ATHLEISURE MAG #84 DEC ISSUE

ISSUE #84

PHOTO CREDIT | KATIE AZI

Sebastian Lletget

Gabby Reece

As we close out 2022, we're already thinking about what we're going to do in the New Year personally and professionally! In the midst of all this activity, we need to take time and to enjoy the moments along the way!

This month's cover is Grand Slam US Open 2017 Champion, Sloane Stephens. She has made impressive moments at the French Open, Australian Open, Wimbledon and a number of matches and won an ESPY for Top Female Tennis Player in 2018 and because of her philanthropic work with the Sloane Stephens Foundation, she was nominated and a finalist for the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award in 2019.

We have had the pleasure to connect with her in previous issues, but this month, we're talking about her upcoming tennis season, self-care and what she does while traveling! She definitely knows a thing or two about juggling a busy schedule while also taking the necessary time that she needs.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We had the pleasure of interviewing a few years back and then right before the US Open, you took time out of your schedule to share your 63MIX ROUTIN3S with us about what you do Morning, Afternoon and Night. With the season starting Jan 1st, what are the weeks like for you between now and the start of the season whether it’s training, relaxing, enjoying the holiday season, etc?

SLOANE STEPHENS: I’ve had one of the best off-seasons I’ve ever had this year! I started out by freezing my eggs at Kindbody. I’ve wanted to freeze my eggs for a while and the timing was finally right to commit to the process. From there, we went to Iceland to celebrate Jozy’s birthday and spent a few days as a family at the Retreat Hotel at the Blue Lagoon getting spa treatments and soaking in the hot springs. Iceland is only a 5 hour nonstop flight from Boston, so it was an easy trip! The day after Thanksgiving, we left for Africa. We went on the most incredible sa -

fari in South Africa at Londolozi and saw a gorilla trek at Virunga National Park. This was my first trip to Africa and I cannot wait to go back. I’m now back in Boston doing a training block with my trainer before heading for a tennis training block in Cabo through Christmas. From Cabo, I’ll fly directly to Auckland, NZ to begin the season!

AM: What tournaments are you looking forward to this year?

SS: Red clay is my favorite surface, so I always look forward to the European clay court season in the spring, which culminates at Roland Garros. As an American, any time I can play on US soil is extra special, so I’m looking forward to playing at Indian Wells, Miami, the US Open, and a new tournament in Austin.

AM: What is your routine before and after your matches?

SS: Before I play, I usually eat some pasta and a piece of lean protein like a chicken breast or piece of fish. I typically go into the locker room and put my headphones in and spend some time thinking and mentally going over the match plan I outlined with my coach the night before. About 30 minutes before my match, I’ll break a light sweat on a stationary bike and go through some fitness drills to make sure I’m starting the match with quick feet and dynamic movement.

After the match, I’ll do a quick cool down and shower before handling any mandatory media commitments. Once I’m done with that, I’ll either get a massage on-site or go back to my hotel and get some treatment from my physio. Depending on the time of day, I’ll then head out to dinner and prepare for the next day.

AM: How important is recovery to you after working out or after a match? What are the kinds of things that you

do after these activities?

SS: Recovery is a critical piece of both the fitness and recovery process. Cooling down and taking the time to stretch and flush out muscles is really important for recovery and preparing for the next day and next match.

AM: Many of our readers are balancing hectic schedules – you got married at the top of the year to Jozy Altidore, an international soccer star – how do you make sure you give time to yourself, being with your husband and family?

SS: I make a lot of effort to have a very structured schedule and communicate my boundaries and commitments to my team. When it’s family time, it is family time and the phone is away. When it’s time to train, I’m training. When it’s time to work on my Foundation or on my outside businesses and investments, I’m fully there. I’ve also learned the things that bring me the most joy and fulfillment and prioritize those activities. When I’m home and able to spend time with my family, I take advantage of every single second of that time we’re together.

AM: In your sport, you spend a lot of time traveling 40+ weeks of the year! You kick off the season in Australia with the Australian Open. Also via your IG feed, you travel for fun – you’re South African trip looks amazing! How do you make your spaces feel like home when you’re traveling?

SS: I try to keep some consistent products and activities in my routine so that I can rely on those consistencies no matter where I am. A super easy way to do this is with bringing a candle from home - I find that having the same scent is really grounding and helps me feel in control of my environment.

AM: When it comes to choosing what hotel you like to stay at and to help our readers that may be planning their next trip, what are the things that you look for?

SS: For most tournaments, there is an official tournament hotel, so I just stay wherever I need to. In some cases, like in Paris and New York where there are endless options, we get to pick our own hotels. I love to stay at The Langham in New York and Hotel Vernet in Paris. I love when a hotel has a good breakfast, it’s just one less decision to make in the day. I also love great showers and friendly concierges.

AM: In terms of your suitcase, what are some of the important things that are must for you to pack so that you have your necessities as well as options for the unexpected?

SS: The most important thing in my suitcase is my passport. If I have my passport, I can pretty much figure everything else out as I go! Of course, I also need my tennis racquets to do my job! I travel with a lot of skin care products because I love the sense of calm and order that a consistent routine brings.

AM: What are some of your travel hacks that have proven to work for you that we should know?

SS: I cannot overstate the importance of hydrating during travel. The entire travel experience is really drying - the plane air is dry, hotels can be dry, the change in climates can be tough - it’s a lot. Hydrating inside and out helps your body adjust to new situations and new timezones and it is so simple to do. I think a lot of people are hit with a double-whammy when it comes to dehydration because they’re drinking a lot of caffeine to try and stay awake during travel or they might be having some alcoholic beverages while they’re away, and both of those things are also really dehydrating on the body, so it’s all the more important to hydrate.

AM: Do you have anything that you do before, during or after hopping on a flight whether it’s a beauty process, selfcare, etc?

SS: I’ve started wearing WHOOP’s new Blue Light Glasses to avoid disrupting my circadian rhythms with too much screen time - it makes a huge difference when I’m trying to sleep the next night. I also try to get up and walk around on the plane to keep the blood flowing and prevent blood clots or feeling super stiff when I land.

AM: When you arrive in your designated city, whether it’s for work or fun, what are the things that you look for in terms of restaurants, activities and shopping that you want to explore?

SS: When I was first starting out on tour, I rarely ventured out. I stuck close to the hotel and always went back to the same restaurants. There are already so many variables at play when traveling for work and needing to compete, so I never wanted to risk an upset stomach or having any sort of issues. Now that I’ve been traveling to the same cities for 15+ years, I have a great mix of my tried and true staple spots but have also really enjoyed researching and trying new spots. I think being locked down during Covid made me appreciate the incredible opportunity I have to travel the world and made me look forward to getting back out and exploring.

AM: Do you have separate beauty routines for daytime versus night time?

SS: Yes! I wake up and drink a huge glass of water. I brush my teeth and then wash my face with a gentle cleanser like the iS Clinical Cleansing Complex. I sleep with various moisturizing layers, so I don’t want to take that all off and dry myself out again. I usually head right to practice or training, so I put Neutrogena sunscreen on my face and sometimes I’ll use the Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Pollution Drops under my sunscreen. I sweat pretty much every day and am always wearing sunscreen, so I like to do a body scrub in the shower at night to scrub that all away and feel like I’m going to bed super clean. For the record, I love piping hot showers, the hottest the dial will turn - boil me!! After I get out of the shower, I layer on the moisturizers - I start

with a lotion and then will layer a body oil on top if I’m feeling extra ashy in certain spots. I go through the same routine every day and it helps my body and mind recognize that it is time to start unwinding and preparing for bed. None of the products I use at night have any energizing scents like eucalyptus or lemon verbena - it’s all fragrance free. If I want a relaxing scent, I’ll turn on a diffuser or light a candle. I always travel with diffusers or candles.

AM: How important is mental health and self-care to your training and state of being whether you’re working in your sport or just being out and about?

SS: There is an undeniable link between mental health and physical well-being. Both parts have to be working in harmony. Tennis as a sport inherently requires a lot of mental energy - it’s just you out there and everyone is looking at you, so I find that taking care of my mental health is just as important as how I take care of my body. It is encouraging to see this sort of discourse make its way into more mainstream conversations and I hope that more people are encouraged to find the practices, tools, and therapies that help them.

AM: Why does the wellness space mean so much to you and what can you tell us about your new brand that you are launching next year as we know you may not be able to say too much!

SS: The wellness space is so important to me as both an athlete and as a woman. I've always loved to try new products and am constantly in pursuit of the best ways to take care of my skin and body. I will be venturing into the wellness space myself next year, so stay tuned!

AM: We know how important The Sloane Stephens Foundation is to you. Are there new projects or initiatives that you are focused on that you would like to share?

SS: Thank you for asking! The Sloane Ste -

phens Foundation is actually celebrating our 10 year anniversary in March 2023 - I cannot believe it’s been 10 years! I wanted to use tennis as the vehicle to keep kids in school, keep them healthy, and keep them physically safe. Tennis has given me so much in my life but I know that it can feel very unapproachable, especially to people from under-resourced communities who might not be able to afford the equipment or coaching, or to underrepresented communities where they might not see a lot of players that look like them. I sought out to change that. We work with over 15,000 kids each year across the Compton Unified School District and provide tennis, academic, mental health, and financial literacy programs. One of the things I’m most proud of us that almost all of our coaches are actually graduates of our programs who have decided to come on as staff members while they pursue their college degrees. It’s very much a big family and it feels very sustainable to have programs designed and implemented by the community and for the community.

When we think about some of our favorite DJ's over the past decade, Hardwell is one we enjoy seeing when he was at our favorite venues!

In this age of being committed to taking the time we need, self-care and mental health, Hardwell took 3 years off to take a break, fugure himself out as an artist and came back to the scene with a new album REBELS NEVER DIE , a tour of the same name and of course he launched it at Ultra Music Festival earlier this year!

We wanted to get to know more about his process, about the importance of his hometown in Breda, Netherlands, how he is approaching touring and more!

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

HARDWELL: I discovered music super early, I actually started playing piano when I was 4 years old, but my love for DJing began when I was 12.

AM: What was the moment that you realized that you wanted to be a DJ?

