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ISSUE #103
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table of contents
issue #103
jul 2024
187
STYLE FEATURES
THE PICK ME UP
192
112
IN OUR BAG
199 ROCK THIS FOR POOLSIDE
+ ROOFTOP ESCAPES
BEAUTY FEATURES
SOY BEAUTY
Riding the Waves
Griffin Colapinto
This month’s cover is #2 WSL pro surfer, Griffin Colapinto who is also competing for
Team USA Surfing in his first Olympics at Paris 2024. We talk about how he got into
the sport, the importance of mental health and partnering with P&G.
16
203
ATHLEISURE BEAUTY
®
Bob Marley and the Wailers
Richie Unterberger
38
We caught up with Richie Unterberger who wrote about the life, times, and impact
of Bob Marley and the Wailers in his latest book. We frame this conversation through
looking at his songs. and speak with him about his songs.
188
LIFESTYLE FEATURES
ATHLEISURE LIST
OTHERSHIP
True Jordan
66
We talk with 2X Team USA Olympic Gymnast,
Jordan Chiles about the sport and
being at Paris 2024.
Just Spike It!
We caught up with Team USA Olympic
Beach Volleyball players Sara Hughes
and Kelly Cheng ahead of Paris 2024.
82
190
ATHLEISURE LIST
HIRAYA
AthleisureMag.com - 10 - Issue #103 | Jul 2024
The Art of the Snack
Kintsugi Omakase
114
We made our way to SoHo to enjoy a truly special culinary experience - omakase. We
enjoyed a 16 course tasting menu and wanted to know more about its origins, the
different tasting menu options, and more!
Citi Taste of
Tennis
124
Next month, Citi’s Taste of Tennis is
back ahead of the US Open! We find out
more about this event, its tennis stars
and culinary greats that will be there.
Charting Her
Course
134
Angel City FC’s Sydney Leroux talks with
us about the love of the game, how she
came to soccer, and navigating recovering
from injury.
Down in the
Valley
152
We talk with STARZ’s P-Valley star Nicco
Annan who serves as Executive Producer
and host of the companion series to this
show as well as EP Shoshana Guy.
The Ancient World
Lara Wolf
158
Peacock Original’s Those About To Die
can be streamed now and we chat with
Lara Wolf about her role in this Ancient
Roman series!
Issue #103 | Jul 2024
- 11 - AthleisureMag.com
This month we're excited to share a number
of stories from athletes who will be
competing at this year's Paris 2024 games!
While the majority of athletes will assemble
in Paris for this year's Summer Games,
those who are competing in surfing will
make their way to Tahiti in Teahupo’o.
This month's cover story is with World
Surf League's #2 ranked pro-surfer Griffin
Colapinto who will competing with Team
USA Surfing, and will make his first Olympic
appearance this year.
In addition to the success that he has had
throughout his career and this year, we
know he has an array of fans which includes
Matthew McConaughey who has
shown his public support of him at a number
of meets. In addition to surfing, he is
also in a film that is currently in the film
circuit, Trilogy: New Wave and will be released
this September. He stars alongside
Australian Olympic surfer Ethan Ewing and
Hawaiian Seth Moniz. The film focuses on
the non-competitive side of surfing.
We wanted to know more about how he
got into the sport, going pro, Paris 2024,
and his partnership with Procter & Gamble's
Athletes For Good alongside the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) and
International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
and his chosen charity which focuses on
mental health.
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in
love with the water?
GRIFFIN COLAPINTO: I fell in love with the
water when I was about 3 years old!
AM: What was the moment that you realized
that you wanted to surf professionally?
Where did that journey come from
as we know that you love the water, you
loved surfing, and then you wanted to do
it as a professional.
GC: Well, the journey started down at my
dad’s surf camp. He started a surf camp
down at Santa Clemente the year I was
born and he ran that for 20 years. So I was
just growing up with the beach and him
and he was in love with surfing and
the ocean and he was a lifeguard and a
teacher so that carried over to running
a surf camp in the summer time. He
just created a rad family dynamic down
there with all the instructors and I was
just growing up on the sand every summer!
That and I just started – I don’t
know it was natural, I wasn’t forced
into surfing and being a competitive
person and playing games. I just took
to it naturally because I was on the
beach and the sand. I remember a lot
of the kids that were down there and
the instructors that were there would
always be on the beach. I just wanted
to be able to impress them with the
things that I was able to do in the water.
I remember taking a surf board out
there in front of them and wanting to
surf for them.
I had this one moment where I was
probably 7 or 8 and I felt like I caught
some air on a pipe and I remember
looking at all of the instructors on the
beach and they were cheering. That
feeling right there triggered competitive
surfing for me right there! Being
able to perform for people made me
really happy!
AM: What is an average week like for
you when you’re out there surfing
whether you’re training for competitions
or whatever?
GC: Yeah, well! I definitely think that
there is a lot of discipline on my routines
whether I’m waking up early and
doing everything that makes me feel
good like meditation, writing, and surfing
of course! Working out and all of
those things are important. It’s also
essential to give yourself time to rest
and to recover and I also have fun! I
enjoy golfing a lot so that’s a nice way
to take my mind off of surfing because
sometimes you can just plow yourself
through into the ground too much! It's
a good balance.
AM: Congrats on qualifying for Paris
2024! What are you looking forward to?
GC: Yeah, it’s pretty wild! So our Olympics,
we will be in Tahiti which isn’t near
Paris, but it’s going to be on its own little
adventure over there! It should be pretty
exciting from what I have heard! They
have put in a lot of work over there in
Teahupo’o and although I can’t say what
it will be like yet, I’m excited!
AM: And you’re ready for it!
GC: I’m ready!
AM: Tell us about Athletes For Good as
we know it’s an initiative between P&G,
IOC, IPC – can you give us a little background
on that?
GC: So the Athletes For Good, P&G
granted us money to donate to our favorite
charity. I donated funds towards
To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA) a
mental health organization that provides
the tools and mental health resources
for anyone that is going through challenging
times in their lives due to suicide
or maybe there is a close family member
in their family that did commit suicide
and needs someone that they can talk
to about it. You can go to TWLOHA and
you can get a local counselor nearby and
they just provide rad things like that. It is
definitely a big deal these days with social
media and everything going on and
it can take you away from the source of
where we came from. I’m really proud
to be able to represent it.
AM: Had that been an organization that
you had been involved with before? What
drew you to picking TWLOHA in terms of
where you wanted the donated funds to
go to?
GC: Well, I originally got into mental
health through surfing. My dream of
being on the World Championship Tour
and being a World Champion, it comes
with a lot of challenges, and anytime
you have a big goal in mind, there is going
to be a lot of ups and downs with
that. So, through that, the mental side of
things plays a big role and I realized that
and it opened my eyes to a lot of different
perspectives and other people. I just
kind of realized that there are a lot more
people on similar paths that go through
hard times. For me, I was super fortunate
to grow up with amazing parents and to
grow up in a beautiful community with a
lot of support and I still find myself on days
struggling with some slight depression
and not very happy and not knowing why.
I just felt that there are people who got
dealt with a bad set of cards, a lot worse
than me and I can only imagine what they
are going through. So that’s what drove
me into this space and it's really cool that
P&G gave us this grant and I’m excited!
AM: You mentioned that when you’re taking
time for yourself, you play golf! Are
there other things that you do to take
time for yourself to be in the place that
you need to be so that you can infuse that
energy into other areas of where you also
want to be?
GC: Just kind of being aware of how I am
feeling and what is best for me in the moment.
As an athlete, it’s easy to over do it,
to over exert yourself and to just be addicted
to the hard work and you feel like
you need to work, work, work, work, but
in reality, half the battle is just being good
at resting too! So learning that has been
a big part of it and I feel that slowly but
surely, I’m getting better every day!
AM: Which is an awesome skill to have too!
You can find out more about Athletes For
Good that recognizes the efforts of athletes
to improve their communities off
the field. Griffin shares more information
about TWLOHA and why he is involved
with them in his IG post.
@griffin_cola
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | FRONT COV-
ER, PG 16 + 20 Trevor Moran/Red Bull |
BACK COVER, PG 18 + 22 Ryan Miller/Red
Bull | PG 24 P&G |
One of the best things in life is to re-discover,
deep dive, and better connect with
things long-admired, and cherished. Bob
Marley’s music lies at the top of my musthaves
– many tracks and live albums suiting
best for joyous and sad moments, and
all in between, as well as adventuring
outdoors, smoking sessions, studying, romance
and more.
Upon reading Bob Marley and The Wailers:
The Ultimate Illustrated History by Richie
Unterberger, it was quickly apparent that
it was time to dust off those old soundboard
recording treasures and look to the
music, life and culture that has served as
such stong guidance over the years.
We put together an expanded 9PLAYLIST
STORI3S to explore and ponder more about
the man, his music, and the times for then
and now, along a series of our favorite
song selections: Sun Is Shining, Positive Vibration,
Roots Rock Reggae, Downpressor
Man, One Love, Zimbabwe, And I Love Her,
High Tide or Low Tide, and Redemption
Song.
Ultimately, with questions or thoughts
of art and nature; good and tough times;
peace and strife; love, respect and kindness,
we ask along this and our musical
journey - What Would Marley Do (WWMD)?
And I Love Her (Alternate Take)
ATHLEISURE MAG: I stumbled upon this
ballad mid-college and was floored. It felt
immediately intimate and special, loved
sharing it at parties as friends generally
loved it.
RICHIE UNTERBERGER: Most of the attention
on Marley's career goes to the last
seven or so years of his life when he was
becoming an International star, first with
the original Wailers and then with other
Wailers. But there was a lot of good music
that he made, often with the original
Wailers, in the first 10 years of his recording
career, which isn't very well known
because it was primarily heard in Jamaica
and not elsewhere.
And the earliest years of those are like
from 1962-63 to 1966. That's when he
had his debut single with Studio One.
And the records are a lot more ska influenced
than what he did after 1966 - [ska
as] the precursor to reggae music. It's a
lot faster and it's sort of a combination
of Jamaican folk music with early American
soul music.
Like they did a Curtis Mayfield song and
he was maybe their biggest early influence.
That's not a surprise. But them
doing a Beatles song is not something
that you would necessarily expect. And
the version that they do, it is more imaginative
than you would think, even if
you know a fair amount about reggae
and the Wailers. I'm a big Beatles fan. I
love the original version, but they give
it more of a wilting, early reggae cast
and they also add, 'and I love her, yes,
indeed,' after like every chorus. So it
sounds more like a soul, early reggae hybrid
sort of yearning quality that's not
in the Beatles original, which makes it
an interesting variation. And that's how
they kind of varied soul music in general,
when they were doing their first records
in the mid '60s.
AM: At this time, were they doing covers
towards getting acceptance or was that
honoring their influences, or both?
RU: It's kind of all the above, but I think
even though the majority of the material
from the get go was original, I think
there were a lot of songs they just liked
that they wanted to do. It's just it's like
when the Beatles started, they were already
great songwriters on their first album,
but the first few albums all have
a good number of cover versions, which
they did really well. They didn't just imitate
Chuck Berry or Little Richard. They
put their own personality on it very
strongly. But also, I think they, and a lot
of early reggae acts or ska acts, were
just putting out tons of records, even
though Jamaica was a pretty small market.
And to fill out all these singles coming
out and the one album that they did
in the mid 60s, they needed to have more
songs probably than they had already
written. So they opted for songs that they
really liked and maybe songs that when
they performed live would get a good reaction
to sort of vary their repertoire if
they were playing long concerts.
AM: Yeah. I always liked the Bob Dylan
one, 'Like A Rolling Stone.’
RU: And another example, they did a
Temptations song, Don't Look Back, an
earlier version than the one that Peter
Tosh did where Mick Jagger duetted with
him in the late 60s. But he was aware of
that song by the Temptations, which isn't
one of their big hits, even when he was
pretty early in his recording career.
AM: You know, I love that part of your
book when you showed the Rolling Stones
imprints, didn't know much about that,
and definitely that whole part about Mick
Jagger and the Stones backing Peter Tosh
and all that.. That was terrific!
RU: Thanks. Yeah. It's really interesting
because I think when the Rolling Stones
set up their own label, their ambition was
to have it be a sort of Apple Records, the
way that Beatles ran Apple Records for
the first couple of years, where it would
be their label, but they would sign a lot of
other artists and not just sign them, but
often produce them or help them hands
on, like they did with Badfinger and Mary
Hopkin. And for various reasons, that
aren't clear to me, they signed very few
people, like less than five. And the only
significant one they signed to put out a
reasonable number of records was Peter
Tosh. And I think that although the Stones
didn't do many reggae songs, whether it
was covers or they wrote their reggae
style songs, they really liked the music.
They did some recording in Jamaica, like
Goats Head Soup, the 1973 album, and
they saw the connection between reggae
and the American rhythm and blues and
soul music that they loved and wanted to
promote it with one of the leading artists
who was available because he had left
the Wailers for various complicated reasons,
right after the Wailers started to
get a big International audience on Island
Records. So I'm not saying they
were the most altruistic group of people
in the world, the Rolling Stones, but
they really wanted to promote a form
of Black music, not Black American as
it happens, but still from near North
America.
It didn't work out indefinitely because
Peter Tosh had a fallout with Keith Richards.
This is like a few albums into his career
with Rolling Stones records. But it
was an alliance that made a lot of sense.
It's the only such alliance the Stones
made for their own record label, but
it was the one solid indication of what
they could do to help another artist. Not
that Tosh needed so much help for his
art, but his promotion to an International
audience, which also Mick Jagger, of
course, helped by actually singing on
Don't Look Back, and also appearing in
the official promotional video that Peter
Tosh did, and also they sang it together
on Saturday Night Live.
Sun is Shining
AM: This song increasingly became one
of my favorites throughout my life. It’s
always something that gets to me right
away and the right ways, just find it so
magnificent – it's sexy and inspirational!
RU: A lot of the attention given to Marley
as a songwriter or for his protest songs
are the ones championing social justice.
And that's very important, arguably the
most important part of his songwriting.
But it should never be overlooked,
that like almost all great songwriters, he
could write about social issues, but also
just write songs that were feel good
songs, like ‘Positive Vibration,’ it was a
great example, I think.
