

flavor and it'll be interesting to

see what you are influenced to

make once you get started.

MUSHROOM

GASTRONOMY

Motorbooks

Krista Towns

Mushroom Gastronomy: The Art

of Cooking with Mushrooms is

a key book for those that enjoy

cooking with mushrooms and

being able to do so in a varied

and elevated way! Regardless

of how you obtain your mushrooms

by personally foraging,

going to your farmer's market

or your grocery store - this cookbook

will give you the tools you

need to enjoy the world of edible

mushrooms.

You'll learn about 25 of the most

popular mushrooms which are

accompanied by stunning photography,

their nutritional value,

cooking methods, culinary tips,

pairings, storing, and preserving.

Vegetarians and carnivores will


This cookbook includes BBQ with various

meats as well as side dishes, rubs,

sauces, desserts as well as drinks to

complete your meal. You'll find that

recipes come from home cooks,

award-winning chefs, and well-known

pitmasters from all corners of the

earth.

If this world is new to you, you'll find

barbecue essentials and cooking techniques,

you'll learn about cooking using

a grill vs smoker, cooking times, as

well as a bit of BBQ history.

find recipes for appetizers, soups and

broths, main dishes, desserts, and even

cocktails. We're looking forward to:

Black Trumpet Mushroom and White

Bean Bisque, Candy Cap Cream Martini,

and Chicken of the Woods Saltimbocca.

SERIOUSLY GOOD BARBECUE

COOKBOOK

Fox Chapel Publishing

Brian Baumgartner

This is a great follow up to his first cook

book, Seriously Good Chili Cookbook

which is another great one to have on

your shelves and includes our recipe

for Mezcal Jalapeño Tortilla Strip Chili

Verde + Mexican Lime Crema.

We're excited about Seriously Good Barbecue

Cookbook: Over 100 if the Best

Recipes in the World. If you're a fan of

BBQ, you will enjoy varieties of this style

including Texas, Kansas City, Carolina,

and Memphis! Brian Baumgartner who

played Kevin Malone from The Office

shared a bit of humor with each dish as

well as his own recipes. You'll also find

that we have a recipe included in this

book as well for a Tomatillos Jalapeño

and Mezcal Carolina BBQ Street Tacos.

Issue #102 | Jun 2024


Bingely Streaming

STEVIE VAN ZANDT:

DISCIPLE

HBO Original

Max

In Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple, this documentary

takes us through the career of producer,

musician, songwriter, activist, actor, and

more. We see him throughout Jersey in As-

bury Park clubs and arena stadiums

with Bruce Springsteen as

well as to the Bada Bing Club with

James Gandolfini! There are interviews

from an array of notables

that we love, including The Boss

himself, Darlene Love, Eddie Vedder,

Paul McCartney, and Bono.

This film looks at his influence

as well as his legacy and how he

champions rock ‘n’ roll and social

justice.

PACK ONE BAG

Lemonada

Spotify

In this podcast, documentarian

David Modigliani shares his family

history with us which includes his

grandfather Franco won a Nobel

Prize. He became interested in the

love story that made it possible

even when he was on the run in

Fascist Italy. As he learns about his

story, he finds many dark truths

that took place that showed how

a family member was left behind

and how his family had a connection

to Benito Mussolini.

Pack One Bag allows David to go

to Italy and to take a look at his

families' past and what one would

do when they are faced with predicaments.

He hears from his

family about what took place, he

looks at spy documents, diary entries

and more. With everything

he found, he enlists Stanley Tucci

(Devil Wears Prada, Julie & Julia,

The King's Man) to tell this story

and to bring it to life so that we

can understand the importance

of history, perserverace and the

human spirit despite obstacles


that could be in your way.

CLIPPED

FX

Hulu

first Championship ring.

In Clipped: The Scandalous Story of

LA's Other Basketball Team, we take

an in depth look on what took place

with the LA Clippers and the notorious

NBA owner Don Sterling who

was known for his racist and problematic

remarks which were recorded.

Once they were aired, it was the

tape heard around the world! This

miniseries is based on ESPN 30 for 30

Podcast, The Sterling Affairs.

Both the podcast and the Hulu series

looks at the collision between the

dysfunction basketball organization,

Sterling's marriage, and the impact

that the tape and the statements

made on them while the team is trying

to win a Championship with Doc

Rivers (Laurence Fishburne) as the

coach and a team that has the building

blocks to potentially win their

Issue #102 | Jun 2024


Issue #102 | Jun 2024


Athleisure Mag JUN ISSUE #102

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