H: I knew early on that it was a passion of mine. I started out playing hip hop when I was 12, before discovering electronic music when I was 13/14, which then became this huge part of my life and thankfully still is today.

AM: You’re from Breda which is a small city, but it has birthed a number of artists from yourself, Tiësto and even Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker! What is the music scene like in Breda?

H: It’s crazy right! A small city with this deep musical history. We actually have a very small scene, so it’s not what people often think it will be. But because its small everyone knows each other and this is perhaps why it helps Breda artists to grow.

AM: How would you define your sound?

H: This new Hardwell REBELS NEVER DIE sound is me. It’s the raw, uncut version of who I am as an artist. It draws on all my influences from the moment I got into electronic dance music right through to what I am all about today. It is everything from big room to trance to electro to techno. I needed to free myself up from big labelled as one type of sound, so I could infuse everything into one sound, which is what fans are experiencing now.

AM: In terms of creating new music, what’s your process?

H: I feel most at home in my own studio. It’s a space that is custom built to fit my specific needs. I bring a lot of inspiration from life, travelling and the atmosphere of our scene into my creative process. But equally I don’t fixate on following the same process each time. It was why I took some time out because I need to recharge and free up my creativity to come back with something completely new and fresh.

AM: You’ve done some amazing collaborations, what do you look for when it comes to partnering with someone else to create music?

H: What makes the magic happen is that connection. When you work with a singer or another producer and there’s a creative connection where you’re vibing off the same ideas, that is usually a very positive sign. I like to connect with other artists who are open to trying new directions, freeing up the structure of a song and then seeing what will come out the other end.

AM: I’ve been a fan for years and have enjoyed your music, you’ve been a 2X #1 DJ, you’ve headlined many major festivals and you have travelled extensively and then in 2018, you decided to take an indefinite hiatus. Even though that was back in 2018, at that time it was a shock as mental health wasn’t really talked about and in the way that it is now. In

the time that you took that step back, what did you learn about yourself?

H: Absolutely, I learnt that it is ok to take time off. As an artist you always fear that if you don’t make that next show or release another song, your career will start to diminish, and it could be over before you know it. But the reality is that’s not the case. Everyone needs time off. From sports to medicine to education to even family life, everybody needs a break, but as artists we often to put pressure on ourselves to keep going, say “yes” to everything put in front of us. Taking a break, working on yourself for a while and coming back refreshed with new creative ideas is only ever going to be a positive decision.

AM: A portion of your hiatus also took place during COVID where everyone had lockdowns and we were all put in a place and a time where we re-evaluated how we went about work, the importance of connections and who we wanted to emerge as. Although you were already on that journey, what was that time period like for you?

H: Well, not much was different for me because, I was kind of already in my own lockdown, by not touring, being at home and then working in my studio. But I could see it was impacting so many of my friends and family, plus colleagues in the scene. That was hard to watch, but I’m thankful now that life has resumed for us all.

AM: At what point did you realize that you wanted to work on and release REBELS NEVER DIE?

H: The album didn't come until much later into my ‘sabbatical’ because I first needed to find myself again as an artist and then once I fell down that rabbit hole, and journeyed around what I was looking for, then the idea of REBELS NEVER DIE started to become a reality.

AM: How was creating music for this record different then when you have created

previous albums/songs?

H: Before I started turning ideas into tracks, I decided to start from scratch. So I didn’t go back to a lot of the synth etc I was using previously. I needed a new canvas to work from, a new feel to the production. I also had released any pressure on myself which was a huge weight from my shoulders during the process because I was free to express myself this new sound.

AM: Tell me about REBELS NEVER DIE and what are you excited about this album?

H: The album excites me because it’s a new chapter in my journey. It’s an expression of where I am as an artist today. It has roots into my history with electronic music, but it projects a wide palette of my style to the fans. This Hardwell 2.0 version is a shift of perspective and sound, something which is best experience during the live performances of REBELS NEVER DIE.

AM: The decision to come back on the road and tour must have been one where you had to think about how you could do this in a way where you still felt comfortable. How do you approach touring now and deciding how many dates/cities that you want to include in your schedule?

H: I decided that this time around I will reduce the touring to a smaller number of shows. I think in 2022 I’ll have done about 50 flights in total, which is a much more manageable amount. I want to be back performing and connecting with the fans, but I also need that time in the studio to be creative, spend time with friends and family. It is all about balance.

AM: You played Ultra Music Festival with only unreleased music – such a bold move! Why did you want to take that approach and were you nervous about how it would be received?

H: I was incredibly nervous before that come back! I don’t usually get nervous, of course you get the pre-stage nervous out of excitement, but it’s part of the experience, it’s good to have some nervous. But this was a lot different because I had been away for a long time, I was also coming back with a new sound and new stage show. but after the first song, and feeling that love from the crowd, it all started to click into place.

AM: You’ve been navigating your world tour since Ultra what do you do the day that you have a show coming up. Are there any routines that you do that prepare you for a show and/or are there things that you do once you’ve left the stage that are a must for you?

H: Not really. I like to relax as much as possible to get ready for the show. Spend time with my team and just get myself into the zone of what’s about to go down with the show. I’m always working on new edits and ideas fo the show, so that keeps me focused in the build-up.

AM: What do you want your legacy to be seen as in terms of the mark that you have made in the music industry?

H: Just somone who put his heart and soul into making music he believed in.

@hardwell

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Hardwell

Earlier this month, we had a fun virtual event for VOT3D IO: A Conversation with Michelle Young! We talked with on of our favorite The Bachelorette leads to talk about her time on the show, self-care and what she's up to as she continues to use her platform to bring awareness and education to topics that she cares about.After our conversation with Michelle Young, guests were given some time to discuss and connect over the party chat box and also answer questions in the live treasure hunt for prizes

We also wanted to share this interview here in this issue as we know how many people are fans of the franchise and want to get to know her more beyond the show!

ATHLEISURE MAG: I’ve seen every season of The Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise. One of the favorite things that I enjoy, is seeing those that will be competing in The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. Getting to see what they look like, who they are, their backstory, etc. When I saw you on The Bachelor, I called it immediately! Michelle is beautiful, she’s from the Midwest, just like me and even if she doesn’t get married to The Bachelor, she can definitely helm her own season as The Bachelorette and I hope that they give her the chance to do that.

What drew you to wanting to be on the show?

MICHELLE YOUNG: I feel like that it is a huge question! Ok, well in order to see me come on The Bachelor, you would have to wait until week 3 or week 4!

AM: Right?

MY: That was not part of the plan, I will say that! Honestly, I was never like, “ I really want to be on this show.” It’s something that I watched with my mom for a little bit and I always felt like I could do that, but I never thought that the opportunity would come across my plate. I typically was always interested in how do people get on the show. Do they get nominated?

I knew that there was an application process. I didn’t apply, I was nominated and to this day, I have no idea who nominated me. Nobody has owned up to it. I know my friends really really well and I remember when I was chosen as The Bachelorette, I asked if they could please look into this. I wanted a name and I wanted to know who was lying to me and they were literally like, “no, your Instagram profile got sent in anonymously and no one has ever come forward with it.” It seems kind of weird because if you know me, I got on Instagram literally like 2 years ago and there weren’t really any pictures when they nominated me – I had 2 pictures and I didn’t like any photos – it looked like it was a fake account!

I don’t know. I was nominated and I thought it was kind of a scam! I got emails and eventually, I messaged back and they were kind of at the end of that whole process. They put me on a Zoom really quickly and on phone calls. It was a pretty long process and they expedited me through it and then I remember sitting there with the contract in front of my family saying, “ok, so –

AM: This is happening!

MY: Yeah, we went through the pros and cons and it just kind of happened and it was like this thing that just kept knocking on my door. It was honestly the most perfect opportunity where I was able to teach long distance for a little bit before I was actually on the show, so I didn’t have to miss as much teaching as I would have had to before. It was a mistake that I ended up being on the show, but here we are!

AM: I’m leaning towards, that it is definitely someone you know and they they don’t want to say, “yup I’m the one that started all of this!”

MY: I know right? Oh my gosh!

AM: It could be a family member, a pup -

py – somebody in your world was in the mix!

MY: I don’t know! I have no idea, but here I am!

AM: In learning about your background, we got to know that you were a Division I basketball player, you’re also a teacher and someone that is really straight forward and is never afraid to speak your truth and to be very honest. How did you prepare yourself to engage and interact in this very unique environment?

MY: Honestly, Division I Athletics is kind of dog-eat-dog on its own. I was always in competitive basketball, participating and in competition of some sorts. When you’re in the room, constructive criticism, unconstructive criticism – people can be mean. Women can be mean at times too, especially in basketball when you’re playing and you take a Senior’s playing time and that doesn’t go over particularly well. A lot of not so nice things were said at times. You kind of just build tough skin and you really do rely on who you are and who you are as a person and using your family as support. So, I kind of feel like and I don’t know if this is a strength or weakness, but going through the Division I Basketball experience that I went through, I went through a lot. I kind of feel like that I can handle anything that is coming my way. I know that I will be able to get through it and to have the tools that I will be able to need to get through it.

So, that was the same thing with this and I didn’t really know the Reality TV world or the social media world as much as I do now. So that wasn’t at the forefront part of my mind. I can tell you that it was brought to the forefront of my mind when I got into that bubble that I did when I came in late and with everything that was thrown at me. It definitely has come in handy and now on social media, there are a lot of haters out there!

AM: I love how you said that sports prepared you. Being from Indiana myself, go -

ing to IU, we believe that life is sport and sport is life. The way you are in sports says a lot about how you are in life and how you will navigate it. So when I came here to NY, I knew that if I could handle what I did then, I’d be able to do this as well. So that totally rings true to me.

When you went from The Bachelor to The Bachelorette, what was your process in terms of deciding how you were going to helm your own season and to make it your own?

MY: I think that my biggest focus was that it was a show. It’s a show where the leads have not typically looked like me in the past. I had a lot of conversations very up front with Executive Producers –even during The Bachelorette interview process with things that were non-negotiables for me. Things that I didn’t want it to be as it’s not a one size fits all situation. I had other things that I wanted to be able to speak about. I had Black stories specifically that I wanted told and it was really important to me that there were certain things that were not cut out where my season wend through the editing process. Those were things that I was definitely thinking about. For me, personally on my end, really asking hard questions about race, about experiences up front and not having producers trying to control my conversations and just being up front as you said, I’m a very blunt person. I’m going to ask these things because I need to know these things up front because I’m not going to spend energy on certain people that do not align with certain things as a Black female.