Also really good love songs - and although
a lot of his songs, like Get Up,
Stand Up is a great example, are about
self-empowerment, a lot are sort of anthems
just to make people feel more positive
about what they are experiencing,
what they hope to experience. And Sun Is
Shining is an early example of that.
And I think it's interesting that throughout
his career, Marley and Tosh would
sometimes remake songs from pretty
early in their career, like One Love is another
great example, when they realized
we're getting a much bigger audience and
a lot of those people around the world
never heard these records, which were
primarily or only distributed in Jamaica. It
was time to make those songs, which still
have a universal message, something that
everybody can hear on records, not just in
their concerts. So Sun Is Shining is an example
of that, where it was revisited and
remade as well.
AM: Near the end of the song, he's talking
about how he's 'a rainbow, too.' And it
made me really reflect, wondering if this
was him rescuing us as the unifier, and if
also he was encouraging us that we all
could all be rainbows, too?
RU: I would say like not just a lot of songwriters,
but a lot of artists, his messages
can be validly interpreted in different
ways. So you might say he's talking about
himself or that he's talking about everybody,
all of his listeners and himself, or
he's talking about both himself and his
listeners. One of his great strengths was
that as a songwriter, he could deliver very
clear, yet easily understood messages that
were inspiring. When you hear his spoken
interviews, he's often a little vague. And
it's interesting that it's not like his songwriting,
which is very clear and direct.
‘Get Up, Stand Up’ - I mean, how can you
misinterpret that? I Shot the Sheriff - but I
swear it was self-defense..; it's very lucid.
And it's unknown how precise his lyrics
were explicitly stating. Yeah, meaning
that it's hard to say whether his lyrics
were meant for this is how I'm feeling, or
this is how humans as a whole feel, or it
could be both. His clear, direct messages
were that in the lyrics, whether it's
interpreted, however it's interpreted
to apply to, they are very easily understood
and they hit very directly [and
across the world]. And it's unlike his
spoken interviews, the last quote before
my epilogue, somebody who was
talking to the New York Times right
after he died, just a fan, not someone
who knew him, she said, ‘as an orator,
he wasn't much, but his music said it
all.’ It's almost like his music was his
great expression of communication.
He also traveled and did concerts in Japan
and other countries where knowledge
of English was appreciably lower
then, like a couple generations ago.
A lot of people probably, if they read
the lyrics on the page, they might have
had a hard time understanding them,
but when they heard them, they were
geared around choruses which were
easy to remember and sort of sink in.
I think a lot of those messages did get
through, both in the words, but also
the way that they were sung.
High Tide or Low Tide
AM: So let's talk about High Tide or
Low Tide and the Catch a Fire sessions
in general? This track is so delicate and
haunting, really enjoy it chilling with
my girlfriend for sure.
RU: Yeah, Catch a Fire [sessions] - made
really good music. I think in Britain a
few people had heard them because
there was such a big Jamaican population
there, Jamaica, and they, Marley
and Tosh, liked to have an International
audience. They had gone to London
in part to not just get a bigger audience
or whatever concerts they could
do, but try to find a record label. I think
the feeling was it's going to be easier in
Britain than in the U.S. because of that
Jamaican population, Jamaica being
a former British population in Britain,
here was a much wider knoeledge of
reggae, even among non-Jamaicans,
and his record labels were distribution,
business distribution, primarily to serve
the British Jamaican audience.
To bring reggae music itself to a wider audience,
the goal was to give them more
of a luster of a rock group, not so much
in changing their music, but in marketing
the album design, how it's distributed,
it's on Island records, which a lot of people
associated with those big British rock
groups, and only subtly adding some rock
instrumentation to their sound without
diluting it.
Their appeal then, it was slightly earlier,
but still very good records, music was slowing
down into reggae and the lyrics were
becoming a lot more socially conscious.
Even though Catch a Fire is a very wellknown
album now, when it first came out
it, it was primarily an underground hit, but
that was very important, because that's
where Marley's huge following could
grow. When people saw the Wailers when
they made their first American tours, they
really stood out, in part because most
white rock listeners had not heard reggae
before, but also because the stage presence
and the concerts were so good, and
they got a lot of FM radio. I've talked to
the leading FM radio disc jockey in the city
in which I grew up, Philadelphia, and he
said, 'oh yeah, when that record came out
we leapt on it, we played it a lot, both because
we loved it, but also we knew that
our listeners who were maybe more used
to Pink Floyd or Sticky Fingers, or something
like that would love it too!'
But it should not be lost sight of that the
biggest reason was that the material was
very strong. You can't sell a record with
that sort of marketing if the songs aren't
really strong. In retrospect I kind of wish
that it could have been a double album,
not just Marley but also Tosh and Two, a
lesser but significant degree by Quayler.
Part of the reason I think that they did
not stay together long on Island Records,
after being together for a long time, was
that Marley was getting so much of the
songwriting, and that's one of the rea-
sons he got more attention than anywhere
else, although I emphasize they
were a group at that time, it wasn't as
what it became. They were a group in
the sense that all of them have the impact
that the act has.
AM: I was thonored to see the
Wailers after Bob Marley had
passed, they were terrific.
Positive Vibration and Roots Rock Reggae
AM: This pair were often musts for outdoor
adventures.
RU: With Positive Vibrations, it's like
some of Bob Marley's song titles, you
get the idea very quickly before even
hearing the song. That's a really good
example of, yeah we're going to dig
into the lyrics.
We're all going to have a much better
life here if we can all learn to groove
together, which to some degree his
concerts enable many people to do
that together. But also, even if you
don't think about the lyrics, it captures
in a way that few reggae songs have
done and reggae's been around now
for 60 years or so.
Downpressor Man
AM: I first encountered Downpressor
Man at an outside cafe in Miami. I had
heard the cover rendition of Sinner
Man before Man before and loved it,
but this magical slowed down version
just hit so hard. Of course, a big fan of
and feel it gives justice to Nina Simone’s
tough bar to meet.
RU: I think that Peter Tosh shared with
Marley as a songwriter, where he's
documenting the injustices done to
the underprivileged - which in Jamaica,
most of the people considered underprivileged
would have been. And
in this instance, he adopted almost
like spiritual, but made it particular, or
more particular to the circumstances, not
just of the oppressed in Jamaica, but the
oppressed anywhere. I think that's a big
part of not just Marley and Tosh's appeal,
but reggae's appeal, especially in Africa,
places which don't enjoy, in some cases,
not as many human rights. Him changing
the focus of the song and championing
the downtrodden was something that
made people feel that he had a lot of empathy
for his audience and was able to express
that well.
One Love
AM: With One Love, it's definitely something
that became a huge country anthem,
it always gives me a smile, and like a hug
and form of encouragement – it's inviting..
RU: When preaching unity, [it's] hard to
do.. without sounding sappy or sounding,
just to get together, to find some common
ground. This song had those kinds of sentiments,
but did it in a humbler way than
a lot of such songs do, but also should not
be overestimated. The Beatles had a lot of
great lyrics, but maybe the biggest reason
they became the biggest group ever was
that the songs were so melodic. Marley
and the Wailers had a lot of such songs,
which were very catchy, easy to hum. One
Love is maybe his greatest expression of
his hopes for a universal common ground
between people of all geography and
make inroads toward making the world
a more peaceful place. Like I said earlier,
he'd done that song, it caught on a lot
more when it was remade in his solo career
in the 70s. It was more updated, it
sounds very contemporary.
Zimbabwe
AM: With Survival, it was very interesting
to read your commentary because there
came across with fierce lyrics and anthems.
RU: It might seem more tilted toward that
on his album, but it seems like he always
had a wide range of songs that he emphasized
the most, but on others, that was
because he was one of the first reggae
artists, maybe the first, to recognize
that an album should have, even if it's
not like a story album or not all the
songs, a theme. So maybe with Survival,
he focused more on a full statement
than like a romantic album that
he did, but it's something that will vary
on what was put out there that'll keep
people interested.
I'm kind of speculating because, in
part, Marley's life was short.. he didn't
go through all of the phases of his career
and explain them in ways like John
Lennon did in his numerous interviews
before he died. So it's a little bit of projection
on my part.
AM: With Zimbabwe, having such significance,
and the way it was performed
so beautifully at legendary concerts,
but how was that received globally?
RU: I do think that it meant a lot that
Marley was sort of voicing his support
for people's independence and self-determination
in a country. It's often
asked, and it's a very logical question,
what would Marley have done had he
not died so young in his later years?
He was only - I think, although it's not
certain, he definitely would have performed
a lot more in Africa. He'd only
perform there a bit toward the end of
his career, both because he got a really
great reception there, but also he saw
that, as universal as his music was, it
had some particular parts of meaning
for people in Africa, where a number
of countries - maybe South Africa got
more attention in the United States
for that than anywhere else, but a
number of countries there - I think he
would have performed there as much
as he could have, maybe written more
songs that were directly applicable to
Africa. And possibly, it would seem like
a logical step to me, maybe incorporating
some elements of African music
as he became more exposed to them,
whether through touring or just listening
more, because in the early 80s, that
was the point where artists like Fela were
starting to get a much bigger audience in
the United States, and I could see Marley
being very interested in someone like
Fela, not just musically, but also lyrically,
and also as a cultural figure in Nigeria.
Redemption Song
AM: Redemption Song, a lot of people's
top favorite, and it is very reflective and
boldy highlights the past and gives deep
lessons. I’ve always held it in a different
way, like a supercharged guide to fall back
to when happy and chill or lost and sad. It
says so much about the past, present and
future of humanity, extremely prophetic!
RU: It's interesting to me for a few reasons.
One is that unlike maybe all of his
other really well-known - it could in some
ways be heard not even as a reggae song,
more as like folk. And that, it actually relates
to something I was riffing on a couple
minutes ago, [the] direction that he might
have changed his style to that style that he
would have done. Maybe he would have
been thinking, yeah, I'm a reggae artist,
I'm never going to abandon reggae, but I
want to explore different styles that might
not be dominantly reggae. Other artists
have done that. Joni Mitchell started as a
folk singer, then she admitted some rock
influences, then she went into jazz. Paul
Simon started, but then he incorporated
reggae and gospel. He eventually got to
African music, of course. I think he knew
this when he was writing it, that he could
do several different styles of music well -
and when I hear it, because he didn't die
that much long afterward, it's like he also
had some sort of awareness that his time
is not going to be long, whether he dies or
not. it's almost like a Martin Luther King
song. It's almost like Martin Luther King's
final speeches, where he feels like, I might
not have much time, but his urgency to
get a message across.
AM: A hypothetical, because I've enjoyed
some bubblegum gelato vape during our
interview, what did he say about technology?
Would he e-vape today or be comfort-
able his audience did?
RU: About his drug use, which is mostly
cannabis, in the book or elsewhere,
because there is music, but specifically
as far as people using that sort of
stimulation for recreational purposes,
I don't think he ever would have minded
whether it was with a religious dimension,
as it was with a lot of prostitutes,
or you just wanted to use it,
at least in your ability of function and
people around you. [Be sure to] be kind
to your neighbors, right?
Yeah, and musically, maybe what he
would have done. It's hard to project,
like, if he was still making music in
2020, what he would have done. What
he would have done, at least if he had
lived another 10 or 20 years, if he wasn't
ill. Technology, I think that would have
been one of the things that he would
have been wary about in some of his
songs. The adverse effects of technology,
not just AI, but climate change,
which, when he died, that was his concern.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 27, 38 -
57 Quarto Publishing/Bob Marley and
The Wailers: The Ultimate Illustrated
History | PG 60 Deposit Photos |
As we're all enjoying our favorite teams
and sports that are taking place at Paris
2024, we have a series of interviews with
Olympians that are in this issue that we
participated in when we were within the
100 days of the games. We're kicking it
off with 2X Team USA Olympics Gymnastics,
Jordan Chiles (G1, S1) who competed
in Tokyo 2020 and is competing in Paris
alongside her teammates Simone Biles
(G5, S1, B2), Suni Lee (G2, S1, B1), Jade Carey
(G2), and Hezly Rivera (G1), known as
The Golden Girls! They have already won
a Gold medal from the Paris 2024 games!
We sat down with Jordan to talk about
the sport, becoming an Olympian, how
much she is looking forward to this year's
Summer Games which will have an audience
in attendance as well as being able
to meet other athletes, and how she
maintains self-care! We have enjoyed seeing
her floor routines which mix Hip-Hop,
Beyoncé, and more. She also has fans
that include Megan Thee Stallion, 2X Gold
Medalist + 6X NBA Champion Michael Jordan,
and Queen Bee herself, Beyoncé.
ATHLEISURE MAG: We have enjoyed seeing
you do and it’s great to chat with you!
JORDAN CHILES: Thank you so much for
having me! I love opportunities like this
and to have the ability to be able to speak
with you about my goals and everything
like that, this should be fun!
AM: What’s your earliest gymnastics memory
that made you love this sport?
JC: I would probably say that I was around
9 or 10 years old and I had really bad ADHD
when I was younger. So I always say that
gymnastics saved me because I was able
to get all of my energy out before I realized
that I had a gift and talent and that
I would be able to go somewhere with
it. I just thought that it was all fun and
games so I really just wanted to be able to
take that energy to the next level around
9/10/11 years old so it was pretty cool to
just take off and to see what else I could
do.
AM: I love that!
Everyone has their specialty in the
sport, what do you feel are your areas
of things that you love to do?
JC: I kind of just love my sport in general.
I don’t have a specialty in what I
do. I’m just known as the hype woman
a lot as people say! I give a lot of energy
to the crowd and to my teammates.
I just think that being a leader as well
and kind of knowing and understanding
each and every aspect of what it is
to be an athlete – mentally, physically,
and so I can say that it’s about me being
myself and being authentic to who
I am.
AM: You have been on the Women’s US
National Gymnastic Team since 2013,
what does it mean to you that you
have represented your country from
the Olympics to World Championships,
NCAA Championships with UCLA, and
just owning all of the spaces?