I set those boundaries very clearly and said, “if I’m going to sign on this dotted line, you’re going to know these things about me,” and there was respect at that time going both ways. So that’s how I was able to move forward. I definitely came guns a blazing and I came ready to throw those questions out there regardless.

AM: As someone who is just a fan of the show but was also rooting you on. There were times personally, when I would just tear up because I was so excited that you were able to have certain conversations and that you didn’t try to hem and haw. You let it be known what it was, what the reality is and if that person didn’t see it that way, there was the door.

MY: Yeah absolutely! It is a Reality TV show and I get that and it comes with a lot of different things. But at the same time, if you want us to have real relationships and real feelings, then there is also that part where we have to have real conversations. Those were my real conversations for sure.

AM: We have all dated at some point, but few of us have done it on TV in front of millions of households. What are tips that you learned that benefited your mental health and kept you grounded in this process?

MY: I will honestly say that when you’re dating in the public eye, it’s really weird because when you go through your experience of dating, it’s not first in the public eye. It’s being filmed and it feels very public, but you’re not actually dealing with the reactions of the public quite yet until after that certain experience is over.

So for me, there was always that sense of fear of what kind of edit am I going to get? I will say that anyone going into that kind of position, if you do not waver from who you are, you will be fine. Because, you’re going to navigate just like who you would navigate around in life. You might make mistakes, but those would be mistakes that you would make in the real world as well. But for me, it was like, if everyone is doing one thing and I don’t learn from that or it doesn’t go with who I am as a person, I’m not going to do it. There’s power of suggestion and it may seem like you’re forced to do this, but no. There is nothing that says that you have to do this, that you have to say that or that you have to gravitate towards that. It’s put out there and you can either take it or leave it.

A lot of that was me leaving a lot of those things in the first season of The Bachelor and saying, that’s not who I am. It’s not who I am, I can’t speak to that or I won’t/can’t say that or I won’t bandwagon hop! I think that a lot of people get caught up in that and that really hurts afterwards as it’s a huge learning experience because 1, you come off as a really mean or nasty person which is not who you are and you have these regrets. But if you’re consciously thinking through that, then it’s you and you can handle that.

AM: There are a number of people who are single and dating. So when you were navigating that on your dates whether they were 1-on-1 or group dates, what were qualities that you were looking for that were red flags that you wanted to avoid?

MY: I think it was really that you were in a situation that’s not normal. I think a lot of people when they get into a weird situation, it’s awkward and that can be a huge turnoff. Honestly and typically, in the normal world, that would probably have been a red flag for me. But in this situation, it’s more like – at the end of the day, you need to be able to relax in order to be able to get to know somebody. But if you’re too smooth in front of the camera, if you’re too comfortable with 50 people watching you kiss – then I’m thinking, why are you here? So, that was my red flags. The people who would be too smooth with things. I always messed up. I tripped, I fell half the time, I stumbled over my words, I could laugh at myself – it was uncomfortable to be in the situation at times because again, there were cameras and random people staring at you with everything that you do and sometimes, I’m standing there by myself. Somebody who would come into that and be awkward with me in that and just grow into it, but be real –that’s what I was looking for.

AM: For fans of the show, we all have our favorites from Hometowns. I always like

it when Franco Lacosta is there for an episode. He’s a very good friend who I adore who has shot me before so shout out to him. What were your favorite moments in your season of The Bachelorette?

MY: Oh gosh! Honestly night 1! Night 1 is just something that I will always remember because it never kicks in that you are The Bachelor/Bachelorette or the lead until you’re standing there and then you’re like, “oh shit, there are the limos” and they’re starting to pull up and you’re there. You’re there in the way that you don’t have your phone, you don’t have your family to talk to, you don’t have your friends – it’s just you. You’re sitting in your own emotions and I had this moment when it just dawned on me that I was The Bachelorette – what am I doing? It really was a magical night and it was all about excitement. You know that there is going to be drama, but none of it emotionally affected me and it was just something that I embraced every second even though it was a really long night!

AM: How long is that night?

MY: I started at 3pm where I was actually in my dress – so hair, makeup everything was done. So that means I was in the makeup chair at 12pm. I got to bed finally at 11:45am the next morning. So that’s what the producers would tell the guys the next night. Because they would say that they were so tired and we took our group picture at 9:30am for you guys, but Michelle had to recap all of you. It’s a long night!

AM: I had no idea. I thought it was like 6 hours!

MY: No, you can’t start filming until it gets dark and then there are a lot of guys that you have to go through. Everyone is learning the ropes of everything so it’s a long one!

AM: Wow! That’s a new nugget for me!

Well, you filmed over the course of a num-

ber of weeks and participated in a lot of activities and had a lot of conversations. How did you incorporate self-care so that you could achieve some sort of a balance and feel like yourself?

MY: Ohh. Honestly, I would say that that was one of the hardest things for the leads. I went off of 3 hours of sleep for the first few weeks. For me, I do fairly well with no sleep and I just went back to that athletic mindset that I just had to push through and I had to keep grinding, keep a smile on your face or whatever you’re feeling. But it’s tricky. You don’t get time alone, you don’t get time to yourself unless you’re looking at the inside of your eyelids completely sleeping.

AM: Oh wow. That leads me to the next question that when you weren’t filming, how did you pass the time? But you’re saying that you didn’t have time alone!

MY: When I was the lead, you’re with someone 24/7. When I was a contestant on The Bachelor, when you get further out and there is less women there, you don’t have the cocktail parties, you go straight to the ceremonies and so you do have a little more downtime. I will say that as a contestant, I did find down time fairly frequently, because I learned that instead of just asking if I could go take a nap, I would just take a nap and because I was one of the people that wasn’t participating in drama, it would take them a minute to realize that I was gone. They would look for me and it gave me an extra 20 mins. I would sleep in other places like under a table, behind the couch.

AM: It’s like a hide-and-go-seek!

MY: Yeah! A little TLC.

AM: From a Bachelor Nation perspective, there are a number of commitments that you had from The Tell All and After The Final Rose. What has been your favorite part of this whole experience?

MY: It was very much being able to bring my family and friends along for the ride. You get to do a lot of really cool things. There are a lot of perks to it and most perks don’t come free. They definitely come with stresses on your mental health by being in the public, but being able to travel to different places and being able to go and do things like Jingle Ball – I got to bring my parents to Jingle Ball. I got to take my friends on a really cool excursion and trip and there are a lot of fun experiences that you typically wouldn’t get. I’ve been in this role and it’s cool to see them and their faces light up and to have them be apart of it.

AM: Who are your go-to’s in terms of chatting with people in The Bachelor universe? I know that there is the Bachelor Chat that you guys have, but do you have your core people there?

MY: I have my girls that I’m very close with. I’m close with Ryan Claytor from Matt’s season, Bri Springs, Serena Pitt, Becca Kuffrin – I think that you just find people that you really align with and even though you haven’t known them for as long as some of your other friends, you just get so close so quickly when you’re in a similar situation and you’ve all dated the same person or just different things that the public with pressures that they put on you. I definitely have so many group chats going on and I keep in touch with all of those people.

AM: What are some dating tips that you would suggest to those that may just be getting out there?

MY: It’s so hard! Getting back out there! I used to be a very closed off person. I would give a lot, I loved very hard, but when it came to talking about emotions and feelings, whether it was friends, family, relationships – I was very comfortable with someone else sharing, I created a safe space for them with me, but it was hard for me to share that back. This show truly taught me how relationships and even friendships can flourish when you're

truly vulnerable and when yourself. It’s about being honest from the get go and it really does help things blossom and it’s scary because you’re scared about rejection and you’re scared about somebody not liking what you’re putting forward, but if that’s the case, yeah – it might sting initially. But essentially, you don’t want someone that doesn’t love you to your complete naked form. So that’s what I would say, be vulnerable and truthful right up front. If they don’t like it, they’re not your person.

AM: Absolutely! You can exit!

MY: The door is right here!

AM: One of the things that I enjoyed during the season as you navigated the journey, was that you focused on talking about your identity, the pressures around it and the importance of acceptance. Why was that so important to you to drive that awareness to people?

MY: For me, it was just a huge part of who I was. I grew up in Minnesota and I grew up in an environment for a very long time where I was the only person of color. That created a lot of different awareness’s for me. It was something that I also battled with in my relationships going forward. There were certain debates that were happening in a relationship where I didn’t want to have to explain those things and I shouldn’t have to explain those things. In order to make sure that that didn’t happen again, I had to have those conversations. I didn’t realize how much it was going to connect with people to see that side. I’m very happy that I was able to show that.

AM: I remember when I was watching it and I kept saying thank you. Whether it’s based on race or just to be accepted as a person, to be that vulnerable was so touching. It was like, inspirational Michelle and every episode had that in it.

MY: Aww thank you!

AM: With the conclusion of the season and after breaking up with Nayte earlier this year, how did you take care of yourself and heal from that relationship so that you could move on?

MY: For me, dating in the public eye –getting in the public eye is one thing and breaking up in the public eye are really difficult. With that relationship, I think that what pushed me and challenged me to move on as I did was that I was continuously being hurt by the actions of this other person and so that really forced me to make sure I did my healing very much so up front and that I healed fully, that I was creating a healthy thought process in my mind and I was responding to different things in a healthy manner because that was the moment that I realized that your emotions could get very out of control and it could be at the expense of what somebody else is doing or what the public is doing. I knew that I would have to see this person dating somebody else – physically see it which you might not have to do when you’re dating somebody normally. People are going to speculate, it’s going to be constant talk, you’re going to be constantly attached to that person. So I just really took that in and realized that I needed to give myself closure. I needed to make sure that I was confident in myself and that I’m fully healed in myself and self-talk was a huge piece of that – of reassuring and really sorting through my thoughts as they were coming through that breakup so that I had control of my emotions, I had control of my pain and that I wasn’t just receiving pain from outside sources.

AM: As a whole, what did you learn about yourself?

MY: I learned that I can truly give myself closure without getting it from somebody else. I didn’t realize how powerful that would be. But I think that in relationships, when you go through a break up, especially if it’s not how you thought that things would go or maybe you’re on the receiving end of it, you want to look at the oth -

er person – we talk about that closure part of the conversation – you want it from the other person and there are times when that just isn’t going to happen or it’s just not possible. So what are you supposed to do? Leave it unclosed for the rest of your life? For me, the biggest thing that I learned or showed myself was that no matter what situation happened, I could give myself closure. I don’t have to have all the answers and I can give myself the answers enough to be able to move forward. That right there was something that if that was the only answer I could take away from 2022, I’m 100% content with that.

AM: I know that you’re in LA right now. Why did you decide to take a break away from teaching?

MY: With teaching, the last 2 years teaching through a pandemic – the things that teachers had to go through and even nurses! There were so many things that were impacted by COVID and with teaching, yes being The Bachelorette and teaching at the same time as my season was airing, that was stressful and maybe expedited things a little bit more than just in teaching. I was getting to the point that I was so burnt out. I knew that that summer I was not going to be able to recharge fully to where I needed to get to. To be honest, the school year before hand, I felt and a lot of teachers alongside me, felt that they were going into that 2021/2022 school year not fully charged after COVID because we just weren’t taken care of by the school system or the education system. I just needed a break and I needed to take a breather and I honestly know that it was the best decision that I could have made. It was not an easy decision because I left college so passionate about teaching and that whole entire profession is built on passion. When that cracks, if we don’t take care of that, then we’re going to continue to have bigger and bigger issues. So for me, it was me looking at myself in the mirror and saying, “I need to acknowledge that I need a break, right

now.” It is something that I want to be able to come back to or it is something that I want to be able to do a passion around, but I couldn’t return that next school year because I needed that breather. There were a lot of teachers right next to me that had to do the same thing. It’s sad because it’s like another breakup. You don’t want to break up with one of your passions! It’s been tricky!

AM: I think that checking in with yourself and finding that balance whatever that means to each person and being able to recognize when you’re feeling overwhelmed or burnt out is so important! Although it may not be for everyone, what were some of the things that you noticed that were signs that you needed to take the time?

MY: I would say that feeling of waking up and knowing that you’re not yourself. I’m an early riser, a get up at 5am, hit the gym, respond back to my friends and family fairly quickly, organizing different activities – I’m a very upbeat and bubbly person. I was just exhausted and I was able to still do those things and I was able to keep up those things, but I wasn’t happy doing them necessarily all of the time. I was just definitely run down. I could feel it and I was getting sick all of the time. For me, my stress tends to show in my physical health before it does in my mental emotional side.

AM: Well you’re adamant about using your platform to educate others. Why is being an advocate for mental health so important to you?

MY: For me, it’s really about making sure that youth, especially, youth of color understand that it is ok to ask for health. It’s ok to talk about your emotions. I used to be this former athlete that was taught to have thick skin and to rub some dirt on it. Yes, there is completely a point that when you fall down, you should bounce back up, but if you are hurting, it’s ok to talk about it.

AM: That’s something that I talk a lot

about whether it’s my sister or a friend, that it’s ok if we’re saying ouch. We can be strong and we can trailblaze and be unicorns, but we still bleed and we still get bumps!

What have you been doing post The Bachelorette since you’re in LA and living your best life as we see your awesome pictures on IG.

MY: I’m laughing at that because this is the biggest question that people ask me. If you look at all of the haters, they think that I schedule random photoshoots and take pictures of myself! I promise you that I am doing more things then just that!

AM: You’re a whole person!

MY: I know right? Believe it or not, if it’s not on social media, it didn’t happen apparently! Oh gosh! Right now, I’m finding that next piece of how I can fulfill my passion of giving back to others, working with children, helping the youth, motivational speaking – all of these different things and kind of figuring out that brand of who this next Michelle Young is. I do have a lot of very exciting things that are in the works that haven’t come out yet and so I can’t say too much, but you will definitely see my speaking, I will leave it at that for now.

AM: Because I’m envisioning that I would see you acting, films/videos, collaborations –

MY: Honestly, I’m going to do it all! I’ll say that!

AM: Ok!

MY: You’re going to see me walking the red carpet, see me motivationally speaking, you might see me in and out of some schools, You’re going to see me everywhere!

AM: One of the things that I liked is when you were in that transition from teaching

to all of the things that you will be doing in the future, you shared that you would do some influencer work and that a percentage of what you would make would go towards to various charities or organizations that were selected by your followers. Why did you want to be accountable and share that with people? You didn’t have to and why did you want to do it in this way?

MY: For me, anytime someone says that word influencer, everybody cringes. You know what that words casts on some people and there is such a thing as positive influencing. Influencing is such a tricky game to play and coming out of the ABC The Bachelor/Bachelorette in general, a lot of people tend to go the influencer route. What that has meant in the past is that you’re working with brands, you’re going to these carpets and doing all of these different things. For me, there are products that I would 100% recommend whether I’m being paid or not, but I want to change the influencing game. You do have a platform, you do have a voice and you can encourage these products and these brands that are working with you to give back as well. You can bring your viewers in with it and you can create an entire message that goes with it. Like the Ice Bucket Challenge and all these things that were started! Social media has so many negative negative things about it and this can be a positive one! So that’s why. I want to be able to challenge not only people who follow me and supporters, but I also want to challenge the brands that work with me to also give back. Ultimately, we’re doing a really good thing.

AM: Now that you’re in LA for awhile, what are 3 places that you enjoy grabbing a bite or a cocktail, where are 3 places that you like to shop at and what are 3 places you like to workout at?

MY: Oh wow! So these may not be as great as you think because I have really been bouncing back and forth between LA and Minnesota quite a bit. Then I got done with this period of time where I got really sick, then I was healthy and then I

was sick again. Whoever had that mysterious illness where it’s not COVID but it’s influenza – that knocked me on my butt! It’s not great and you’re turning the corner for what feels like forever.

One of my favorite places to eat honestly, is Catch. I went there with Kaitlyn Bristowe and it was a really awesome spot. Where else have I been? Elephante – I feel like everybody says that one and so I have to ay it! My third one I’m going to keep to myself because it’s a hole in the wall place and I feel like…

AM: If you say it, you’re never going to get a seat in there again because people will want to check it out!

MY: Exactly, or people will go looking, you know?

When it comes to shopping, anywhere at The Grove. I’m a Nike girl – I love getting some sneakers. I haven’t done that much shopping recently actually. But oh Target! I’m a Target girl. You ask me how I take care of my mental health, Target!

AM: Oh yeah, you go in and say you need lip balm and then 100 and some dollars later, you have all of these things!

MY: Exactly and then you leave without the lip balm! And you have to go back!

AM: You have to go back for sure!

MY: That’s why we forget it so that we have to go back!

I have not been to too many fitness studios yet. I’ve avoided Equinox – no shade on Equinox, I’m sure that I will check it out eventually. I literally went to LA Fitness the other day. I’m a runner. I go outside and run. I haven’t done too much here. I’ve done a lot of at home stuff. I have dumbbells and weights here. When I’m at home, Lifetime Fitness is my go-to.

AM: I love Lifetime Fitness. They have an

awesome facility here in NY.

MY: I’m so jealous! The nearest one here is 30 mins away. I don’t know, shout them out and maybe they can build one across the street!

AM: We know you like staying active and that you like to run, are there 2 other things that you like to do in your fitness routine?

MY: I’m trying to get back into a pickup basketball game. That cardio, running up and down the basketball court, that humbles me real quick especially when you get back to it. Honestly that and swimming. I grew up with a pool and I love swimming laps as it’s just such great cardio. Anything where I can go out and about. I’ll play tennis with my parents, they’re amazing tennis players. Winter sports, I’ll ski a little bit.

AM: I love snowboarding!

MY: I’m jealous! Honestly, I want to learn how to snowboard. I never have up to this point. In athletics, coaches wouldn’t let us snowboard because so many people would get hurt.

AM: Oh yeah, you could break an ankle.

MY: Now I can flail down the diamond all day! I might just end up on TMZ or something ha! My hats over here my gloves are over there!

AM: What do you want your legacy to be in terms of the impact that you’ve left?

MY: I think it’s incredibly important for people to not stop learning about how others around them work or think. It’s about being open minded to learn and I think that’s a huge part of coming through the experience of what I just came through where you really are a rare breed which is sad to say. But as a woman of color and just being from Minnesota with everything happening with George Floyd, cultivating young minds to accept those around them to think outside the

box to not always go about life the exact way that everyone has in the past –to challenge things. Ultimately, to be a kind person and to just give back. Once you make it to the top, you want to be able to extend your arm back and pull others up and show them the route to be able to give back to them. So when I’m no longer here, someone that I impacted is now making it their mission to impact someone that is below them. That’s what I call a legend or leaving a mark so that the cycle doesn’t stop with them.

AM: Are there projects that you are thinking about being part of that you can share whether it’s a specific one or a vertical that you want to tackle?

MY: I’ve worked a lot with kids and I will say that I will definitely be around students, around young minds very soon in the near future. I’ve done a lot with Be the Match and giving back to that. I wish I could name a few others, but I can’t quite yet, but it’s coming. Keep an eye out for sure on social media as it’s coming! You’ll definitely see some new and inspirational things coming.

AM: We’ll be keeping a look out for sure on what you have going on next and it’s been great to watch your journey, seeing what you have going on and being able to see what those next steps will be as well!

MY: Well I appreciate you having me and I embrace what you are doing as well. Being able to help me extend that platform with my voice and with my message and what I’m saying and all of that circles back to you for amplifying that as well!

AM: Aww thank you! @michelleyoung

We caught up with Marianna Hewitt , a well known influencer that took her passion for brands that she loved and personal style to build a brand that is coveted and leaves its consumers wondering about what the next must-have product will be. Summer Fridays has been a brand that we have shared in a number of our roundups over the past few years. We wanted to find out more about about Marianna's approach to the brand, how the line continues to grow its assortment and how she takes time to enjoy her holiday with family and friends as we get into the thick of the season.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We have been fans of yours for a number of years starting way back when you had your lifestyle blog which displayed your visual texture play with neutrals in personal style as well as interior aesthetics. Later, you would go on to create Summer Fridays which we enjoy very much and have shared a number of your products with our readers and are personal fans as well. Why did you want to launch this brand?