JC: Man, it’s been crazy! I can say knowing
that I have been on the National
Team since I was 12 years old it’s been
a whirlwind, a crazy ride, it’s been up
and down – the road wasn’t straight or
smooth. It was very bumpy and curvy,
but I am really proud to say that I represent
Team USA and just being able to
help the country understand that our
sport is such a unique and different
thing than it is to other sports in that
it’s hard work, it’s dedication, and it’s
a simplicity thing to who you want to
be. I think that it’s pretty cool. I can say
that representing Team USA wearing
Red, White, and Blue and always having
it wherever I go on my back is definitely
something that I cherish for sure!
AM: I have always enjoyed watching
your routines and I have literally had
tears in my eyes just watching you perform.
Whether it’s you in UCLA incorporating
Hip-Hop, Beyoncé and all of
these different things – what goes into
creating these performances and obvi-
ously deciding the elements that are involved
as well as the music and all of that?
JC: So when it comes to my floor routine,
the first one that I had, I was really little
and it was Michael Jackson and I did a tribute
to him. I think that it’s really about the
culture and the music and how pop culture
has kind of changed the atmosphere into
what it means to putting your own touch
and taste to it – your own piece – like your
cherry on top you know? It’s like you have
this awesome sundae and you want to put
that cherry on top to show who you are!
So, when it came to my music, obviously
I just want to be able to not only get the
crowd involved, but also to take it back for
them. Because they are watching and if
they hear something that they’re like, “oh
my gosh, I remember when I was in high
school listening to this song,” that is what
I do, whether it is Beyoncé, the 90s, taking
it back to the Michael Jackson days, or
even bring in superheroes! I’ve done that
too! It’s pretty cool to put my own touch
into everything.
AM: When you competed at the Summer
Games in Tokyo and you came home with
a medal, did you always imagine that you
would be on that stage?
JC: I always imagined that I would be an
Olympian for sure and go to the Olympics,
but I didn’t believe whatsoever that
it would be in Gymnastics! Back in 2008, I
told my mom when we were watching the
Olympic Games, “you know what? One
day I want to go to the Olympics!” Back
then, I didn’t know what sport I was doing,
I was young. So, knowing that it was
for Gymnastics and I was able to bring
home a medal, being there in that position
and being on that stage – not a lot
of people get to experience that and I am
beyond proud of myself for sure. I can just
say that the little me would be very proud
and to be able to continue on with something
that I have always dreamed of.
AM: What are the challenges of being an
Olympic Gymnast and what does an average
day or week look like when you’re
training and preparing for the upcoming
Summer Games?
JC: Obviously, it’s a little different. My
first Olympic Games, I was really a nobody!
Knowing that I am going into this
2nd Olympic cycle with an Olympics under
my belt, it’s different for sure! But, I
am still doing everything that I was doing
just like it would be my first. I have
been taking it day by day and month by
month. As we’re talking right now, we
are under 100 days away! Knowing that
makes me just like ahh – oh my gosh
this is so crazy and I’m doing this all
over again, but it definitely is a mental
game and for someone like me who's
kind of already been through it, I know
what to do, but for others that maybe
this is their first time trying out for the
Olympics, just take this moment as this
will always be something that you will
be able to cherish. Just take it piece by
piece, remember your why, and that’s
how I always think of it every step of
the way.
AM: With it being less than 100 days
to Paris 2024, what does it look like in
terms of your schedule for qualifying
and other things on the Road to the
Olympics.
JC: Knowing that we’re just a few days
away as I will say it like that because it
just sounds more reasonable! Right?
AM: Right!
JC: We have a competition this week
which starts off with the Core Classics.
Our season actually started at the
beginning of Jan, but unfortunately, I
was unable to compete due to a shoulder
injury that I had. So this meet that
is coming up this weekend is my first
meet that will put me on the platform
to show people where I am at, what I
am doing, and to give our head people
an understanding of where – if I am
picked – where I can be on the team.
Obviously, 2 weeks after that, we have
Championships which is a really big
meet as well and then about 2 and a half
weeks after that, we have Olympic Trials.
That will be where they pick the Olympic
Team and the Olympic Alternates. It’s
definitely a fast cycle for us. We are one
of the last Team USA sports that do – besides
Track & Field, that we are the last to
find out who gets to go!
AM: Yeah, we’ve been watching other
sports on Team USA that are already confirmed
and we keep checking for you guys
to see when those announcements will be.
JC: Yeah, us and Track & Field, we’re always
the last to figure out what the team
is. But I feel that that is the coolest part of
it because it’s like, “ooo who is it going to
be?” It’s also motivating to see other people
that have already made it so it pushes
you to think that you want to make it
so that you can meet some of the other
people who will also be there as well! It’s
a great process and I think that the qualifying
part is the biggest that you will ever
experience.
AM: In terms of Paris, what are you looking
forward to?
JC: Well, knowing that I have been to Paris
already a few times, I still think that every
single time that I get off the plane, it’s just
beautiful. I love being out there! The culture,
the atmosphere, the designers, everything
fashion – it’s just amazing! I think
that the biggest thing is just enjoying and
having an Olympic Games that will be normal.
In Tokyo there was COVID and we
didn’t get to do a lot and just to be able to
go around the Olympic Village with people
and being able to have an audience
and to enjoy the Olympic experience. So I
am truly looking forward to that! Also being
able to get to meet people we didn’t
do that last time. I hope that I will be able
to meet a basketball player or a volleyball
player, golf or whatever it is and to be able
to experience that!
AM: With that time being so close, you
have partnered with Bliss. What is the synergy
between you and the brand?
JC: So Bliss felt very natural to me. It felt
like it fit in with who I am trying to be
and especially with their commitment
to self-care which is a very key thing to
me whether it’s in your skincare, your
beauty, taking a nap you know? Having
the ability to just embrace who you are
and with their Lemon Sage Body Butter,
it’s definitely a game changer for
sure. I feel very confident, elegant, and
smooth who I am. It’s just a nourishment
for sure and being able to have
Bliss as a partner within my daily routine,
makes me feel like a brand new
person every single time!
AM: I have to say that I am a long time
fan of this scent and that product and
you get that luxury feeling when you
put it on.
In terms of self-care, what do you do? I
know that you’re always traveling and
you have a schedule so what do you do
to take that time so you have moments
for yourself?
JC: A lot of times when it comes to
self-care, it does come to beauty and
you want to take that time to feel as
beautiful as possible because you
know that this world is very crucial and
it does take a whirlwind on you. Within
my self-care, I like to take time to myself.
It could be sitting in my room and
drawing, whether I’m looking at a Netflix
show and binge watching and just
being by myself because I am around a
lot of people 24/7 so sometimes taking
that sound and putting it away helps
a lot. I take naps! I take naps all of the
time! If you don’t know where I went,
and you don’t see me at all – it’s because
I’m asleep in my room napping.
That’s how I do self-care for myself or
sometimes I go shopping. Retail therapy
is the best!
AM: How do you keep your skin looking
and feeling hydrated especially when
you think about travel, doing all of the
movements when you have perspiration
and the chalk you use? Looking at
your skin right now, obviously you’ve got
it down as your skin is glowing and it looks
beautiful.
JC: Oh thank you! With the hydration part,
I do a lot of intake of water because as a
gymnast, we sweat a lot. I mean I’m not
really a sweater but when it does come
to working out, always grinding, we lose
a lot of salt so, that does make our skin
very dry and brittle. Also the magnesium
we’re around in our chalk, it takes moisture
out. So because of all of that, I drink
a lot of water and I make sure that I am
always moisturized no matter where I
go! So whether it’s a lotion or a scrub or
whatever it is, even for my lips, I keep everything
hydrated because I am always in
chalk! I don’t like chalk already because
it’s nasty so that hydration, it really comes
in to make you feel good. I wake up every
morning, I wash my face, I do my whole
skincare and if I forget to put my moisturizer
on, oh I go crazy! I’m like my face is
going to fall off! So I make sure that I am
taking everything in for sure!
AM: Are there any kind of projects that you
have that we should keep an eye out for as
obviously you have an amazing schedule
coming up and we can’t wait to see that!
But is there anything else that we should
know about?
JC: I can say that there is this one thing
that is coming into play and I can’t really
say a lot without saying a lot! It’s definitely
going to give a perspective on when
you feel you have done so much in your
life that you can help others so I will leave
it with that! So just keep an eye out on it
and I feel that a lot of people will be able
to take a lot from it. They will understand
what it is like to be an athlete and to be
someone that is more than just an athlete!
AM: What do you want your legacy to be
whether it’s in the sport or outside of it? As
you just stated it’s not just about being an
athlete, it’s more than that.
JC: I think the legacy would be more so
that I was always having fun, I always - I
don’t like to say this, but I wasn’t always
a rule follower. I always did things outside
of the box and just enjoyed being
the person that I was, being authentic
to who I am as a person, and knowing
that there is only one you and that nobody
can change that. I think that the
legacy is who you are, what you want
to do in your life, and how can you control
that within yourself!
@jordanchiles
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 66 Team
USA Facebook | PG 71 + 9PLAYLIST PG
76 Team USA | PG 74 Bliss | PG 78 +
63MIX ROUTIN3S PG 80 Jordan Chiles |
We've always enjoyed watching Beach Volleyball
when we're watching the Olympic
Games! This year our eyes are on Team
USA Beach Volleyball duo, Sara Hughes
and Kelly Cheng! They're a fun pair to
watch when they hit the sand and we can't
wait to see what they do at Paris 2024. We
caught up with them to find out how they
came to the sport, what they love about
it, combining their super powers, how
they stay in shape, Safe Sun, and more!
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in
love with volleyball?
SARA HUGHES: I fell in love at the age of
eight years old in Huntington Beach, California.
KELLY CHENG: I fell in love with volleyball
back when I was 11 years old. I started
out playing indoor and thought that was
where I’d be for the rest of my life. When
I tried out beach in high school… that all
changed! I decided to play only beach in
college and have been playing professionally
ever since!
AM: What led to you choosing beach volleyball
and what do you love about it?
SH: Beach volleyball has always had my
heart from a young age. I love the environment
and atmosphere of the sport.
You have to be versatile and well versed in
all aspects of the game. There are no subs
or coaches when you are on the court so
you have to figure out how to win with
one other person beside you.
KC: I chose beach volleyball for so many
reasons. The beach being my office is top
of the list. Getting to be outside for so
much of my life is such a joy. I love that
there are only 2 people and no subs - you
have to be adaptable and think on your
feet. You’re so exposed out there on the
court and have to figure out how to win
just with you and your partner. Allowing
my creativity to shine on the court is another
passion of mine. There isn’t one
way to play this game and I love pushing
the envelope on how to play!
AM: You guys have been partners for
awhile whether in high school, youth
competitions, while competing at USC
and beyond - tell me about your style of
play and why this duo is so synergistic!
SH: We play with a lot of passion and
love for the game. We are both athletic
and dynamic and we love showing that
on the court. We have great communication
and inspire each other to get
better every day and change the way
the sport is played.
KC: We have such chemistry on and off
the court. We connect well and make
each other laugh. We enjoy doing life
together. Those intangible things have
always been easy for us. Now add on
top of that our creativity, passion, determination
- and we’re unstoppable!
AM: Kelly, you competed at the Olympics
in Tokyo 2020 and Sara you are
looking to add this to your impressive
resume! With us being 100 days out,
what are the weeks ahead looking like
in terms of qualifying and when you
find out about getting this coveted slot?
SH: I am so excited to be going to my
first Olympic Games. We actually found
out a few weeks ago that we have
qualified for Paris! We have 3 more big
tournaments to compete in before the
games but we have a solid month of
training at home before the Olympics.
During that time we will refine some
skills, game plan, and most importantly
have fun and enjoy the journey.
KC: We were pumped to qualify for
Paris! It is so exciting to be going to my
second Olympics. This time will be SO
different. Tokyo was such a unique experience
due to all the Covid protocols
and it being a closed Olympics. This
time around, my family will come and
cheer me on!! We have a couple more
tournaments worth Olympic points,
but after that we get a chunk of time
at home allowing us to spend time
with family and prepare for the Paris
Olympics.
AM: What are you looking forward to
should you be able to go to the Summer
Games?
SH: I am looking forward to proudly represent
Team USA on the worlds largest
stage. I also can’t wait to play in the stadium
in Paris that will be under the Eiffel
Tower.
KC: I’m really looking forward to opening
ceremonies! So unique this year being on
boats on the Seine River; it should be iconic.
And speaking of iconic, our venue will
be one of the most jaw dropping locations
ever - right in front of the Eiffel Tower!
AM: What's an average week like in terms
of training and working out individually as
well as a duo?
SH: We train on the sand 4-5 times a week
together. I am in the gym 3x a week but
have routine stretches, rehab, and ab exercises
that I complete every day.
KC: It depends on the week and where
we’re at in season, but typically as a team,
we train on the sand 4 times a week and
watch film and/or have team meetings
2x a week; Solo, I do blocking work with
my assistant coach 2x a week, in the gym
(Stark) 3x a week, physical therapy 3x a
week, sports psych once a week, and Pilates
3x a week. I also try to get a massage
or ice bath in every week for recovery! It’s
a full time job and I love it!
AM: Do you have any routines that you
do before a match to get your head in the
game and do you have anything you do
after a match to come down from all that
energy?
SH: I have a routine warm up that I complete
that gets my body warm and ready
to go. Kelly and I also share headphones
and listen and jam out to music while we
warm up. It is a fun way to do our individual
routines but stay connected at the
same time. After matches we debrief as a
team and talk about how the game
went.
KC: My favorite pre match routine that
Sara and I do together is pray. It sets
the tone for the match and always
brings me back to the present and
gives me perspective. After a match to
cool down I love to FaceTime my family.
They mean the world to me.
AM: Of course, as beach volleyball players,
you're constantly in the sun, and
SPF is an essential! How do you engage
in safe sun?
SH: Absolutely, safe sun practices are
crucial for us, given the amount of time
we spend training and competing outdoors.
I make sure to apply sunscreen
liberally before each practice or match
and reapply regularly throughout the
day. The Bliss Block Star Daily Mineral
SPF 30 is fantastic because it's not
just about protection; it's about performance.
Knowing we have a reliable
sunscreen that's invisible and lightweight
allows us to focus entirely on
our game without worrying about sun
damage.
KC: Engaging in safe sun practices is
non-negotiable for us as beach volleyball
players. We're out in the sun for
hours on end, so protecting our skin
is a top priority. I always start my day
with a layer of SPF 30 sunscreen, and
I carry it with me to reapply as needed.