MARIANNA HEWITT: Well, being an influencer for so many years and you’re familiar with my content. I love my community, I love my followers and it felt like they wanted something from me that was an extension of me and things that I love. After so many years of posting products, they would ask me if something was vegan, cruelty free, sustainable, if it was good for all skin types – without even knowing, they became a focus group for us. We wanted to dream up that product! You know, you receive so many things and you want to get something that you are excited to try that you love the branding, the packaging and that you love the colors.

So we took all of that information and created Summer Fridays. So Lauren Ireland, my partner and I started working on Summer Fridays in 2016. We launched in 2018 and we’re coming up on 5 years and it has been such an incredible journey. I’m so grateful to not only be an influencer founded brand, but a brand that also works with influencers and it’s so fun be -

cause I really value what I bring to other brands so to be able to partner with other creators and to give back to this community of influencers that gave me the career that I have today, I love being able to work with them now today too –so it’s very full circle for me.

AM: We always look forward to your editor packages because you know it's going to be something that is thoughtful and necessary. I love the Jet Lag Mask, the Lip Butter Balm and Body Lotion. I’m constantly stalking your IG to see what’s next. What’s your process like when you’re thinking of bringing new products to the brand and do you have anything new coming up for this holiday season or as we’re looking into the new year?

MH: Our thought process is to be really intentional with the things that we bring out into the world. We want to add products into your routine that you actually want and need and not anything that is unnecessary. We’re still a small indie brand, so there’s only so many things that we can create each year so each of those things have to be really meaningful and things that we think that our community will really love!

So this year, a few of the things that we had were our Lip Balm Butter Sets, so we had an extension of those. We had an SPF that we launched this year too because I live in CA and it’s a little bit gloomy today, but it’s usually sunny and I love to be in the sun and all around the world, but I definitely want to be able to protect my skin no matter where I am. So, launching a sun screen felt very summer for Summer Fridays. We were so excited to have that as it was something that our community really wanted and we really do listen to our customers for the products that they want, the skincare ingredients that they’re looking for and so we create those products for them.

Coming up, we're kind of wrapping up the holiday season, but we have really

great launches next year and hopefully, you’ll get them and I think that you will like it!

AM: Looking at your social, you’re always sharing your fun lifestyle as well as interiors. What are some of the things that you’re thinking about when it comes to hosting gatherings for dinner parties and brunches? What are some of your hosting must-haves when it comes to having people over?

MH: I love to entertain, I love having people over and my interior design style was really to invite people over so that they feel comfortable. I like this elevated feeling of my home, but I really wanted people to feel that they could just gather and be together when they come over and that it feels comfortable and not too stuffy! I like to show off my interior design love that I have and it’s so fun to have an excuse to invite people over. I’m super busy and I’m also a very particular person in how I like to have things. My biggest holiday hack is to batch and pre make your cocktails before all your guests come over. What I don’t want to do is that all of my guests come over and I’m in the kitchen making them drinks or they’re trying to make drinks for themselves and they’re not actually gathering with their friends and family together. So by pre-batching that cocktail, it really saves so much time! You can do this in such a cute way. I love glass containers that you can get, you can put all the pre-mixed things together into one container and have it ready to go! That's why I love Astral – any kind of tequila drink is my go-to cocktail. I literally don’t drink anything else except for tequila. So to pre-make these cocktails and everyone knows it’s my favorite, we came up with this really fun recipe. It’s like your classic Paloma, but it has this holiday twist with this Brulee and I am not a bartender by any means, but the fact that I can do this drink and it tastes delicious and it looks beautiful, it’s definitely going to be something that is going to impress your guests.

AM: Is that your signature one?

MH: I love that cocktail, it just feels really great. A normal Paloma anytime of year is perfect and then you have this Brulee one for this time of year for the holidays! I love a Spicy Margarita especially in the summer, so I love to have that then and it’s my go-to cocktail when I’m out. Any type of tequila drink variation is my favorite.

AM: For those that are coming over, what do you suggest that we should have on hand?

MH: A couple of other things that I like to have on hand is of course Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask. You always want to stay hydrated this time of year because I feel like my skin is so dry with the winter weather and the heat is on inside. Just any kind of lack of moisture in our skin so our Jet Lag Mask is great. Jenni Kayne makes these really beautiful Leather Coasters, so I have a beautiful marble table that I made myself from a slab of marble that I found in a stone yard. So I don’t want to mess up the marble table so I always have coasters everywhere just to make sure that no one is leaving rings on my table when they leave my house. So they look really beautiful but they are functional as well. There are a couple of other things that I love to have at home. I like to eat a lot of gluten-free, grain-free desserts and there’s this bakery here in LA called Sweet Laurel. They have my favorite desserts ever, they ship nationwide and they have a pre-boxed one too so, if you want to make it at home yourself, you can. I recently brought it over to a friend for Thanksgiving and it had all of these different desserts and I can't even tell that these are gluten-free and grainfree because of how delicious they are. You can box them up and make them at home and I definitely recommend trying them out!

BRÛLÉED PALOMA INGREDIENTS

GARNISH

Brown Sugar Rim + Brûléed Grapefruit

Slice a grapefruit into discs and place onto a paper towel. Once dry, place grapefruit into a bowl of brown sugar to evenly coat the dry side. Place the slice, sugar side up, under the broiler until the sugar caramelizes. Allow to cool completely before garnishing.

GLASSWARE

Highball Glass

PREPARATION

Combine Astral Tequila, grapefruit juice and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake. Rim a highball glass with brown sugar and pack with crushed ice. Strain shaker into the glass and top with sparkling pink grapefruit soda. Garnish with a brûléed grapefruit slice. @marianna_hewitt

The holiday season has a lot going on from wrapping up the year, a number of events and this year, we all got to watch the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the biggest soccer event in the world! We got to catch up with MLS FC Dallas midfielder, Sebastian Lletget to find out about how he got into the sport, his passion for the game, his predictions as we talked with him when there were 8 teams left in the tournament, his partnership with Old Parr Whisky and how he has spending his time in the off season!

ATHLEISURE MAG: We are huge fans of soccer and are excited to talk with you! When did you fall in love with soccer and when did you realize you wanted to do it professionally?

SEBASTIAN LLETGET: Oh my God, man you’re taking me back! I think like most, my story really started with my dad and his background is full Argentinian. I don’t know if some of your readers would know, but the Argentinian fan base is just that people really live the game and it’s so different! For me, it started at a very very young age. I think that as soon as I could understand my father’s words or his actions, soccer was a starting point in our relationship! As young as 2 years old when you’re really starting to walk and play and it only got more competitive. I think that the story is interesting too because you live in a country – I mean when you think of the story of soccer in the US, it has come such a long way as there used to be such minimal opportunities! So kind of carrying that passion without it being supported by the 4 walls that I grew up in, when I would leave home it would be about baseball, basketball and all of the American sports. To see how much it has grown now here is truly beautiful thing.

AM: You played previously for LA Galaxy, NE Revolution and you’re currently with FC Dallas, what did you like about this 2022 season?

SL: Man, I loved this season! I think individually for me this season, I just learned so much because you go from being at a

place for 6-7 years here in LA and then sometimes you need a breath of fresh air, new opportunities and something to spark your career again and to spark your love for it. I think that I reached that point here. As much as I loved it in LA and New England gave me that opportunity and I go there, you know things kind of work their way out the way that they are supposed to and I thought that I would be there for the rest of my standing contract and then 4 or 5 months later, an opportunity comes up and I get to go to Dallas and I take that! I always try to tell young kids that you just have to learn how to adapt and pivot. It’s probably one of the biggest lessons that any player can kind of learn because you can’t plan anything in this sport!

AM: Absolutely!

What are you looking forward to next season?

SL: Oh man, now that I signed a new deal, I’m so blessed and grateful to be part of the club for a consistent basis for the next few years – for me, it’s always going to be to win a championship. I won things with the National team last year, it was a very successful year, but I never won anything on a club level. So that’s definitely on the top of my list. I think that to do that with Dallas and the culture that is being built there, it’s a very very exciting time. So that’s my goal!

AM: We’re all glued to the World Cup! At the time of this interview, we still have a few days ahead of us! What are your predictions that we should be thinking about as we head into the last days?

SL: Oh my God! Isn’t it a crazy one? There’s been a lot of amazing stories right? It just keeps getting better! It’s crazy to think that we’re already at 8 teams. For me, tomorrow is a big day right? For my family, for the household –especially when Argentina played Mexico it was very much so divided because my fiancé, Becky G , comes from Mexico,

my family is Argentinian!

AM: Yeah, separate rooms for awhile until everyone cools down haha!

SL: Haha I know right? It’s going to be tough because Argentina plays Holland. I mean, that’s the game that I am looking forward to. That’s going to be the biggest test! I do hope that Argentina does go all of the way and I think that someone like Messi deserves it. I think what he had done for the game and I just hope that that story gets written!

AM: Obviously, I’m used to the World Cup being in the summer time. So when it takes place, I’m pulling clothes for our cover shoots and then you’re popping in and out of the bars to see how everything is going! This year, it’s kind of cool that it’s during the holidays and we can have our watch parties and take it to the next level. You’ve partnered with Old Parr Whisky for their Golden Moments Campaign. Can you tell me why your brands were synergistic to get together and what’s a go-to cocktail that we can enjoy while we’re hanging out with friends and cheering on our teams?

SL: Yeah, I think that the partnership with Old Parr couldn’t have come at a better time. Like you said, just the serendipity timing between the World Cup and the holidays and then partnering up with a whisky brand like Old Parr, it just all goes together so well. What really drew me to the brand is how intertwined Old Parr is with the Latin community. Obviously, my background is that I come from Latin America so that’s what really brought me close to the brand. I’m just really happy that it all worked out and as far as a cocktail that you can enjoy, my signature cocktail is called Off the Pitch! It’s actually really good and I’m not just saying that!

That’s where we are at the moment and we have definitely enjoyed some whisky in the off season and again, because it’s my off season, I get to really have a good time! Because during the season, I have to be very on it, so this was perfect timing.

AM: With the holiday season being in full swing, how are you spending it because it is your off season as well!

SL: I don’t know if it’s me getting older, I feel like I used to go a little more crazy and being everywhere. But now, I’m just like waking up at home. You turn 30 and things start to change! It’s the little things I swear! Just being with family, my fiancé and her family! It’s been a beautiful time. Watching soccer and connecting with people that you don’t always get to connect to on a normal basis. With this career, you have to sacrifice a lot to get anywhere and it’s the same in your industry! I’ve just been using that time wisely!

AM: Outside of soccer, you’re also an entrepreneur what are some projects that you’re working on that you would like our readers to know more about?

SL: Aww man! That’s a really good question! There’s a lot of things that I’m working on kind of on the low. Now that you ask, I’m working on my first venture capitalist fund. That’s a really exciting time because I’m just a big advocate to breaking barriers. For athletes, especially in this country and in the MLS, we have always been told to stay in this box and you can only just be there and work around that space. But I’m just like, somebody’s got to go in a different direction and to break barriers and to break those generational patterns you know what I mean? So that has been my goal and I think that this is a way that I can change that. I can fund really amazing projects and of course, there’s money and stuff, but it’s also about changing people’s lives and giving opportunity to those people that are coming up under me and that’s really my goal. I’m still at the starting point, I’ll be honest. But I am learning and it’s definitely a fun and exciting time!

OFF THE PITCH INGREDIENTS

This year, we have shared a number of our favorite restaurants that we thought you should know about! For our final issue of 2022, we took some time to talk with Jee Kim, one of the partners of 8282 located in the LES. We wanted to know more about this Korean restaurant, the background of both of the cofounders of this restaurant as well as what we can expect from this menu when we swing by next! We also wanted to know more about their beverage program as well which is important no matter what time of year, but is defintiely of interest when it comes to the holidays!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us the meaning behind the name 8282 and when did you open?

JEE KIM: 8282, is a light-hearted, fresh take on Korean food.

The name 8282 refers to Korea’s country code, +82, and has an additional meaning: The numbers, when read together, translate to a phrase that means “quickly” or “faster.” The phrase signifies a get-it-done attitude.

After closing our previous restaurant during COVID, we opened 8282 November of 2021.

AM: What do you mean by the term, elevated modern Korean cuisine?

JK: There has been an evolution of modern Korean food in the food scene in Seoul, not only in the fine-dining scene but also within the elevated dining scene. Many chefs trained in New York, Tokyo, or Australia have come back to Seoul to infuse their techniques and training and explore their creativity, dishes that explored their creativity, dishes that combine authentic Korean dishes with ingredients all over the world. When we saw the explosion of Korean fine-dining restaurants in New York, we knew that the market would be receptive to different styles of Korean food, not just limited to Korean BBQs and bibimbap.

AM: What are foods and spices that are indicative of Korean cuisine?

JK: Core Korean foods are side dishes such as kimchi – in all different ingredients, ranging from radish, cabbage, cucumbers, and more. Kimchi is the quintessential Korean dish that is representative of fermented technique used in many of our condiments such as gochujang (red pepper paste), soy sauce, and dwenjang (soy bean paste).

AM: Tell me about the background behind the owners and what led them to coming together to create 8282?

JK: Behind 8282 is a couple who previously ran the restaurant Pado in the East Village. Before operating Pado, Bong Le Jo cooked in the kitchens of Perry St, Dovetail and Kissaki, and I launched several fashion and lifestyle brands, and worked as a truffle distributor in Seoul, in partnership with a New York-based company.

Jo and I dreamed of opening a successful restaurant in New York when Jo began his culinary journey. We’ve been together for past a decade and 8282 is an outcome of years of preparation. With my background in branding and marketing along with sales distribution, I knew that my contributions would be crucial in the early stages of opening. I am currently a Columbia MBA student and hoping to leverage my network in different areas of businesses in our expansion plan.

AM: Jee Kim, I know you make frequent trips to Seoul. What takes place during those trips to ensure that you are bringing the best of your restaurant to its guests?

JK: My family lives in Seoul and my frequent trips are mainly to visit my family. They are all passionate about food and one of our activities as a family is to explore the ever-changing food scene as well as the most authentic restaurants

in Seoul. My father is deeply passionate and proud of Korean produce and products and we take time to visit markets, wholesale markets, and farms to deliver freshest ingredients for his company’s employee food hall. I take this time to find ways to bring specific ingredients for 8282 so that our customers in New York can experience them.

AM: How does seasonality factor into the dishes that are offered at 8282?

JK: During COVID, the supply chain issue especially for restaurants have been a severe problem in food costs. We change our menu based on what is available in the market and also what the most flavorful ingredients are.

AM: For those that dine here at 8282 in LES, what can they expect in terms of the ambiance?

JK: Our ambiance is cozy and approachable, with a staff who are very friendly to our customers. It’s a great place for first dates, group dinners – anyone who is looking for a good time.

AM: Your menu is divided into Anju and Banju. Anju focuses on small plates with food menu to pair with alcohol. What are 3 dishes that you suggest in this category?

JK: The theme of the anju and banju is so that the food is always well-paired with alcohol, as this is culturally a very Korean way of dining. Good food should always be paired with good alcohol. I would say all of them pairs well, but the top three are: Tuna tartare + Kimbukak, Boneless K.F.C., and Littleneck Soojebi.

Anju by definition: is the food that pairs with alcohol.

Banju by definition is: the alcohol that pairs with food.

It’s a play on these words that are fun because they rhyme, and it’s culturally nuanced.

AM: For Banju, these are shared plates that are larger and are also meant to be paired with alcohol. What are 3 dishes that you suggest for this that we should have when we come in?

JK: The three top banju dishes are: Dakgalbi Kimchi-bap, Jjajang Bori-bap, and the L.A. Iberico Pork.

AM: We have been long time fans of Soju and you have a wide selection of them. What are 3 kinds that we should try when visiting?

JK: We purposely do not carry the green bottle soju as we wanted to introduce the new types of soju that has been pouring in the Korean market that are of higher quality and grade, most importantly taste. My favorite are: Seoul Night, Golden Barley, and Yangchon Chungju, which is a Korean rice wine.

AM: You’re also known for your craft cocktails. What are 3 that we should try out as we know that you reached out to mixologist Katrina Sobredilla.

JK: We invested heavily on our cocktail program because our food is meant to be paired with alcohol. The top three are: Jeju Old-Fashioned, Oiji Dirty, and the Gochujang Margarita.

AM: With the holiday season being upon us, should there be anything that we should keep an eye out for in terms of events or promotions that you will be involved in?

JK: We are open all throughout the holidays for Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s. We just launched our Tea-tini Station where the customers will have a choice between burdock, buckwheat, chai, corn, matcha, and jasmine tea. It’s a tea flavored martini station with vodka, tea infused soju, tea syrup, and citrus bitters. On 12/19, we had a Filipino popup as Kat Sobredilla (our head bartender) is Filipino. For Lunar New Year (1/22) we are hosting a Banchan Box Party x

Woori Show Seollal 2023. More information can be found below!

To celebrate Seollal 2023, 8282 is organizing an intimate fundraiser to benefit The Woori Show, a non-profit org that is spreading KOREAN AMERICAN JOY! It's an online arts, language and cultural program that helps teach all things Korean through music, stories and fun!! It's founded and created by the talented and passionate Nari Kye, who you may remember as a producer from Bourdain's Parts Unknown.

The Woori Show is tapping into their talented friends to be in the showcase, celebrate and uplift our community with a "Banchan Box Party" on Sunday January 22, 2023 for a SEOLLAL CELEBRATION! Yay, Year of the Tokki!

8282 in the LES has graciously offered to host this dduk-mandoo gook + banchan party. Families are invited to learn how to make mandoo (are you a crimper or a sealer?), seongpyon by Rice Blossoms and learn about Seollal from Woori Show Founder, Nari Kye! There will be food and fun!

As much as we love living vicariously through a number of people's travels on IG, we also love a good event. There is something about an immersive experience where you know that the food must have been amazing, the setting is transportive and the visuals make every picture look epic! These things just don't happen on their own, it's a blend of cohesive themes that come together and in many cases, there is an event planner who makes it happen!

We have been fans of Mindy Weiss for decades as she has created events with phenomenal themes whether they are large scale or intimate in nature. Her work has been used by some of the biggest celebrities and athletes while executing their vision to perfection. Her work has been cosigned by Vogue, Brides and Harper's Bazaar! So, when we had the chance to find out more about how she got into the industry, how she stays inspired and what we need to think about our event regardless of whether she is at the helm or if we are doing it ourselves, we had to take a few moments of her time!

ATHLEISURE MAG: We have been fans of yours for a few decades now and whether it’s a wedding, launch event or whatever it is. There is something about how you create an immersive experience that also showcases the vibe of the person that is hosting the event!

MINDY WEIS: Oh thank you and thanks for noticing that!

AM: Of course! When did you realize that you wanted to be an event planner?

MW: Well, I got married the first time, very young and I was looking for a part time job. In college, I thought that I was going to go into production and didn’t know that I would go into this direction. I got a job in a little precious stationary store. This stationary store is where they don’t do it as much, but you look through books and you order custom stationery and innovations. Oh my God, I loved it!

From that point, the person who hired me who is now my best friend in the whole world, for the last 40 some odd years, we started to work out of the house. We left that store and worked out of the house and people started asking me to do their events besides just doing their invitations.

Now growing up, my mother gave the best parties. Hysterical, now as an adult and a mother, my Sweet 16 was at the Playboy Club! Back when they used to have Playboy Clubs – so embarrassed now! I mean, they weren’t naked, but they were definitely in their bunny suits and it was like, what were you thinking? But she thought that that would be clever. So it was in the blood and I did the first party and then it just stuck from that one party, I got 10 events. So that is my story!

AM: How do you get inspiration when you are tackling your next project?