I also love how its neutralizing and
almost mattifying! Teaming up with
Bliss with their Block Star Daily Mineral
SPF 30 is a game-changer. It's formulated
to be invisible and lightweight,
so it doesn't interfere with our performance
on the sand.
AM: It seems like we're living in an interesting
time where beauty brands
are focusing on women's sports to get
into their routines especially when it's
being used directly in their sport! It
makes sense as we can truly see how
it is being used which allows us to see
how it will work in our day-to-day! What
do you think about this synergy between
women athletes and beauty brands that
are partnering in this way?
SH: It's an exciting development to see
beauty brands like Bliss partnering with
women athletes. This synergy between
sports and beauty not only highlights
the importance of skincare for active lifestyles
but also celebrates the strength
and beauty of women in sports. It's empowering
to know that brands recognize
our influence and want to support us in
our endeavors both on and off the court.
KC: It's a testament to the growing recognition
of the intersection between sports
and skincare. As athletes, we're constantly
exposed to the elements, so having
products like Bliss SPF products designed
specifically for our needs is invaluable.
AM: When you're not training or competing,
how do you take time for yourselves?
SH: I love spending time with friends and
family. They are the best support and outlets
for me. I also love taking the time to
read, jump in the ocean, and take a nice
hot bath.
KC: I love a good self care day! A face
mask, epsom salt bath, a massage, some
quiet time with my Nintendo switch and
I’m happy and recharged.
AM: Are there any upcoming projects that
you have going on that we should keep an
eye out for?
SH: Fun projects coming out with Delta
Airlines, Chipotle, KTTape, Nike, Optimum
Nutrition, Eli Lilly, and NBC Sports.
KC: In January we will be running our third
annual mentorship camp.
Each year in January we spend 3 days
mentoring and pouring into young up and
coming beach volleyball players. Usually
sophomores or juniors in high school. My
husband Jordan and I will ask 6 local fe-
male beach volleyball pros (ranging
from AVP champions, Olympians, and
Olympic Gold medalists!) to join our
camp! During those 3 days, the mentees
get to partner up with their pro/
mentor and train with them, eat meals
together, learn from the whiteboard
camps that the mentors run, and participate
in fun, silly, competitive group
activities together! I think the most
beneficial part of camp is what comes
after. We ask each mentor to try to
continue investing in their mentee
consistently for at least the rest of the
year! The goal is to create life long relationships
that allows an older figure to
pour into the next up and coming generation
of beach volleyball athletes.
@sarahughesbeach
@kellycheng
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 83 Team
USA | PG 84, 9LIST STORI3S PG 89 -
94 Sara Hughes + Kelly Cheng | PG 86
Bliss |
Every four years when we watch the Summer
Games, we enjoy connecting and reconnecting
with those competing, veterans,
analysts, and personalities. It's a
great time to come together to support an
array of sports that we all enjoy. Of course
with Team USA Gymnastics, we know that
we'll be cheering this group along and we
took some time to talk with 5X Team USA
Gymnastic Olympic Medalist, Nastia Liukin
(G1, S3, B1). We caught up with her on what
she's doing, her thoughts on competing
at Paris 2024, her advice for the women's
team, what she will do in Paris, her collaboration
with Recess Pickleball and more.
ATHLEISURE MAG: It has been quite a year
in gymnastics and we have enjoyed watching
the road to seeing who would be on
this year's Team USA Women's Gymnastics
Team! As a 5X Olympic Medalist, what
have been some of the biggest moments
that you enjoyed while competing at the
Olympics?
NASTIA LIUKIN: Competing at the Olympics
is a surreal experience. One of the
biggest moments for me was winning the
all-around gold medal in Beijing in 2008.
Standing on the podium, hearing the national
anthem, and realizing all the hard
work had paid off was indescribable. Another
unforgettable moment, and perhaps
the most memorable, was standing
in the tunnel with my teammates before
we stepped onto the competition floor for
the first time. We all looked at each other,
not exchanging any words, knowing that
our lives were about to change forever.
AM: Like many, we are excited about the
upcoming Summer Games and of course,
to see Team USA Gymnastics hit the floor!
What are you looking forward to this year
with this team?
NL: I'm incredibly excited to see the new
talent and the routines that Team USA
will bring to Paris. This year's team has
shown such resilience and dedication,
and I can't wait to see them shine on the
world stage. I'm biased because Hezly Rivera
trains with my parents, but I cannot
wait to watch her realize her dreams
in Paris. I’m also so excited to see Suni
(G1, S1, B1) step onto the competition
floor after the year she has had.
AM: Do you have any words of advice
for the ladies as they head to Paris?
NL: My advice would be to trust your
training, trust your muscle memory,
but also, enjoy it! This is a once-in-alifetime
experience that some will never
have again. Leave it all out on the
competition floor, but take time to
soak in the small moments.
AM: Will you be in Paris and if so will
you be broadcasting/being an analyst
or will you be there with another
brand? What are you excited about for
the Olympic Games?
NL: I’m so excited to be in Paris right
now. I recently announced that I’ll be
ELLE Magazine’s official gymnastics
correspondent, I’ll be filming my own
show that dives into the psychology of
the Olympic journey, and working with
the USOPC on numerous events
throughout the Games. I’m also excited
to watch in a spectator capacity for
the first time! My favorite part of any
Olympics is to witness the culmination
of years of hard work and dedication
that these athletes have given to their
sport. The Olympic spirit is truly special,
and being there to experience it
firsthand is always inspiring.
AM: You are no stranger to collaborations.
You just launched your latest one
with Recess Pickleball!
What do you love about this sport and
how/why did this partnership come
about?
NL: Pickleball is such a fun and engaging
sport that brings people together.
I love the social aspect and how it can
be competitive yet enjoyable for all
skill levels. The partnership with Recess
Pickleball came about so organi-
cally because I was always a fan of
their brand. I actually sent them a DM
a year and a half ago telling them that
it was on my vision board to launch a
collaboration with them leading up to
Paris, and here it is!
AM: We have seen a number of athletes
that have embraced this sport. Will you
be playing in tournaments?
NL: I hope to, yes, but definitely more
social tournaments than competitive!
It’s a great way to stay active and challenge
myself in a new sport. Plus, the
pickleball community is incredibly welcoming,
and I’m looking forward to
connecting with fellow players.
AM: We know that you're a big advocate
of mental health. How do you take
time for yourself when you're not in the
midst of projects?
NL: Meditation has been a learned skill
that I’ve incorporated into my mental
health routine after a close mentor
shared how well it worked for him,
specifically TM. The Calm App or Headspace
are great ways for beginners
to get into meditation, too. I’m also a
fan of hot and cold therapy, which is
a huge mood booster. Something else
that I look forward to every day, now
that I live by the water, is catching the
sunset along the beach. It’s incredibly
grounding, sets me up for a good
night’s sleep, and I do it with my dog,
Harley, who makes everything better!
AM: Are there any other projects that
you're working on that you would like
to share with us?
NL: I’m excited to share a few big
things once I’m in Paris, so you’ll have
to stay tuned!
@nastialiukin
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Recess Picklaball
THE ART OF
THE SNACK:
KINTSUGI
OMAKASE
This month, we made our way to Kintsugi
Omakase to have an epic meal that we will
talk about for quite a bit! We knew that
there would be a number of courses that
would be created in front of us by Chef Victor
Chen who was in last month's issue in
our THE 9LIST 9M3NU feature.
Our meal didn't disappoint! We were able
to enjoy a 16 course meal that is part of
their Kintsugi Experience. It's a fantastic
experience where upon entering the
restaurant, you are sitting with 9 other
guests who have a front row seat at a meal
that is next level. We wanted to know more
about when the restaurant launched, why
they provide omakase, and what you can
expect when it comes to heading to this
SoHo destination!
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did Kintsugi
launch and can you tell us about the founders/owners
of the restaurant?
ASHE YEUNG: Kintsugi was originally
founded in 2018 by owners and New Yorkbased
creative partners, Ashe Yeung, an
architect, and Tim Madrid, an Art Director.
AM: Can you tell us about the chef as well
and his background?
AY: Executive Chef Victor Chen, formerly
of New York Sushi Ko & Sushi Seki, is a
passionate sushi chef that prepares his sushi
in the traditional edomae style. Unlike
many other sushi chefs, he does not solely
use Japanese ingredients. A long-standing
relationship with fishmongers allows
Kintsugi Omakase to offer locally sourced
fish, enabling for a broader selection and
more moderate prices.
AM: Can you tell us about the ambiance of
the restaurant and what guests can expect
when they come in for a visit?
AY: The dining room is centered around a
natural wood 10-seat sushi counter, which
is framed by dark charcoal walls. Soothing
light is filtered through Japanese wooden
slats creating a relaxing mood for guests.
Each course is presented on dinnerware
in collaboration with EM Ceramics and
Spark Bird Studio who has created an
exclusive line of handcrafted, gold-fused
dinnerware for Kintsugi.
AM: We know what omakase is, but can
you tell us the history of what this dining
experience is?
AY: Omakase, rooted in Japanese culinary
tradition, traces its origins to the
Edomae sushi culture of early 19th-century
in Tokyo. Initially, it is referred to entrusting
the chef to create a meal based
on seasonal ingredients. Over time,
omakase has evolved into a revered
dining experience where patrons place
complete trust in the chef's expertise
and creativity, highlighting the essence
of Japanese culinary craftsmanship.
AM: You only offer omakase. Why was
that the experience that you wanted to
focus on?
AY: Omakase represents the pinnacle
of our culinary philosophy, emphasizing
quality, seasonality, and the art of storytelling
through food. By exclusively
offering omakase, we curate a deeply
personal and memorable dining journey
for each guest, showcasing the freshest
ingredients and innovative techniques
that define a culinary vision. It allows
us to foster a direct connection with
diners, sharing not just a meal, but a
transformative gastronomic experience
that celebrates tradition with a modern
touch.
AM: For those that are coming for lunch,
what can you tell us about The Lunch
Rush Omakase?
AY: The Lunch Rush Omakase is a combination
of a quick sushi fix with a high
quality offering and also serves as an
introduction to omakase for those
who have never tried. Our Lunch Rush
Omakase is a 12-course one-hour experience
for $60. It is served only on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday. We always promote
the art of omakase and it is key for
us to have an omakase with an affordable
price tag.
AM: For dinner, you offer The Grand
Street Classic, The SoHo Experience, and
the Kintsugi Omakase - the latter which we
enjoyed this recently. Can you tell us about
each one of those and what the differences
are between them?
AY: We serve three tiers of premium
omakase which include seasonal appetizers
and sushi: The Kintsugi Omakase, a
16-course service for $195; The Soho Experience;
a 13-course experience for $155;
and The Grand Street Classic; a 10-course
meal for $95. All tastings also include a
sushi chef’s choice of hand roll, gourmet
miso soup, tamago, and seasonal dessert.
Each tier features a varied amount of seasonal
and premium ingredients diligently
prepared by our chef. Our goal is to be
able to cater to as many customer as possible
and feature different offerings with
the same high quality standards.
AM: Are there additional items that you
can pair with these packages?
AY: We offer a seasonal beverage pairing
featuring sake breweries that are high
quality and paired perfectly with our
omakase. We also do a seasonal sea urchin
(uni) tasting that showcases different
sea urchins from around the world; and
from time to time, we offer prized auction
grade uni.
AM: Can you tell us about 3 cocktails that
you suggest that we should have on our
next visit?
AY: We only have one cocktail called Murasaki,
which in Japanese means purple.
The cocktail itself is a beautiful vibrant
purple color made with yuzu, sake and violet
extract.
AM: Can you tell us about 3 sakes, beers,
or cider that we should pair with our meal?
AY: We are a big fan of Echigo Koshihikari
beer, which used the same rice that most
sushi restaurants use as the basis of
their beer, perfectly paired with our
omakase. We are also avid enthusiasts
of the Masumi brewery. Masumi is one
of Japan's premier sake brands, produced
by Miyasaka Brewing Company
in Nagano Prefecturel they have been
making sake since 1662. For a more modern
flavor profile, we highly recommend
the uka sake series. They are made very
well with a combination of Japanese and
American crafts into one single bottle
AM: Are there any special events taking
place this summer or fall that you would
like us to know about?
AY: We will be participating in the NYC
Restaurant Week with the NYC Tourism
Board. Our goal is to promote the
craft of omakase from now to September
1st. We will be taking a short break
after September 1st and will re-open on
September 12th. Then, we will be transitioning
into our fall menu, which to all
edomae style sushi lovers, it is the best
season where all the fish are fragrant,
fatty, and simply delicious. We highly
recommend all patrons to book ahead
of time to make sure that they can save
a seat.
For those that want to try Kintsugi
Omakase, Restaurant Week kicked off
Jul 22nd and goes through Aug 18th with
participating restaurants. The below is
available until Sep 1st. Kintsugi will offer
a 12-course prix fixe menu for $60 per person
with an optional seasonal sake flight
for an additional $30 per person. Guests
can add-on a premium seasonal uni
handroll for $30 per person. The menu
is subject to change due to availability
and seasonality, highlights include their
Housemade Japanese Potato Salad with
Arctic Sweet Shrimp, Orata/Seabream
from Greece, and Hotate/Scallop from
Hokkaido Japan - to name a few.
@kintsuginyc
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | Mr. Grant Hao-
Wei Lin/Kintsugi
As we navigate the summer, there are a
number of events that are always on our
mind! With the US Open around the corner,
Citi Taste of Tennis kicks off a series of
events as well as the Grand Slam that gets
everyone excited! At Citi Taste of Tennis,
you're able to enjoy some of the best chefs
and restaurants as well as seeing your favorite
tennis players who will be playing at
the US Open as well as veterans together!
We've enjoyed attending over the years
and look forward to attending on Aug
22nd at Gotham Hall with this year's host,
Prakash Amritraj We wanted to know more
about this event as well as others that are
part of Taste of Tennis. We sat down with
AYS Sports Marketing CEO, Penney Lerner
to get all the details.
ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into
this year's Citi Taste of Tennis, I wanted to
know more about AYS Sports Marketing
and who this producer is?
PENNY LERNER: Citi Taste of Tennis was
created by AYS Sports Marketing, a woman-owned
experiential marketing agency
started in 1996 by mother and daughter
duo, Judi and Penny Lerner.
AM: When did Taste of Tennis launch and
why was this created?
PL: The principals at AYS worked with various
tennis tournaments for many years
and, in doing so, developed close relationships
with tennis players, agents, and other
industry insiders. With their fingers on
pulse on the state of professional tennis,
they identified an exciting and untapped
opportunity. While tennis featured topnotch
tournaments and A-list players,
there were no high profile “off the court”
events that were prominent in so many
other sports. To fill this void, AYS created
the Taste of Tennis in 1999.
In 2000, AYS hosted the first Taste of Tennis
event in NYC headlined by Andre Agassi
and celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse. The
event combined food prepared by top
chefs, celebrity appearances, entertainment
and an Oscar's style red carpet. The
event was instantly a hit among players,
fans, sponsors and the media. Since
then, the Taste has become a who’s
who of tennis stars, culinary personalities
and celebrities. Past attendees include
Serena Williams, Venus Williams,
Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff, Mike Tyson,
Eva Longoria, Marcus Samuelsson, Lana
Del Rey, Naomi Osaka, Andy Roddick,
John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Olivia Culpo,
Maria Sharapova, John McEnroe,
Nick Kyrgios, Al Roker, Tamron Hall, Billie
Jean King, Morimoto, Monica Seles,
and many others
AM: We have attended Citi Taste of Tennis
for a few years and have enjoyed
them each time. In addition to NY, you
have a Taste of Tennis for London, Indian
Wells, Washington D.C., and Miami.
What do you look for when it comes to
deciding on bringing a Taste of Tennis to
a city as we assume that it involves doing
it in tandem with a tennis match?
PL: Citi Taste of Tennis has occurred in
many different cities over the past 10
years, from Melbourne to London to
New York City to Toronto. We are always
evaluating cities that have unique
culinary offerings, have the potential
for new digital content and most importantly,
have tennis happening nearby!
AM: In terms of the upcoming Citi Taste
of Tennis what does the calendar look
like in terms of planning? Can you tell us
what you are focused on when you're
a year out, 6 months, 3 months, and a
month away?
PL: Citi Taste of Tennis is a brand. We focus
on it for 12 months of the year and
are constantly evaluating new markets,
rising chefs and culinary trends, up and
coming tennis players, unique venues,
inspiring digital content, social media,
sponsorships and more. It’s a big undertaking,
and we have a great team and
after 24 years, hundreds of hours of digital
content and 75+ events, we have a
solid understanding of what the brand
requires.
AM: This year, you are returning to Gotham
Hall. Each year, these events blend players,
fans, and cuisine. Can you tell us what we
should expect this year?
PL: Guests will enjoy cuisine prepared by
20 leading chefs including Mischa Tsumura
(No. 5 Best Restaurant in the World –
Maido) and Antonio Bachour (World’s
Best Pastry chef 2018, 2022). They will
also be treated to special appearances
by a number of top tennis stars including
8-Time Grand Slam Champion Andre Agassi,
Qinwen Zheng (World #7) and Alexander
Zverev (World #4). There will also be
great food and fun promotions provided
by our sponsors including Segafredo Zanetti
Coffee, Scenic Cruises, Boar’s Head,
Barbados Tourism Board, Liquid Death
and Savas Health.
AM: Is there anything new being added
to this year's event?
PL: We are producing a live cooking competition
between Chef Mischa and Chef
Antonio with WTA player Qinwen Zheng
and ATP player Zhizhen Zhang which Andre
Agassi will judge!
AM: Outside of the events associated with
tennis tournaments, what does Taste of
Tennis do throughout the year?
PL: Taste of Tennis started out as a 3-hour
culinary event and has evolved into one of
the most popular brands in pro tennis. In
addition to the 3 North American events,
we currently produce, Taste of Tennis is
also an Official Sponsor of the Giorgio Armani
Tennis Classic at Hurlingham (UK).
This year, we will also have a Taste of
Tennis experience at the National Bank
Open (Toronto). We have a full-time staff
dedicated to managing all elements of
the brand including sales, culinary, digital
content, production, and public relations.
Suffice to say it's a year-round program.
@tasteoftennis
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Taste of Tennis
We love this time of year when we have all
of our favorite sports happening during
this time of year. We turn our attention to
soccer and Angel City FC. We took some
time to sit down with one of their star athletes,
Sydney Leroux, Team USA Soccer
Gold Medalist for London 2012 as well as
being a World Cup Winner for USWNT at
the 2015 FIFA World Cup.
We wanted to catch up with her to find out
how she got into the sport, playing for Angel
City FC, her partnership with TYLENOL
as well as how it assisted her through recovering
from her injuries so that she could get
back to the game and team that she loves!
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in
love with soccer and realize you want to
play professionally?
SYNDEY LEROUX: I fell in love with soccer
probably when I was around four or five.
My mom put me in every sport possible
because I was crazy and she wanted me
to burn off some energy. I just loved scoring
goals and so I continued to play. I also
played baseball, but I played with boys.
And so my mom was like, “Okay, you need
to make a decision”, and I decided to stick
with soccer.
AM: Was there anything behind that decision
to pick soccer for baseball?
SL: Well, the boys started getting huge
and I stayed the same size. And I just felt
like I gravitated towards soccer.
AM: We know the season has started for
Angel City FC, but what are you most looking
forward to this season? What have you
enjoyed so far?
SL: I'm looking forward to just continuing
to push, we're midway through the
season now and I think we've seen really
good things. I think just like working off
of that and trying to be a good teammate
and do as much as I possibly can.
AM: What does it mean to play the sport
you love and represent your passion?
Whether it's on the global stage or whether
it's just playing in LA? What does that
mean to you to get to represent?
SL: It means so much. I think that I've
been able to see the growth of women's
soccer and women's sports, like being in
it and being involved. The NWSL started
like 13 years ago, and I was there for
that. There was this fear about like, are
we going to continue or is it going to fold
like all of the other women's leagues before
the NWSL. I was playing in Boston
at a little high school field with a couple
hundred fans. Someone had a little camera
and it went on YouTube, and now I
play in front of a sold out stadium with
22,000 people in Los Angeles. I don't
think anyone could have ever thought
that, but I think we pushed for that and
this is what we want. So yeah, I'm just so
happy to be a part of it and know that
the future can even be better.
AM: Why have you partnered with TYLE-
NOL and what is the Care Commitment?
SL: I partnered with TYLENOL because I
realized that it's everywhere in my lifefrom
my muscle aches and pains to the
kids having a fever. I just realized it's
everywhere, so it made sense. Coming
back from my injury, I knew how hard
that was. I'm really excited to announce
the TYLENOL Care Commitment, which
is a recovery fund to help injured athletes
get back into the game. TYLENOL is
committing funding to help injured athletes
recover and compete once again,
starting this year with a sponsorship to
the Women’s Sports Foundation.
AM: How do you manage training
during the in-season and how does that
compare to when you're in the off-season?
SL: Training in season is tough. But
I would also say that training in the
off-season and getting ready for a grueling
season, we play like 10 months a
year, so the offseason is very short. I
just try to stay healthy, that's my num-
ber one right now, and it's been going
good so far.
AM: As a mom, how do you balance that
training and playing soccer in the games
with the activities with your kids and being
their role model?
SL: I think that there's no perfect balance,
you just have to do as best as you
can. For me to be a role model to my children
and to other moms, too, has been
amazing. I also think just being able to
play with them and do what I do and
bring them along with me, I think that
that's been really helpful. But it's just
about sometimes getting outside and
playing.
AM: Do you have any advice for moms
balancing that busy career with raising a
family?
SL: I think don't be so hard on yourself,
give yourself grace. Your kids just love
you and as long as you're present there
when you can be, I think that's all that
matters.
AM: Any other upcoming projects we
should keep an eye out for? What's the
next thing for Sydney?
SL: Yeah, I actually play in my 150th game
coming up against Orlando, so I'm looking
forward to that.
@sydneyleroux
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 135 Sydney
Leroux| PG 136 George Orozco |
9PLAYLIST MULTI PG 138 - 141 XXX |
We enjoyed a gala dinner at Manhatta to
discover, learn, and enjoy.
Prosciutto Di Carpegna PDO, the EU Gem
Ham. We discussed the careful selection
and aging process they have, which translated
into highly delicate, delicious prosciuitto.
The prosciutto was quite versatile, which
we tasted as a stand-alone ingrediant, as
well as an element incorporated into other
courses, such as the halibut.
If was interesting to hear about their high
standards in selection, salting and aging
process. We enjoyed the aged prosciutto
as a stand-alone appetizer and as part of
dishes, both were delicious. The evening
ended with a most striking sunset through
the window-paneled event room at Manhatta,
and like that all of our senses were
certainly igntited.
@consorzio_carpegna
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | The EU Gem
Ham Prosciutto di Carpegna PDO
Readers of Athleisure Mag know that we
enjoy watching STARZ’s P-Valley. In fact,
we even interviewed members of the cast
for our MAY ISSUE #77 for the last season
of this series. This series focuses on Chucalisa
and the chosen family of those that
work at The Pynk. In this series, we get
to know about this strip club, those who
work there, and the events that take place
in the community that affect those that
work there. We love that we get to see a
lot about these multi-dimensional characters
in terms of their hopes, dreams, how
they support one another and beyond!
Although we’re all waiting for the upcoming
season of P-Valley, today we get to
watch Down in the Valley that lets us know
more about the cities that represent Chucalisa
as well as the stories that come from
there as well as how elements of those
lives directly tie into the show. In this companion
series qith 6 episodes hosted by
and is Executive Produced by Nicco Annan
(Shameless, Snowfall, Claws) who plays
Uncle Clifford in the show and Executive
Produced by Shoshana Guy (Rock Center
with Brian Williams, High on the Hog: How
African American Cuisine Transformed
America, The 1619 Project), we get to hear
their stories and learn more about what
we have all come to love about this series!
We had the chance to sit down with them
to talk about the Mothership show, how
this series came about, why it was created,
and what we can expect from it!
ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into
Down in the Valley, what attracted you to
P-Valley and why did you want to be in this
incredible show which I have loved watching
over the seasons?
NICCO ANNAN: Well thank you, what attracted
me to this show, P-Valley, I am going
to say is the fact that it was created by
such an auteur as Katori Hall (The Mountaintop,
Hurt Village, Tina - The Tina Turner
Musical). She is really a person who I love
her work in the theater and I was reading
her work before I was actually even auditioning
for anything like that. I also love
that it was something that was a true reflection
of where I came from and all different
types of our culture. It wasn’t just
limited to a narrow viewpoint of how I
saw myself and my community.
AM: In watching the show, I love the complexities,
the characters, the topics that
are talked about, and the city almost
becomes a character in and of itself. Although
I know that the city portrayed in
the series is fictionalized, it seems more
like a composite of a number of cities in
the South. How did Down in the Valley
come about as I feel that it allows the
city as a character to step forward a little
bit.
NA: Yes, part of Down in the Valley, we
wanted to be able to go to different cities,
You're absolutely right! Chucalisa,
Mississippi is a fictitious city, but it is a
real Native American burial ground. In
the world of P-Valley, all of this is behind
us and we are really an amalgamation of
the South and it would be almost like if
Jackson, Mississippi and Memphis had a
baby! You know with a Mama in Tunica.
Haha – that’s Chucalisa.
One of the things you know that
Shoshana and I talked about in creating
this show, Down in the Valley, we really
wanted to go to different parts of the
South that were in The Delta – that Bible
Belt space to see what it was really like.
It was about the real people and the real
places!
AM: So how did both of you become attached
the show. Shoshana, I have also
been a fan of your work as a journalist
and a producer. As a Telecom major in
college, I have been enthralled by your
work. How did both of you come to this
project?
SHOSHANA GUY: I had worked sort of
adjacent to Starz on the 1619 Project and
so I had a relationship with them there
and you know, I am always looking for
new folks to collaborate with so it was
really exciting for the idea of - I mean, I
love the Mothership Show as we call it.
So it was a really exciting idea for me to
be collaborating with Nicco and Katori
and of course, a new production company
Zero Point Zero (Nomad with Carlton
McCoy, United Shades of America w Kamau
Bell, Somebody Feed Phil) which it was
produced out of. So once I sort of had that
initial relationship, the idea of collaborating
with a new group of people was very
appealing to me so when I got the call, I
said yes, that sounds interesting to me.
AM: And Nicco?
NA: What’s the question?
AM: We love you in the Flagship show
but what drew you to come in as the host
and the Executive Producer in this show?
What were the stories that you wanted
to tell as you mentioned earlier about focusing
on the different cities and the people
within it. I came across a quote that,
“even though The Valley is a concept, and
a state of mind, it actually reflects various
areas.” As someone who is from the Midwest
originally and has lived in NY for over
2 decades, I love learning about other communities.
NA: You know, when I created this show,
I had the idea for this show back during
S1 of P-Valley! So it was something that
was always in my mind and it was about
the right time. The industry has been going
through a lot of restructuring, the big
strike, there was this thing called COVID
that the entire world experienced. So it
just felt like, now is the time that we can
have some space to do it. I had a little
time off from the Flagship show, so when
I brought it to the network, my ideas and
I got that all pitched out and partnered up
here with Shoshana, we really went in and
found a team of people, a team of diverse
people, Black women, queer people, people
that were connected and had passion
for the South to be able to come together
and to tell this story and always having
Katori in the mix!
It's so funny because my brain really just
went for half a second to the script and
the world of Chucalisa and I had to say,
wait!
SG: Haha you were going to recite some
lines for us?
NA: Right! I was going to go into a whole
other place!
SG: Yeah! He’s an amazing multi-tasker!
AM: Right haha!
NA: It was just a natural, I mean honestly,
it was a natural process and it was a
labor of intense love, it has been one of
severe dedication, you know to make
during this past year. And it’s something
that we wanted to do where it wasn’t
about a replacement of P-Valley, it is
about an expansion and creating something
more. I really felt like it was an opportunity
because I meet fans and other
members of the Pynk Posse and there
is an intense love! We can be quite intense
and so I wanted to make sure that
I could do something that is reflective
of who I am meeting and who I am encountering,
and I think that sometimes
in life, you can forget the beauty and the
strength that we can come from. So, I
wanted to make something that was
full of love, full of intention, and low on
trauma.