MW: Well, I really try to personalize it as much as possible. So we have great conversations, I’m trying to pull things out of what they love! You know they give me Pinterest pages that literally have 20 different ideas from a traditional event, a modern event, a vintage event. I try to pull itall back to personalizing it as much as possible and that brings me here to say that right now, the biggest trend is guest experience. This is the trend obviously for every event from a wedding on. Everything is very important and is the key, but how is your event going to be different from all the events that you’re going to at the same time. Typically, if you’re getting married, you’re group of people are getting married and then you are on the wedding circuit.

Like my middle son was in 6 weddings and he is on the circuit and I keep saying to him – elope, elope! But no, his girlfriend is going to want the whole thing! So bringing it back to guest experience, I’m always trying to find what is new, what would be a cool thing that you

could include people in that looks beautiful, that is something that they may have never considered before and that’s kind of why I teamed up with Seedlip for the Seedlip Soiree because it’s so up my alley.

I don’t know if you have seen these bottles.

AM: We have seen these bottles and my boyfriend has had them. I like that sometimes when you have been partying maybe too much, but you still would like to have a beverage that looks tasty and it pairs well with fruit juices – it’s a great mocktail! I’ve even made it into a cocktail as well because the ingredients are great!

Why did this collaboration come about?

MW: Well, the truth is, I don’t drink. Once in awhile in Cabo at the end of a very big event, I’ll take a shot of tequila. So what interests me in this is exactly what you just said! I want to have a beautiful drink that doesn’t necessarily have to be mixed with alcohol, but certainly can be. I can still feel like I can be social and I don’t feel the pressure, but I would like to carry a beautiful drink that feels somewhat organic and beautiful. The last event that I served it at, let’s just say one of the ingredients is the rosemary, well I took it to a new place by making sure that there was a sprig of it in the drink, I made sure that there were beautiful flowers to represent what that drink was. I think that I have a few more holiday parties, I’m on the countdown and at one party, we’re going to do a party with a bar that is in the Seedlip drink, I’m going to design where that bottle sits with what’s in it.

AM: I’m sure that that will be beautiful because you do beautiful work.

MW: It will enable people to know what exactly is in it immediately. And again, it’s a guest experience. I do get asked to represent some different companies, but I’ve kind of made a pact with myself that I can only really speak to the things that I can relate to.

AM: How important is it to have a signature cocktail(s) at an event?

MW: I actually thought that at one point is was going away.

AM: Really?

MW: Yeah, because all of the Old Fashioned drinks were coming in, but then it’s back in a really big way! A big part of my business was making bar menus so people could see the creativity and look at the names of the drinks and what is in it which is important obviously for a lot of people. It’s on every wedding list that we check off. So how is it important? It’s very important because no one is letting it go!

AM: Exactly!

Regardless of all of the things that you have done in terms of the amazing events that you have created, if we’re not able to book you as I would obviously love to do so for a future event...

MW: Book me! Yes!

AM: Every time we see your IG, you’ve killed it again! How does someone go about creating their own events if they are doing it themselves? What should they be focusing on? What should they be organizing so that they can execute their vision?

MW: First of all, they should sign up for my Masterclass because I have a Masterclass now! It takes you through all of those categories, but it needs to represent you. So, put aside the IG for a second and the Pinterest and everything. What are your favorite drinks? What are your favorite flowers? What’s great is that when people walk into a wedding or a holiday party or a shower or whatever it is and you want people to come in and go, “oh my God, this is so them!” Of course they have that because this is what they like! If you can pull from that when you're doing your signature drinks

it should represent what you drink. So you want to share that part and obviously we would do Mindy’s Mocktails which would have what I like and my husband loves Old Fashioned and we would do that – he is so old fashioned which he is! But then, that’s how you would personalize these things with music you play, the food you serve, the vows you say -everything comes from within you and trying not to be a copycat! See, there’s nothing wrong with going to an event and seeing a beautiful bar with the drinks that they serve. You can still have a beautiful bar with drinks that you serve that represent you. Look at everything as inspiration.

AM: I love hearing that. As someone who is the Co-Founder/Creative + Style Dir of Athleisure Media who is also a fashion stylist, I like the concept of mood boarding, pulling all of these different inspirations in and making sure that when I’m dressing our celebrities, I like adding things that speak to them while adding in a layer to it so that it is a little different. But it still feels true to who they are. So I can totally get what you’re saying about that.

MW: Because in our world, the first thing that people go to unfortunately is, “I saw that already!” I’m sure in fashion, you really see that a lot because if someone already wore it, how are you going to change it up? In my world, the competition with event planners is pretty up there. I love to Instagram to do inspiration and to give inspiration, but don’t you think that I don’t get inspiration from there and then put a twist on it where I feel like, “ooo I can make it better” or “I can make it different.” That’s the same with every aspect of celebrating.

AM: You’ve been talking about guest experience. Whether someone is hiring you or creating their event themselves, what should be in your mind when it comes to those that are attending your party regardless of your theme or why they are there?

MW: If you’re having a party, it’s not just about you! You’re inviting people to your

event, it’s a gift to them and it’s a gift that just keeps on giving, It cannot be all about yourself. Not when people are coming, bringing a gift, spending money to get there, buying clothes – it’s a gift for both of you. You need to remember that when you are the host or hostess that it’s not going to be all about you.

@mindyweiss

ATHLEISURE LIST: SoHo, NY SOHO GRAND

The Soho Grand is a favorite downtown hotel destination. We enjoy its ambiance as the hotel's design pays tribute to the 19th-century industrial elegance of SoHo marrying the grit of the artist lofts with the grandeur of the turn of the century's gilded age.

Bill Sofield, Cooper Hewitt Interior Design Award recipient and designer of retail boutiques for Tom Ford, Bottega Veneta, Yves St. Laurent, and Gucci, has collaborated with Soho Grand since its inception. He incorporated distinct architectural materials and styles that celebrate SoHo’s history.

Briana Stanley, the hotel's Creative Director, expanded on Sofield's concept when designing the new interiors. Paying homage to the hotel’s rich history while creating a thoughtfully refreshed space. Custom king beds are

adorned with cognac leather and blue mohair headboards; bespoke oak armoires feature inset chicken-wire mirrors. The hardwood European oak wide plank floors are complemented by rich textured wall covering, vintage sconces and gilded brass mirrors.

When you're hungry, the Soho Diner serves upscale American favorites, The Grand Bar and Salon provides elevated bar bites and in the warmer months Gilligans brings out seafood and summertime specialties. You can also head to the Club Room which is a staple in New York Nightlife, a glamorous haven that has carefully crafted cocktails, live music, and dancing.

On NYE, Soho Grand’s 14th Annual Black & White Masquerade Ball is an ode to Truman Capote's infamous Grand Masked Ball, hosted in New

York 1966. The soirée was thrown in honor of Kay Graham and still seen as one of the most brilliantly eclectic parties of the century, attended by ingenious creatives across verticals. You can purchase your tickets as a farewell 2022 for an epic New Year’s Eve!

All bars are open and accessible for complimentary drinks from 9pm - 1am for all guests; and at midnight along with the confetti cannons burstingeveryone is served a champagne toast to ring in 2023 to Frank Sinatra, New York, New York in style.

DJs will sit atop the Reception Desk, making the lobby into a dance-floor, kicking offwith Chopstix, then Baby Bro, DJ Reach and Erol bringing heat to your heels. The hosts for this night of glamour includes: Christian Siriano, Mohaby, Nick D'Orazio, Ryan Matthew

and Nabeel Minaj. Special packages for table guests include tableside bottle service – unlimited Tito’s Vodka, Casamigos Tequila and Champagne flowing from 9PM to close. They will serve appetizer bites with lobster mac & cheese croquets, caviar bellinis and mini-Grand Burgers until 11PM.

ATHLEISURE LIST: Union Square + UES, NYC BODY SPACE FITNESS

Kelvin Gary is the founder of Body Space Fitness and is a former engineer, undergrad and a double engineering major and organic chem minor. He has a MBA from NYU Stern School of Business. While working corporate, he realized the negative impacts of sitting at a desk. This led him to training as a side hustle and the idea of BSF materialized.

He wanted to provide function training at a reasonable price. It was aimportant to create a good, supportive, high energy environment and culture to clients for a great experience.

BSF is a full body function training facility that doesn’t focus on one tool or modality. They have a science based

system of training that incorporates multiple tools and modalities to build programing that help the client reach their goals.

With 14 coaches, all have a broad range of experience in different modalities. The coaches keep up with continuing education and learn all the tools necessary for the programming that takes place at BSF. Almost all of the coaches are pre/post natal certified and one is also a boxing and MMA instructor.

Clients will participate in a strategy session where coaches get to know the client, learn about their goals, their starting point, training history, injuries and road blocks. This information and assessment guides the needs of the

clients training plan which includes exercise pregaming, recovery and nutrition if needed.

BSF uses the Inbody 570 which tells you how much muscle, bone and fat a client has. They can see this as it pertains to body fat and muscle by body part. It shows where gains and reduction needs to take place.

Clients participate in semi-private personal training ingroups of 3 to work with one coach. Each client works their own customized program.

Group classes are pre-programmed with 16 people. Clients will supplement their customized training with group classes for additional workouts. Classes have a number of themes with some focused more on conditioning and some on strength.

Bill Mayor Dave Commissioner Health

Stay connected and follow us across our social channels on @AthleisureMag!

Each year in Dec and Jan, Athleisure Mag interviews celebrities to discuss their N3W YOU: THE GOOD, THE ADD and THE BUZZ.

NEW YEAR

YOU

THE GOOD

Une Femme Wines had a great year this year so I have a few for ya! One of the most significant milestones for us is that we closed our Series A. We raised a $10 million dollar round and this is a really significant milestone for any company at our stage, but it’s even more remarkable because less than 2% of Series A funds go to women founded or co-founded brands. So we’re extremely proud to have hit this major milestone and it means that we can grow. So that was massive! It took a ton of work and I have to credit my brother who is my Co-Founder who I could not have done this without and it was massive to be able to do this.

This time last year, we were a team of 2 and now we are a team of 17! We’ve grown so much! Mostly hiring sales people across the country in market as well as an amazing marketing team who are doing all the cool stuff across our website and how we show up in stores. We also have an incredible opps team that makes sure that are wines are ready and available in this very challenging supply chain situation right now! Growing as a team has been incredible!