SG: Yeah, I have to add to that to say that
one of the fun things about being in the
field is watching people’s reactions to
Nicco was that they already felt so connected
to him because of this character
that he plays in the show. It was such an
interesting and enjoyable piece of the
operation to be moving around in space
and to see how it all came together!
Remember when we went to the tailgating
event?
NA: Yes!
SG: This older woman came up to me
and asked me could he come over for
just a second? So I looked over to where
Nicco was and I said (waving her arms
over), come on over here! She said to the
group, “he’s coming home!”
NA: Yesss!
SG: I always remember that moment because
it really felt symbolic of the way
that people feel about the Mothership
Show and also for us to be able to bring
that feeling of home onto the screen.
AM: In preparation for this interview, I
watched the entire season as I wanted to
have a great backdrop for this series and to
juxtapose that with the Mothership show.
I love that there are aspects of Anthony
Bourdain: No Reservations. As you have
this travel component in many respects
and you also have this journalistic and getting
into sociopolitical issues that are taking
place and doing this without having
the trauma aspect involved. That is such a
complicated, nuanced, and beautiful mix
to be able to put that together in a half
hour show that is not coming off preachy,
but is talking about issues that are also a
crossover into what is being discussed and
shown in the Mothership!
SG: Girl, who are you telling?
AM: I mean, in your mind it’s like “boop,
boop, boop” triangulating all of this!
NA: Hahaha!
AM: I mean, I’m impressed by it and seeing
how it is laid out and the depths of its connective
tissue – it’s amazing.
NA: Oh thank you!
SG: Yes, thank you so much! It’s wonderful
that you see the notes of No Reservations
in there because we obviously produced it
out of that kind of legendary production
company, so it’s always going to have that
sort of feel and flavor of that underneath
it. You know, I'm a trained journalist, I
have a degree from Columbia University,
I worked at NBC News for many many
I worked at NBC News for many many
years. So everything that I approach,
has that kind of journalist feel underneath
it. I’m always interested in how
stories and narratives collide with real
issues that are going on. We know that
as Black people, it’s always a lot of
things that we are working on, building
on, celebrating, but also processing as
a people. So our goal was to make sure
that that came through. A nice balance
of the fun and also the real things that
we go through.
NA: To also add in, all of the creativity
with the dance, and the dance elements
that are in the storytelling, it’s connected.
Things are elevated and there are
moments of hyperreality so to speak.
Like you experience that in the Mothership
Show, we experience it in real life. It
was just a way to capture that on screen
and really tell these complex stories of
real people who have real lives that are
intertwined and showing you that it is
really laced into the stories of P-Valley in
this fictional world and here is the real
world that is showing you those real
things. Elements like how Hoodoo is ensconced
in the community and it’s not
something that the character Diamond
(Tyler Lepley) just came up with out of
thin air, you know what I mean? Some
things like the superstition that we all
have of “don’t sweep my feet,” like my
grandmother would say that. Or throwing
salt over their shoulder you know
what I mean? Little things like that that
you don’t necessarily know the root of,
but you’re able to go in here and see
where it all derives from in a fun, sexy,
and entertaining way.
While we wait for the next season of
P-Valley, watch Down in the Valley on
STARZ and/or stream it on the STARZ app.
@alldaynicco
@pvalleystarz
@shoshanaguy
PHOTOS COURTESY | Down in the Valley/Starz
This month, we're already excited for
new shows that will be part of our steady
streaming as we navigate the summer! We
sat down with Lara Wolf to talk about how
she got into the industry, her approach to
playing her characters, and her latest project,
Those About to Die which is currently
streaming on Peacock as a Peacock Original!
With an incredible cast and the ability
to take us back to Rome, Gladiator Games,
and corruption - we knew that we wanted
to find out a bit more about what she is up
to as well as this series.
ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the first film
or TV that made you aware of this industry?
LARA WOLF: Growing up, music was actually
more prevalent than film and TV. It
was always playing in our house, either
from my dad's massive record collection
or from him playing the guitar. And I would
always sit with him and sing. That was a
significant influence on me and the foundation
for me seeking to be in the arts
later. Of course, I watched every Disney
cartoon, but it wasn't until I was a teenager
with battles that films like Incendies,
Control, Hunger, House of Sand and Fog
made me feel a certain way, maybe made
me feel understood. And so I started to
develop a palette for film, and the more I
watched, the more I wanted to be part of
the world.
AM: When did you realize that you wanted
to be an actor and where did you train to
hone in on your craft?
LW: As a kid, I jumped at every opportunity
to perform in front of an audience. It
allowed me to express myself as a somewhat
introverted child otherwise. I didn't
grow up in an environment that would
encourage performance art professionally,
so it didn't cross my mind. But later
on, when I was already in college going
on to be a psychologist, something was
missing, something I couldn't ignore. So, I
started reconnecting with that childhood
passion and picked vocal classes. This allowed
me to release whatever I was hold-
ing in, which then snowballed into gigging
in bars around town and performing,
at the same time watching films,
then enrolling in studying film, film history,
and film theory, and finally realizing
and admitting that I wanted to be in
them! But that also required that I move
to a place that would offer acting programs,
a movie industry, and like-minded
people. So, I moved to NYC from Zurich
and studied at the Lee Strasberg
Institute for 2 years. I have lived there
since, continuously honing my actress,
singer, and writer skills.
AM: I remember you in Quantico, how
do you approach playing characters and
what are you looking for when it comes
to deciding on whether you want to be
attached to a project?
LW: When I receive a script, I quickly notice
if I fit into that world and if the character
resonates with me. I look for similarities
and differences and personalize
as much as possible.
When deciding about a project, I ask
myself if it is a story I want to tell and
if it is something I would be interested
in watching. I also get excited about collaborating
with a director whose work I
admire and with actors I look up to.
AM: We have heard great things about
The Performance which is an Arthur Miller
(Death of a Salesman, The Crucible,
The Price) short story and is directed by
Shira Piven (Claws, Sweetbitter, Divorce)
and you acted opposite Jeremy Piven
(Entourage, Wisdom of the Crowd, Sin
City: A Dame to Kill For). Can you tell me
about this film, your character Sira and
why you wanted to be part of this?
LW: I remember seeing the breakdown
that my agent at the time had sent me
and thinking: if I don't book this part,
then I won't book anything, because the
way this character was described fits
like a silk glove. They were looking for
someone who spoke English, German,
and French and could sing jazz. It's so
rare that a role would check so many of
my boxes. Aside from that, I was excited
about the project itself, a period piece
based on an Arthur Miller short story
about a Jewish-American tap dance group
in the 1930s that decides to fly to Europe
for a tour right before the second WW
and get themselves into a tricky situation.
The film explores how far you are willing
to go and what you are willing to risk and
sacrifice for your passion. And when does
your passion turn into greed? While it was
a period piece, it's still incredibly relevant
today, and I find that very rewarding. It
was a blessing getting to work with the
wonderful Shira Piven, Josh Salzberg
(Welcome to Me, Walking Man, Welcome
to Flatch), Robert Carlyle (Stargate Universe,
Once Upon a Time, The Full Monty
series), Jeremy Piven, and my colleagues,
who were fantastic actors and brilliant
tap dancers, and it was such a pleasure
watching them do the choreographies.
Our days were filled with music, dancing,
singing, and acting - a dream! Our costumes
were phenomenal, and the locations
in Bratislava, like the State Opera,
helped immensely to dive into the period.
AM: We're looking forward to Peacock
Original's Those About to Die! What drew
you to this series?
LW: All of it was appealing: the genre, the
historical aspect, having Roland Emmerich
(The Day After Tomorrow, Independence
Day: Resurgence, Moonfall) - the
master of big-scale disaster films - lend his
expertise to this ancient story, shooting in
Rome where it all happened, Sir Anthony
Hopkins (The Silence fo the Lambs, Nixon,
Westworld series) playing the Emperor,
and of course, getting to play the Judean
Queen Berenice was a dream come true.
AM: What can you tell us about the show
as well as your character Queen Berenice?
LW: Her life unfolded against the backdrop
of the Roman-Jewish revolts when
the Romans burned down the Second
Temple and enslaved the Judeans. The Judean
Queen Bernice was the daughter of
King Agrippa I of the Herodian dynasty,
and she was known for her strategic alliances
and marriages. There were also
rumors about an incestuous relationship
with her brother, but there are no
facts to prove it, and it might only show
the threat she posed as a woman in
power. Her most notable relationship
was with the son of the Roman Emperor
Vespasian (played by Anthony Hopkins),
Titus, also known as the destroyer of Jerusalem
and its temple. Naturally, this
caused controversy and put her in the
eye of public scrutiny on the side of the
Romans and the Judeans. Despite this,
her political acumen, diplomacy, and
grace prevailed throughout history. And
for me, it was an honor to be given the
trust to play her and give voice to this incredibly
powerful Queen in our history.
AM: It's a great cast that includes Sir Anthony
Hopkins, Johannes Haukur Johannesson,
and Iwan Rheon - what was your
biggest takeaway from having this experience
in this series?
LW: Every time I get to be on a set, it
feels like the dream comes true again.
My gratitude is beyond words. This is
true, especially this time with this collection
of incredibly talented actors,
two top directors in our industry, and a
production team that meets the highest
standards. I love knowing that the people
I work with are brilliant at their craft
because it is a lot of fun working with
them and motivates me to be a better
actor. Ultimately, it's all about collaboration,
honing your craft, getting as close
as possible to the slippery idea of perfection,
and seeing how it all comes together
as a collective work of art.
AM: You've been acting for awhile and
been in a number of series, but you are
also a writer! When did you realize that
you wanted to include this in your storytelling?
LW: From the moment I started this acting
journey, different people in the industry
encouraged me to write. Up until
that point, all I had written were either essays
or papers from when I was studying
Psychology and Film, all in an academic
tone. I had never imagined that I would
ever write fiction and dialogue. I had
never really seen myself as a writer, but I
started dabbling in writing almost secretly
and noticed how ideas would come up
and evolve. Then, finally during the pandemic,
the stories poured out of me, maybe
because we were all cooped up and
needed to sit still, which is typically not
my forte. But it really allowed me to dig
deep, improve and find the joy in writing.
Currently, I'm working on a play I'm workshopping
at the Primitive Grace Theatre
Ensemble with Paul Calderón (Fear the
Walking Dead, Bosch, Boardwalk Empire)
and David Zayas (Michael Clayton, The
Blacklist, Dexter) as co-directors.
And there is a next project on the horizon,
and I wish I could tell you, but my
lips have to remain sealed for now. I can
only say that it's an action/spy film with
a stellar cast! And you can follow me on
@laradwolf for all the updates. Thank
you so much!
@laradwolf
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 158 Sharon
Daniels | PG 161 - 165 Reiner Bajo/
Peacock |
AM: When you're not in the midst of a
project, how do you take time for yourself?
LW: I guess that's exactly when I have the
time to take time for myself. And I love
getting back into a healthy food/sleep/
exercise routine, which is often hard to
maintain when working. I use the time
between projects to reboot physically
and mentally and feed myself creatively
by writing or seeing art or plays. As I mentioned,
I'm part of a theatre company in
NYC which I'm very grateful for as it is my
safe, creative place to work with other actors
and writers and wonderful mentors.
And then I also sing and write music and
collaborate with other musicians.
AM: Do you have any upcoming projects
that we should keep an eye out for?
LW: Keep an eye out for the film Reading
Lolita in Tehran, directed by the renowned
Eran Riklis (Shelter, Spider in
the Web, A Borrowed Identity). It is based
on the same-named NY Times bestseller
memoir written by Professor Azar Nafisi
and starring the Iranian icon Golshifteh
Farahani (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead
Men Tell No Tales, Exodus: Gods and Kings,
Invasion).
Accessories are always that key component
of your outfit that enhances elements
of your look or your features. They are the
pieces that become statements of conversation
while also being fun ways to change
up your style or reflect your personality in
a cetain way! Whether you reach for them
first to create your look or you finish it off
with those touches, it's always something
that we are on the hunt for! We have attended
a number of editor previews, have
enjoyed seeing items on the runway and
beyond and of course, it's always fun scrolling
our social feeds for great looks to add
to our collections.
Parker Thatch is a luxury accessory brand
that has been around since 2009 and we became
aware of the brand a few years back.
We love that its known for great handbag
styles that are chic, has a number of fabrications
that it offers, and has a great aesthetic
that will never go out of style. When
we had the chance to talk with Celebrity
Costume Designer Allyson Fanger, she reminded
us that not only is it a great handbag
line, but they also have fun jewelry as
well. After deep diving with the brand, we
reached out to Irene Chen, Co-Founder of
this line. We knew that she had a phenomenal
background as a product developer
at Donna Karan and we wanted to know
more about how she got into the industry,
how she came to designing this line with
her husband Matt, and what we need to
know about this brand as well as upcoming
seasons!
ATHLEISURE MAG: I know your brand has
been around for quite awhile, but I love
how recently in the last few years how I
have seen the videos that you do, the fun
assortment, and how you engage with
your customers as well as showing off how
stylish you are as well. It’s so great to be
connected to talk about the brand!
IRENE CHEN: Oh thank you! I’m really excited
to chat with you as well as I really appreciate
and love what you guys are doing
with Athleisure Mag in terms of showing
the importance of movement and fashion
together. For me, it’s an important ele-
ment of my life! I’m just so happy to
speak with you.
IC: That is part of everything that I honestly
so connect with and what we do
you know. I feel that there are so many
products out there these days and I
think that the key is that there are so
many people that they don’t feel great
about themselves and they are stuck in
their homes and they are not doing any
kind of movement and I think about the
connection of how do you get someone
to get up and move so that they can feel
good about it and make it really easy for
you. I think that’s why I think that what
you guys are doing is so cool.
AM: Well thank you!
Before we delve into talking about Parker
Thatch and this great accessory brand,
can you tell us about your background?
You were at Donna Karan, that assortment
had those elements and bones for
that person who lived a full cycle from
studio to office and everything in between.
It would be great to know about
your background and how you came to
the fashion industry.