We formalized an incredible partnership with Delta Airlines, it’s my favorite airline. We did a little pilot with them last year and now we are the sparkling wine onboard all Delta planes in the US. We partnered with them really closely and specifically around The Breast Cancer Research Fund and that’s our key partner for those wines that are onboard on the Delta planes and we have been able to make big contributions to that partner and in the first _ months of working with Delta, we served over 1 million cans to passengers onboard at Delta! So it’s been amazing and it has also been their big piece of their efforts to sustainability. All of our cans are fully recyclable and printed cans which helps to reduce the overall carbon footprint and we love Delta! We're so proud to partnerwith them.

We’re also available at the Ritz Carlton in the US by the glass and we have a great partnership with them as well as the St Regis.

THE ADD

Probably the one that I was most excited about and I remain the most excited about is launching a really cool sparkling wine club. A subscription program where we will send you wine say on a quarterly basis and it will be a nice surprise in your mailbox. We were hoping to launch it this year, but it turns out that launching a wine club is really complicated and we decided that this would be an area of focus for next year. Certainly, we’re so excited for people to be able to order wines online through regular website channels, but we’re looking forward to wine subscription next year.

THE BUZZ

We are really excited about a new opportunity that we can't say too much about, but keep following us on our IG! The #1 question that we get is where can we buy your wines locally and of course, we’re at amazing independent retailers and restaurants. So when we have the opportunity to partnerwith those that make our wines accessible, we are always thrilled about taking on those opportunities.

@unefemmewines

PHOTO COURTESY | TDavis

THE GOOD

2022 was a wild ride. Touring after the Covid pandemic really brought a fresh feeling to life again. I had some great times traveling the world, meeting new people, and having new experiences. A few big highlights for me this year would have to be my first solo show in Las Vegas at Area15 as well as my solo sets in Dubai later in the year. I also played at Tomorrowland and VOID in Mykonos. They say do what you love and you’ll never really work a day in your life. I think I have to agree with that philosophy.

THE ADD

I’m really going to focus on my health and overall well-being in 2023. Life is short and we can’t take it for granted.

THE BUZZ

I’m working on a lot of new projects, a ton of new music coming out and more and more solo shows in addition to our DVLM tour schedule. It’s going to be a great year! @likemike

PHOTO COURTESY | Like Mike

THE GOOD

The comeback shows have been incredible and I’m thankful for the continues support of the fans.

THE ADD

It has been an exciting year and I’ve a few studio projects I want to finalize so fans can hear them. More news to come.

THE BUZZ

Yes, the REBELS NEVER DIE Tour will now continue into 2023. Oh and new music is coming too.

@hardwell

PHOTOS COURTESY | Hardwell

THE GOOD

I'm really proud of my most recent charity event as I'm not a big golfer but our Boxing WAGS Associations' First Annual Celebrity Golf Event at Porter Valley Country Club was amazing! We were at capacity for golfers. We had phenomenal sponsors from Rolls Royce to Casamigos! In addition to golf, we had massages as well that took place during the event. We even had our luau pairing soiree to compliment the night. To be able to raise funds and awareness for the Prostate Cancer Foundation was truly a success.

THE ADD

There was a lot going on in 2022 and although we launched our fragrance D'Telli, in 2023 I will focus on growing this brand. Expansion plans include retail and increasing brand marketing as well! I like that this is a unisex scent that Deontay and I wear and since everyone liked the fragrance that we used to wear which was also genderless, it was just natural for us to create our own.

THE BUZZ

2023 is going to be great. Of course, you should keep an eye out for more from D'Telli Fragrance for sure! I also did a prelaunch of a healthy drink that I developed and let our guests of our golf event enjoy. I'm really excited about it and it's called Oishii Me which means "yummy" in Japanese. It's a healthy drink that has turmeric, pineapple, lemon and ginger!

@telliswift

PHOTO COURTESY | Telli Swift

THE GOOD

A lot has happened in the last 2 years, with everything that has been going on in the world, looking at it from the perspective of what are the benefits of what has happened, I think that time has started to flatten for everybody. It afforded us a reflection for us to say, “how am I using my time and what should I be spending that time on and what’s important?” For me, that’s creativity. It’s about getting in that time to explore and to be in that space. I think that in a way, that was the gift that I think that we had to be introspective in and to figure out a way to do things in a more efficient and effective way.

THE ADD

For SEQUIN, we want to keep evolving. We want to do it in a very positive way and we really want to exude really positive and empowering pieces as well as just forwarding our jewelry aesthetic and really innovating in terms of where we want to be and inclusivity. We want to make sure that we really put thought into each and every piece so that when we wear our layers or our pieces whether they are worn by itself or together, and that’s from an aesthetic, there’s a cohesiveness that goes with it, a quality and a personalized view.

THE BUZZ

We really want to be able to continue to innovate in the whole, create your own space. We want to get to a much more immersive experience. We want to innovate on engaging with our audience and developing a tribe that really wants to be part of this whole family and that really has that empowerment!

@sequinjewelry

TARA CREATIVE VISIT SEQUIN

PHOTO COURTESY | SEQUIN

THE GOOD

The good thing is that we’re over here creating amazing content and amazing recipes, amazing innovations in the way that we are utilizing Omaha Steaks and the recipes – first and foremost being something that I really enjoy doing! Secondly, my cookbook this year was a whirlwind of different events, TV activations, different media type stuff, food and wine festivals promoting the book – so I’m looking to keep that going in the New Year. Fitness, I have been doing more cardio. I’m getting older, I just turned 40 – I’m trying to keep it lean, trim and tight! Those are some things that I’m really happy with and some great opportunities and am looking forward to innovating, exploring more in 2023 in the New Year!

THE ADD

EGGIN': David Rose Cooks on The Big Green Egg, came out last year and I’m in the process of brainstorming a children’s book. It kind of got away from me this year, but it is culinary adjacent. I don’t want to give away too much, but my love for food as a kid and my path to getting there. So that is something that I will jump into next year to make sure that that happens.

THE BUZZ

There’s a lot going on right now and a lot of it is in the beginning phases and it hasn’t really formed and fleshed out! But, I’m looking to make great content again with Omaha Steaks and Omaha recipes! There’s a couple of other campaigns and travel doc kind of stuff to do through social media as well! I will be returning back to the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular again in July! They have officially invited me back so you can see me there. Keep in touch on IG as there is going to be a lot going on!

BingelyBooks

While we learn about Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco, we also get to know about Biloxi and how this beach and resort town has another side that includes gambling, bootlegging, prostituion and more due to the Dixie Mafia!

True to John Grisham's classic twists and turns we'll get to see how this world comes together and how these men end up on different sides of the courtroom.

MUFFINS

Gibbs Smith Cyndi Duncan Georgie Patrick

There is nothing like a muffin to kick off the day, to have for brunch or even to have as a savory treat! We didn't realize the depth of what this treat could be until we got this cookbook! Muffins has over 70 recipes that are filled with fruits, fiber and vegetables and those that are meant to be paired with soups and salads.

THE BOYS FROM BILOXI

Doubleday John Grisham

We've been long time fans of John Grisham and in The Boys From Biloxi: A Legal Thriller, he returns to Mississippi to tell the story of 2 sons of immigrant familes who become friends, but end up leading very different lives.

We're excited about a few of the recipes that we saw as we flipped throgh the book which includes: Saucy Blueberry-Lemon, Raspberry Wine and Jalapeño-Corn. As you find the recipe that you want to make regardless of the season, you'll find substitutions for ingredients, baking method tips and other kitchen hacks that will assist you in making your creations whether for yourself or even as gifts for others.

FROM

Hardie Grant Fiona Weir Waimsley

Sometimes, you want to immerse yourself into a cooking experience that you have to create from start to finish! From Scratch is a curated series of recipes that is written simply and takes you from the beginning and necessary staples from over 200 recipes.

Recipes include those that utilize materials from the most basic of pantires to decadent items like cakes, dips, ferments and even drinks.

You'll even find an entirely new meaning when you realize that you can even make your own staples such as mayonnaise, yogurt, kimchi, mustard, ice cream, chai tea and so much more! The idea of being able to make these items

and to add your twist to it to make it your own will bring your kitchen to another level with a bit of time and continuing to master your skills. You'll find this cookbook to be fun, not preachy and you will be excited to see how many things that you will enjoy making from scratch.

BingelyStreaming

Outside of Emily's love life, we're excited to see one of the best friendships that we've seen in awhile with Mindy (Ashley Park) as we can't wait to see how she navigates the current season as we learn more about her life, family and embracing her singing career.

Of course, Emily was sent to Paris to work and we know that this has also been an interesting twist in her life as well with Sylvie's (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) resignation of Savoir and taking the staff with her to start her new agency, Emily is told that she can have a promotion if she goes back to Chicago with Madeline (Kate Walsh), but will she stay in Paris?

1923: A YELLOWSTONE ORIGIN STORY Paramount Network Paramount+

EMILY IN PARIS

Netflix Series Netflix

We were late to the Emily in Paris party; however, we watched both seasons last year and couldn't wait until the 3rd season which dropped on Dec 21st! We make our way back to Paris to catch up with Emily (Lily Collins) as we know that she was caught between Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) and Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), so it will be interesting to see what happens from the love triangle as there were major plot twists here!

We have been fans of Yellowstone and the worlds that it has started to introduce us to in terms of the Dutton family. In the flagship series, we see the modern day family navigating their way of life as well as modernity that continues to invade their ranch.

In 1893, we get to see how the original Duttons found a way to come to Yellowstone in this prequel. This month, 1923 releases weekly episodes that show us another portion of the family tree in how they continue to live and extend their legacy. We see them

as they navigate WW1, US industrialization and the Great Depression with Harrison Ford (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, The Fugitive) and Helen Mirren (Red, The Good Liar, The Queen) leading the cast!

THE HERON Realm Spotify

If you want to listen to a podcast where it looks at the darker side of sport and how one would do anything to advance, you'll be interested in listening to The Heron. We find ourselves at a sports boarding school where students train to be the best as they get ready to go the professional route.

We learn about a dispute between 2 students that causes one to be displaced and the other grappling with how they continue to advance with the pressures that they have on the

court, with their family and those who claim to assist them! This 6 part psychological thriller is one that you can enjoy in an afternoon for a proper binge!