IC: It was totally one of those weirdo
things! When I graduated from college,
I went to UCLA, and then I cam back to
San Francisco and then I just took a job
like most people would out of college
in consulting and I did that for about
2 years. Sometimes you look back at
things that you did and wonder why
you did certain things, but consulting
really taught me and gave me the foundation
for everything that we do like
time management and all of that stuff.
You wouldn’t be able to learn and that’s
what I did. But then, 2 years after consulting,
you decide on whether you will
stay or go onto Business School in that
transition and for me, I had this gnawing
feeling as I didn’t want to do either of
those things. I have always loved fashion
personally and so I sent my resumes
out and I think whenyou're young, you
just have more courage sometimes. When
I was consulting, you travel a lot and I read
a magazine and they showed a picture of
the President of Donna Karan and she
was in a meeting and she was Asian and
it was really interesting because at that
time, there wasn’t a lot of representation
and for people to see them in magazines
and I was looking at this thinking that this
was amazing and she was leading these
people. For some reason, it dawned on
me that I wanted to send her my resume
and I had to figure out how I was going to
do this.
You know, you do weird things so I pretended
that I was sending a package and I
called the mailroom as I knew I had to get
the specific information in terms of the
floor that she was on. So I sent my resume
and they did call me and ask if I wanted to
come in. It was this crazy thing and it happened
in 2 seconds and I honestly leveraged
my Excel Spreadsheet skills in terms
of getting in the front door!
AM: Ha! We’ve all been there and same!
IC: Slowly but surely, I worked my way
through and I really loved working with
product. At the end of the day, I worked
there a very long time. I got to learn how
to develop product and all aspects of the
business. It was an exciting time for me
actually.
AM: I have such a respect for product developers
as my aunt was one for a number
of major brands. It’s such an amazing way
to extend a brand especially when you get
into licensing and other things like that so
I think that it is so cool.
What led you to decide to go off on your
own and to create Parker Thatch?
IC: Well it’s so funny because I was living
in New York and I met my husband Matt
who is my husband now. I think it was just
close to the dot com time when we met
and I was very burnt out with what I did
and I was traveling almost every day of
my life for a number of years and I was
just really exhausted. We met and his
mother got sick and I said, “why don’t
we just go to Australia,” because that’s
where his parents were. So we spent almost
a year there and we thought that
maybe we could do something on our
own. So that’s what started us tinkering
with businesses in the year 2000. It has
been crazy! I think that when we started
that we were a little too early so no one
understood it and now it’s like we could
have done x, y, and z under this company
given now how the business works.
We had to survive and we said let’s just
do stationary because people kept saying
that they loved our paper and they
didn’t understand the tech version of it.
So they just wanted to buy the paper. So
that’s how we started! We started our
company at my parent’s basement in
the room that I grew up in.
AM: Well I love a good piece of stationary.
IC: So stationary turned into home and
then I think in about 2009, Matt had an
idea because we were doing a lot of customizing.
He said, “I think that we could
customize on cotton.” Can you think of
something we can do on cotton. I told
him it would be great to have a tote bag
and that’s how it happened. I started
with the bag at my dry cleaners. It’s the
craziest story.
AM: Ok, I love that story and I love when
people get scrappy to figure out how to
take their vision and bring it to life and
to figure it out! What a good synergy it
was for you to find her because when you
were saying this I thought, “well just because
you can hem a pant, doesn’t mean
you can make a bag!”
IC: We wondered what kind of materials
we could use because we had no money
to do any of this stuff so then I was like,
“I love canvas and we can cut 2 strips of
leather.” So the bags were made from
canvas that we bought at Joann Fabrics
and 2 strips of leather that Matt cut and
grommeted on and that’s how it came
about. Then we did these stripes with
your monogram on it and stripes with
your monogram on it and at that time, it
was all about magazine and gift guides.
So we sent them out and people loved
them and it was insane!
AM: That is incredible!
What has drawn me to your brand as I have
always been aware of it from a handbag
assortment as opposed to your jewelry, is
when I was talking with Celebrity Costume
Designer Allyson Fanger for our MAY ISSUE
#101 -
IC: She’s the best, I love her!
AM: It was amazing to be able to chat with
her as I have loved the work that she has
done in her career and the way that she is
able to tell story the looks of the character
whether alone or when they are interacting
with others.
IC: How cool is she?
AM: She is so cool -
IC: She is so damn cool!
AM: The whole time I’m looking at her and
all of her jewelry and in addition to my role
as the Co-Founder/Creative + Style Dir. of
Athleisure Mag, I’m also a Fashion Stylist
and accessories are really my thing and it’s
what I love utilizing as statement pieces
when I am putting looks together.
So when she was talking about pieces she
loves, she was pointing to her ring and said
it was from Parker Thatch. I was surprised
because I knew of your brand, but didn’t
know that you made jewelry and she’s
wearing it and we have a gab session for
like 5 mins and I knew then that I would
reach out to connect with you!
IC: Oh my God, I love that and she’s just
so great! She’s such a great connector
and she’s such a generous person when it
comes to expanding to smaller designers
and she’s just a great human being.
AM: In looking at the line again closely,
I enjoy the clean aesthetic of what the
brand is and I also love as you have mentioned
that you work with your husband
on this line and Athleisure Mag is also
co-founded by a couple, my boyfriend
and I.
IC: No way! I love it!
AM: We have a great flow. So what is
your advice to people who are looking to
start a venture whether it’s your significant
other, a best friend, or a sister because
when you have these relationships
especially when you’re first starting out
to make a business, it’s always good to
keep some things in mind. So what is
your advice?
IC: My biggest advice honestly, and I
don’t know if you feel the same way, but
really having respect for each other and
the key I think fortuitously is to be on
the same channel in terms of look and
feel. The tone of voice – that is already
naturally there and I don’t know if you
feel that way.
AM: Yup!
IC: So that made it easy. But I think that
it is truly respect and we each have skill
sets that the other doesn’t have and we
really lean on each other for those and
I think that it’s also about growing up.
It’s about getting away from always being
right and becoming more vulnerable
with yourself and saying, you know,
that’s not my strength.
Exactly! I think that that is about building
a team. We can’t be good at everything
and I think a lot of time when you start
a business, you think I can do everything
– but you really can’t and it’s humbling
yourself and respecting the other person.
It’s like what you said, this is your
lane and not mine and it’s worked for a
very long time – we’re still married, we
have 2 kids, and we’re still working!
AM: Ok, that’s amazing! Because times get
hard sometimes!
IC: Haha don’t get it wrong! We still fight
over stuff haha!
You know, when you make your own business,
there are a lot reasons why you got
to where you did and there is a lot of making
the donuts and at the same time, it’s a
lot of fun! Making your own business is super
hard! The key is just moving forward
every single day. There will be days where
you feel like you can’t do it anymore and
that you just have to put one foot in front
of the other.
AM: 100% haha there are times you have
to be your own hype person and just keep
going!
IC: You just have to get it together and just
move! That’s the key!
IC: Yes!
AM: If you’re able to still do things when
the mountains continue to grow ahead of
you and you don’t know how you would
even think to climb it because there is no
way to hold on and you find yourself in an
American Gladiator situation you know
that you’re going to keep giving it your all!
IC: It really is! It’s a mindset and I think that
that is the key. You have to do hard things
and sometimes those challenges let you
see that you can do way more than what
you believe you can do. We sometimes
hold ourselves back from what we can do.
I think that it’s fascinating that you said
all that because for the last 6 years I have
been focused on getting fit and learning
about a lot of that. There is this whole
concept of Zone 2 training which is about
running slow actually makes you go faster.
I think that that concept, I really take
to heart. That's exactly what you are saying.
Sometimes you need to just chill out.
When you do that, I think that it makes
things go much faster and smoother.
IC: I love the fact that you do that because
you’re able to keep moving! Just
like you said, it's all about moving forward!
That is truly what it is to be focused,
to move, and to not be distracted.
You want to do everything, but you
can’t!
AM: 100% and that’s a huge lesson that
you learn and it humbles you ha!
For someone who is not familiar with
Parker Thatch, how would you describe
this brand to someone who is just coming
into it?
IC: Definitely this brand is all about what
we say daily, it’s about ease and elegance
and I really believe that. It’s about
how do I make a product for you that is
easy to put on and that you feel great!
It’s not about being fussy and it’s always
about one beautiful piece that you put
on and that’s why I love jewelry. I love
a great white shirt and a pair of jeans
and then stack up that necklace and you
look 100% and that takes 5 seconds. I
think that for me, that was very important
for that woman that sometimes
feel stuck – how do I get you to just get
out of the house? Like, you need to feel
good to get that motivation so that you
can have a good day! It’s not going to be
everyday that you may feel that way, but
I want to make products that will help
you get there!
AM: In looking at the assortment, I love
the Charlie bag which is amazing, the
Cross Your Heart Sling is another one
and personally, I’m not someone who
tends to gravitate towards that style,
but when I’m styling on set, I actually
do use that style as it’s a great way for
me to have what I need to set my outfits
without running back to our set up
since we sometimes take over an entire
building or space. So being able to have
my jewelry and everything on me as we
transition from one look to the next and
knowing its secure is how came to embracing
slings initially.
What would you say are 3 must haves
whether it be in handbags or your jewelry
that people should be adding to their closets
or to begin establishing their Parker
Thatch collections?
IC: I love that! For sure, if you’re not a
sling bag person, it’s this weird bag that
when you want to be hands free and it’s
not just a nylon sling bag. You can also
make it into a clutch which is really great
for travel. The Charlie bag for sure! It’s our
newest bag. It hits all the points. It zips,
it’s slouchy, it’s cool, and I just wanted to
create a bag that when you feel you’re
in those cool jeans that you love you feel
it all together. You know, when you look
at a surfer or a skateboarder, I’m always
inspired by them. Even when they’re just
carrying their skateboard, I’m always like,
“damn, you look so cool!”
AM: It comes off so easy and effortless.
IC: Yeah and the way that they walk, there’s
such a slouch to what they do and that’s
how I conceptualized it. It took awhile to
get that bag with its material to have that
slouch and we had to keep testing it to get
it there. I think that when you carry it, it
kind of makes you feel like that. So I think
that that bag is a fantastic bag! Then for
me personally, the Jane bag again, it’s all
about slouchiness for me! That bag again
is great for travel and if you want to dump
all of your commuter stuff in it, it’s a great
bag!
So those three bags, I personally use them
every day. It’s kind of a bag within a bag
that’s within a bag. I do love that!
Now jewelry wise, for sure the Long Links
Necklace. The huge Manifestation Crystal
is a really popular thing and again, I
love it when you can hang it. That Long
Links Necklace looks amazing when you
do that and again, for me it is about the
slouchiness. You can make it long and you
can make it short and it has this sexiness
when you wear it with an open shirt and I
love that. So for me, that’s what I am doing
every day.
AM: What is your process in terms of adding
styles to the brand or when you are
thinking about colorways? Sometimes
when you are looking at various brand the
assortment is so vast and although there
are a lot of options, it can also generate a
lot of noise when it is not curated, edited,
or rotated so that pieces can stand out.
IC: Definitely, it’s interesting because
most of our stuff is pretty evergreen so
we will always bring in the colors and I always
feel like that. I’m a practical human.
If I am going to buy an expensive big item,
I’m thinking about if I am going to be using
this every day. That’s important to me.
When we bring in the colors, I’m always
thinking about the little things that you
can bring into your bag when you’re looking
to go out. We kind of move a little bit
with the seasons. Our best sellers are always
the Caramel Suede, the tan colors,
and so we’re always keeping that as the
foundation. Camo is a big thing for me
and it’s really interesting. When we first
put it out there I was like ok and it’s great
to see how our camo with the pink and
red stripe has really become a big thing
for us.
AM: It’s cute.
IC: Yeah and it’s such a great bag to travel
with and a great bag to work with.
AM: Where do you go for inspiration? Even
though the line has those evergreen elements
in terms of your assortment, I’m
sure that you’re still adding things here
and there or looking at trend reports, Pantones,
etc.
IC: You know, I always say that when you
look at the products, for me the designs
that we do are always a little familiar to
you. But then the inspirations and feel is
about putting a little something to it. So is
it a red handle versus a brown one?
Our bags are familiar and yet there is
something not familiar about it? That’s
what makes me want to buy things these
days because there are so many things
IC: We’re starting to do more of them. We
just did one with Larissa Mills, she has a
great story. She's a mom in Boston who
has this insane following on Tiktok and Inthat
are out there like the fanny pack
which is our sling bag. It is a fanny pack
which is familiar, but lets do it in a beautiful
leather and let’s use a strap and put
in a pop of color so that your personality
comes forward. I think that that is my
inspiration and I am a practical person so
that is what I draw from.
AM: I love the straps!
IC: They are so fun!
AM: I like that you can customize it and
make it your own a little bit. Going back
to the Sling Bag it’s a style that generally
would not be one that I would personally
gravitate to.
IC: I know!
AM: But then you hit IG, and I’m looking
at how it’s larger than a traditional sling
bag and I’m like, “why not change out the
one I use on set and bring that in?” or I
was just at Governors Ball and I did have a
sling mini backpack that I brought, I would
have preferred to have this body style and
of course, I have styled a number of shoots
where I have had sling bags in them. Then
once you get to thinking about an accessory
paired with my moto jacket you start
to see how it can be worn personally. To
your point, it’s about the familiar with
these tones that have a little something
nuanced. I do love a good slouchy bag
style and years ago, there were so many
and now not so much. There are versions
that are oversized but that structure of the
slouch that gives that cool girl style is not
always there it’s just large. So a bag like XL
Jane that is in my wheel house!
IC: It's putting your vision on it where the
familiar meets the unfamiliar! That’s what
takes it to the next level and you’re like,
I need that! The familiar lets you connect
with that memory and then the part that
isn’t you say hmm there’s something there
and together it becomes something that
you love – it’s a little link and a little extra!
AM: It’s a little something. I love that and
I love visual texture. Now there is a place
for something that is completely new, but
then you have to think about it and see
how it sits in your life. I knew that these
pieces felt familiar while being presented
differently. I knew when I looked at the colorways
and the fabrications that I would
wear a good portion of them and in some
cases it reminded me of a bag from many
years ago that I either wanted but couldn’t
get, or had been part of my collection and
had been lost to time, or would just be a
silhouette that would be in a primary rotation.
IC: Oh thank you!
AM: Yeah and then you think about how
versatile it can be with my leggings, jeans,
maxi dresses, etc. I love visual mapping
outfits because I love collecting pieces
but there is a tight edit of my go-to’s that
are with me when I’m out and about, at
a meeting, etc. Those are the pieces that
you live out of. So I like the classic and effortless
components with that little bite
so that it’s not too sweet. I’m not a fan of
anything personally that is too sweet.
IC: Me neither! That’s so funny! I’m not a
frilly person, but I will wear a shirt with a
puffy sleeve, but then I have to put it with
a pair of jeans.
AM: Same. I had a fun summer boho puffy
sleeved maxi dress in black and it felt a little
sweet, but of course, I paired it with my
Caviar Beaded Lagos and a pair of Adidas
Superstars with my Carrera’s to edge it up.
IC: You always have to juxtapose it. Even
when we first started with that tote bag,
we put leather straps on it and then a
monogram and it took a canvas bag to
something that was different. It’s fun!
AM: Have you guys done collaborations or
are you working on any?
stagram and she has amazing style. She
has collaborated with everybody like the
Gap and for some reason, we really connected
and we just did this cool little envelope
clutch and we’re looking to do more
of that and I just feel that I really love to
meet those who share the same sense of
sensibility and it can be any product! It’s
about making that familiar product and
making it a little bit extra!
AM: What will Fall and Holiday look like
– or anything that you can share on that
front.front.
IC: Yeah, Fall and Holiday is really all about
burgundy tones, dark espressos, navy,
and a lot of suedes. The Charlie bag has
done really well for us and we want to
bring more of that slouch in there with
the jewel tones. We are doing textures
like basketweave and hair – I love hair. So
I love a cheetah, I love a great zebra print,
and also playing with hot pink hair and
yellow hair! That’s really fun on straps! So
taking fun stuff and putting it on a strap
so you’re not married to hot pink on the
main part of the bag. But you can bring
that texture in. A lot of croc and shiny
things – like little tiny shiny things for Holiday!
AM: Oh that’s exciting! I can’t wait for that
to come out!
IC: We’re really excited about that and it’s
just really yummy. I love a burgundy and I
really love an oxblood which is perfect for
fall.
AM: You can never have enough oxblood.
I love it when you talk about leather accessories,
I love that color when you talk
about a gel mani – it’s so rich and although
for me it’s like a new neutral, it’s really
great in the Fall!
You know, there are a number of brands
that have lived in the handbag portion of
the accessory category and they are now
branching out into travel and travel specific
pieces.
IC: Yeah.
AM: Is that something that you envision
for the brand?
IC: Yes! That Charlie bag that we just introduced,
we just did it in an XL and I
tested it by taking it to Iceland and it was
awesome! We are going to do more of
that. We’re also working on a really good
slouchy tote and again, over the shoulder,
really slouchy, beautiful leathers and I
can’t wait for that!
AM: Oh that sounds amazing and I can’t
wait to check it out.
IC: It’s a great bag and it’s going to be one
of those things that you’ll want to drag it
everywhere! I want people to live in these
bags! Also understand that it’s ok for it
to get messy. People get so crazy when
they spill on it and I’m like, “dude, that’s
life man!” You should be proud of that,
that means that you are moving and yeah
it got dirty. If there is a drop of wine on
that, that’s life!
IC: We had the great honor of meeting 4X
Team USA Olympic Beach Volleyball Medalist
Kerry Walsh Jennings (G3, B1) and I
think that she is just so bad ass! I remember
when she was pregnant and she won
that Gold medal and I was like, damn, she
is so badass! So she came in and she had
our sling bag on and she was like yeah but
I spilled on it and I feel awful and I was
like that’s awesome. She carries it everyday
and she’s so tall and that’s life and I
loved it! It should be your companion and
that is what we want to strive for and we
want you to grab it and know that it feels
good and it does what it needs to for you.
@parkerthatch
PHOTOS COURTESY | Parker Thatch
ATHLEISURE LIST: NYC, Toronto, Brooklyn (coming soon)
OTHERSHIP
Othership launched in Toronto in February
2022. The COVID restrictions
ended in late January. Due to the success
and the demand that took place
in its first month, their second location
in Toronto opened. They knew that a
number of cities have people that are
stressed and struggle and are ultra
social. The Flatiron location opened
in July 2024 and 25 Kent Ave. They will
also have another in Williamsburg, BK
next year with 6,168 sqft.
The 5 founders include Robbie Bent,
his wife Emily Bent, and their best
friends - Amanda Laine, Harrison Taylor,
and Myles Farmer. With a focus
on developing healthier communities
in Toronto, they started by building a
makeshift ice bath and sauna in Robbie's
backyard together, they discov-
ered that the combination of hot and
cold immersion acted as a powerful
social tool, breaking down barriers
and fostering connection.
For each location, the goal is to create
an environment that embraces emotions
and vulnerability, empowering
people to be kind to themselves, adopt
a healthy mindset, and build community
- free from alcohol. We want people
to start their day with a reset, or
come in and socialize for a night out
away from bar culture.
Othership’s custom-designed ice baths
are kept icy cold as low as 32°F. The
benefits are many, including a sense
of pride after class, improved focus
and enhanced mood, and a complete
reduction of stress. The ice bath also
AthleisureMag.com - 188 - Issue #103 | Jul 2024
enhances recovery and reduces soreness
after workouts, along with benefits
like reduced inflammation and a
stronger immune system.
Othership’s performance saunas are
designed to provide a clean, fresh
heat up to 190°F, with aromatic snowballs
providing humidity that feels like
200°F. Users find focus and meditative
experiences, increased blood circulation,
and reduced cortisol levels.
Free Flow classes allows you to use the
space how you like. You can hang out
with friends and there are quiet free
flows as well throughout the day. Social
replaces the bar or nightclub as a
place to meet people at night. Sometimes
there are DJs, music, and even
comedy nights. Classes fall into 3 categories
(up, down, and all around for
energy, relaxation, or emotional connection)
and they offer breathwork,
aromatherapy via essential oils, towel
waving, and a curated soundscape.
Issue #103 | Jul 2024
Journeyers should wear a bathing suit
and make sure to bring a water bottle
(no glass). Towels are provided.
Othership offers a performance sauna,
the coldest commercial ice baths
in North America, and a beautiful amphitheater
seating social commons
area with three kinds of tea. They have
showers, changing stalls, and washrooms
as well as lockers for storing
belongings. It is also wheelchair accessible.
OTHERSHIP
23 W 20th St
NY, NY 10011
othership.us
@othership
PHOTO CREDITS | Ian Patterson
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ATHLEISURE LIST: NYC: Washington DC
HIRAYA
We head to DC to Hiraya with Chef/
Owner Paolo Dungca which opened in
September 2023 in the city's H Street
neighborhood. When dining here,
you'll enjoy Filipino cuisine which is
described as a balance between salty,
sweet, and sour. It is a true melting pot
of all cuisines because of their history
and experiences.
You'll feel at home as they have two
unique experiences in the same building.
The downstairs café is an all-day
brunch affair, where you can come in
and enjoy coffee, Filipino breakfast
staples, and french pastries with Asian
twists. You can hang out all day, work
from home during the week, or come
and enjoy weekend brunch. Upstairs,
there is an upscale tasting room. They
offer an 8-course tasting menu at the
chef's counter and a la carte dining
options in the dining room - a progressive,
Filipono fare. They also have Fili-
pino-inspired cocktails and wine pairings
available to accompany each
meal.
It was important for Chef Paolo to
have a casual spot in the day where
you can come in 3-4 times a week! Upstairs,
he wanted to have something
where you can come in and celebrate
your special occasions.
When you're downstairs he suggests
the MAKULAY LATTE, or RAINBOW
LATTE, featuring the flavors of yellow
birthday cake. He also recommends
their SILOG BREAKFAST BOWLS (TAPSI-
LOG, TOCILOG, or LONGSILOG). These
are very nostalgic from his childhood
growing up in the Philippines. Lastly,
enjoy one of their unique pastries.
They take staple French-American pastries
and add their own unique twist
to them, for example, their Black Truffle
Ensaymada.
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The chef’s tasting menu is a fun way
for to introduce diners into this heritage.
They start off with Filipino dessert
staples that are turned into savory
courses, and as the menu progresses,
it incorporates classic dishes that are
reinterpreted in a modern way. They
want to challenge the guests' perception
on what Filipino food can be. Filipino
food is often eaten with rice, but
throughout this menu progression no
rice is being served with the menu to
offer a more unique experience and insight
into the culture’s cuisine.
Enjoy Sunset Hour which runs from
3pm-6pm daily at the café.
In the restaurant, 3 dishes on the a
la carte menu they suggest includes:
the Cassava Cake with Crab fat, Lardo
and Ikura, the Pato Tim which is Roasted
Duck with Five Spice, Carmelized
Issue #103 | Jul 2024
Plums and Star Anise and the Palabok
with Octopus, Pasta Chitarra, and
Quail Egg.
In August, they will participate in the
RAMW Restaurant Week starting August
12th - 18th. They have also partnered
with Resy for their 10 year anniversary
starting August 19th - 23rd.
HIRAYA
1250 H Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
hirayadc.com
@hirayadc
PHOTO CREDIT | Lair Collective
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Stay connected and follow us across our
social channels on @AthleisureMag!
Issue #103 | Jul 2024
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Bingely Books
PEOPLE WILL TALK
Gallery Books
Kieran Scott
In People Will Talk we are introduced to 3
women that are believed to be involved
in a murder after an ill fated wedding that
took place. We meet Peter who is known
for his charm and the 3 women which in-
clude Maya - his tennis star girlfriend
who just won a Grand
Slam at Wimbledon, Catherine
his high school sweetheart
turned successful wedding planner,
and Leanne who is his aunt
and legal guardian of his son.
They all arrive at the family clambake
when they find themselves
in a room together via receiving
a cryptic text.
In the room they find out that Tilly
is actually marrying Peter and
that his relationshp with Maya is
over, he will not invest in Catherine's
business, and his aunt will
have to give up guardianship on
his son. The women are upset
and attend the wedding; however,
when the bride turns up
dead - they all become suspects
and they must work together to
work out who killed her!
SALT & SHORE: RECIPES
FROM THE COASTAL
SOUTH
Weldon Owen
Sammy Monsour
We always love a great cookbook
and in Salt and Shore: Recipes
from the Coastal South is
focused on inspired takes on
recipes from the South that are
focused on sustainable seafood,
cocktails, hospitality and a rich
heritage in this region!
Chef Sammy Monsour and mixologist
Kass Wiggins present their
AthleisureMag.com - 212 - Issue #103 | Jul 2024
orphange. What is thought to be a typical
runaway case seems to be filled
with sinister behavior, blood stains,
and secrets that she couldn't even
imagine! This thriller is one that will
defintiely be a read that you'll want
to take with you whether you're commuting
or preparing to travel and need
something immersive as you do a bit
of self-care.
take and love for Southern Cooking and
culture. With a focus on coastal resiliency
and marine ecosystem health, they
encourage us to see the beauty of the
coastal South and how we can bring it
into our meals when entertaining.
The cookbook includes recipes, techniques,
expert tips, and stories about
local organizations and geo-specific
topics that are from the area.
THE ORPHANGE BY THE LAKE
Independently Published
Daniel G. Miller
In The Orphange by The Lake, we meet
Hazel who desparately wants a new
life as she's single, 30, and her private
investigation business is not doing well.
Things take a turn when she meets
Madeline Hemsley a socialite with a
task that is too good for her to consider
passing up. She wants Hazel to find a
missing girl who is no longer in a known
Issue #103 | Jul 2024
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Bingely Streaming
SPRINT: THE WORLD'S
FASTEST HUMANS
Netflix Originals
Netflix
We enjoyed watching Sprint: The World's
Fastest Humans which lets us follow elite
Sprinters as they are on the road to the
Olympics and making a statement with
their talents. This docuseries follows
some of your favorite Track
and Field stars including: Sha'Carri
Richardson (USA), Noah Lyles
(USA), Shericka Jackson (Jamaica),
Zharnel Hughes (England)
Lamont Marcell Jacobs (Italy),
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica),
and Elaine Thompson (Jamaica).
It's a great series and one that
will connect you to what's going
on in the world of Track & Field
for Sprint athletes to be ready for
Paris 2024.
CHARLIE HUSTLE & THE
MATTER OF PETE ROSE
HBO Original
HBO
When you talk about scandals
that took place in the history of
MLB, Pete Rose is one that comes
to mind. In Charlie Hustle & The
Matter of Pete Rose, we look at
his journey that spans over 60
years in this four part series. We
get to know more about his rise
to stardom in the league, his banishment
from the game in 1989
due to betting, and his bid to be
reinstated and placed in the National
Baseball Hall of Fame.
Throughout the series, we get to
know about his career and being
baseball's all-time hits leader. We
also dig into why he is a polarizing
figure in sports. We hear from
him as well as interviews he held
and commentary from luminaries
in the league. It gives us more insight
into who this man is beyond
what we have known and what
he has learned as he has navigated
the past decades.
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CHAMELEON: DOCTOR
MIRACLE
Campside Media, Sony Music +
The Binge
Spotify
Chameleon is an investigative podcast
that takes us into interesting
worlds each season whether it was
Gallery of Lies, Wild Boys, Dr. Dante
Master of Deception, High Rollers,
and Hollywood Con Queen. This season,
Doctor Miracle is focused on a
wellness canter, Miracle Ranch which
is in SoCal.
The center promotes itself as a luxury
escape that will allow you to navigate
life through clean alkaline living.
Led by Dr. Robert O. Young, he has
acquired a clientele of wealthy people
who followed his "groundbreaking"
methods of living well. By staying
at his facility, he promised that
everyone would live well; however,
those who did got worse and didn't
live an optimized life.
Issue #103 | Jul 2024
Through legal documents and candid interviews
with former patients and employees,
law enforcement officials, and affected family
members, this series unravels the chilling
true story of one man who convinced
scores of people that cancer is not a cell but
an “acidic, poiisonous liquid”, and how his
popular “alkaline diet” turned deadly.
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Issue #103 | Jul 2024
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