TOI Magazine Dec/Jan Issue No.5 Pt.2

Winter Dec/Jan 2017 ISSUE NO.5

MAGAZINE

LEARN

let's throw punches with

Acro Yoga from

MAX & LIZ

"ANYONE CAN DO IT!!"

PROFESSIONAL BOXING COACH

& PRECISION BOXING FOUNDER

JT VAN V

EASY DRINKS FOR YOUR NEW YEARS COUNTDOWN

WITH

ANDREW GIZZIE

OF THE VIRAL STIR CRAZY COCKTAILS

WWW.BOUTIQUEOFTOI.COM

PT.2

3

ROCKETTES

WITH MEMOIRS OF PAIN, LOVE, AND REVELATION

A SPECIAL LOOK AT:

JESSICA JANSEN with photographer

SHIVANI SHARMA

AD SPACE NOW AVAILABLE. Companies, events, movies, etc. Our diversity serves all.

Contact services@boutiqueoftoi.com for any advertising inquiry.

We will provide you with efficient stats and assistance.

Winter's Tree Tree Winter's

I N G R E D I E N T S : 1 . 5 O Z

L O N D O N

D R Y

G I N 4 - 5 O Z

G I N G E R

1 - 2 O Z

F R E S H

G R A P E F R U I T 2

B E E R

D A S H E S

J U I C E

O F

C U C U M B E R / R O S E M A R Y B I T T E R S

Build cocktail over ice in tall glass, gently stir to mix ingredients. Garnish with sprig of Rosemary and slice of grapefruit.

T H E

H E A D

S T I R

E X E C U T I V E

C R A Z Y

G I Z Z I E ,

I S

B A R T E N D E R

A

S O C I A L D R I N K

A N

A N D R E W

G I Z Z I E ,

T O

B R I N G S E A C H

F O L L O W

M E D I A

I D E A S

T H E

V I R A L

A N D R E W

P R O F E S S I O N A L

W H O

P E R S O N A L I T Y C R E A T E S . Â

O F

C O C K T A I L S ,

F O R

F O R

S T I R

H I S

B R A N D

S O M E

A N Y

L I F E

A N D

B E V E R A G E O N

Q U I C K

O C C A S I O N !

C R A Z Y

H E

N O T I C E

F O R

B E V E R A G E S M A G A Z I N E .

T O

C O C K T A I L S

D R I N K .

A L L

A L C O H O L I C

D I S P L A Y E D Y O U

D R I N K

M U S T

I N B E

T H I S 2 1

O R

R E S P O N S I B L Y .

R E C I P E

O L D E R *

G U I D E

BELLE ANNÉE (BEAUTIFUL YEAR) I N G R E D I E N T S : 1 O Z

V O D K A

1 / 2 O Z 1 O Z 4 O Z 1

E L D E R F L O W E R

F R E S H

C L E M E N T I N E

S P A R K L I N G

D A S H

O F

G A R N I S H W H E E L

W I N E .

G I N G E R

W I T H

A N D

L I Q U E U R .

J U I C E

B I T T E R S .

C L E M E N T I N E

F R E S H

B A Y

L E A V E S !

Shake all ingredients with ice (except sparkling wine) strain into coupe glassware and top with bubbly. Garnish with clementine and add fresh bay leaves for a mint/oak aroma.

This is a great cocktail for social gatherings and bringing in the new year - elegant & memorable.

PARISIAN NIGHT I N G R E D I E N T S : 1 O Z

G R A N D

M A R N I E R

1 / 4 O Z

G A L L I A N O

5 - 8 O Z

C H O C O L A T E

L I Q U E U R C H A I

T E A

Serve warm in snifter glass with star Anise and slice of orange.

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ASHLEY ZACHARY

ESCHLER'S

LIFE OF DANCE

ABOUT ASHLEY

Master Classes/Choreography/Private Lessons & Coaching Pilates Classes // Barre Classes & Teacher Training Bookings: ashleydancefit@gmail.com

Born and raised in Indianapolis, IN Ashley was brought up in a family of very inspired and professional choreographers and dancers. She eventually carried that off into her own career and successfully made her passion known with performances from Kanye West's Dark Fantasy tour all the way to NFL videos/commercials all over the world. She also instructs ballet and barre classes to a nationally ranked ballet school in Arizona and so much more!

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I

remember the moment I knew I wanted to be a Rockette. My family had traveled to Nashville, TN to see my sister perform in The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. The show was at the Grand Old Opry. I was sitting in the audience, and the show had just started. The Rockettes took the

stage and were performing their sassy tap number, “12 Days of Christmas.” I told myself, “That's going to be me up there one day.” Several years later it was, and “12 Days of Christmas” was always one of my favorite numbers to perform!

I auditioned for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in Los Angeles, CA. At that time the company was holding auditions in NYC and LA, because they had multiple shows to cast i.e. Radio City Music Hall, Christmas Across America (CAA), and the Arena Tour.

This was my first audition right out of college. I had very little experience in the professional world, so it was extremely nerve racking. I wore my favorite hot pink leotard (to guarantee I would get noticed), tan fishnets, tan character heels, and my hair in a french twist (because I knew that's how the Rockettes styled their hair).

I think the most challenging part of my experience as a Rockette was the overwhelming amount of stress and fatigue that was put on my mind and body.The rehearsal process is exhausting. As I mentioned earlier, you learn an entire show in a month. This includes, choreography, staging, special entrances and exits, costume changes, and much more. I remember keeping a notebook to write down all of my staging and corrections, and would study it every night before bed. I was so stressed out about the new choreography and staging that I would literally rehearse in my sleep.

The best advice I can offer someone going through a similar situation, is to take care of yourself-mind, body, and spirit.

Stress and fatigue can take a major toll on you, both mentally and physically. It is so important to find ways to counteract this stress and fatigue. At the end of a long rehearsal or show day, find a way to calm your busy mind…meditate, use lavender or other essential oils, take a hot bath, read a book; do something to turn your brain off for a while, and get some sleep! Our mental health is extremely important, and a lot of times gets ignored. Taking care of yourself physically is imperative. At the end of the day make sure you stretch, roll out your muscles with a foam roller, ice, take advil, soak your

"Take care of yourself - mind, body, & spirit."

My goal was to walk into the audition already looking like a Rockette. I turned in my headshot and resume, and received my audition number. We started with a jazz combination, followed by tap, and eventually moved on to the infamous, “eye high kicks.” It was a very intense audition, followed by callbacks the next day. A few weeks later, I received a phone call offering me the job. Of course my answer was “Yes!,” and I was assigned to the CAA Pittsburgh/Seattle tour, where I was fortunate enough to dance in the same cast as my sister.

Rehearsals took place in Myrtle Beach, SC. We rehearsed 8 hours a day, 6 days a week, for 6 weeks. The rehearsal process was grueling-we learned an entire show in one month.

We opened in Pittsburgh, PA, followed by Seattle, WA. We worked 6 days a week, performing anywhere from 2 to 4 shows per day.

sore muscles in an epson salt bath. This may sound obvious, but after a four show day when you have done almost 1,200 kicks all you want is your bed! Take the time to take care of yourself and your body will thank you. When working a crazy schedule that is so mentally and physically demanding, it can be difficult to find time for YOU. Do the things that make your heart happy. Take advantage of your day off-go to the movies, bookstore, or shopping. If you love nature, get outdoors and enjoy the scenery. Make time for yourself! Finding balance in your chaotic schedules is key, and if you can achieve this balance, you will be mentally, physically, and spiritually stronger and able to endure whatever comes your way.

Although I faced several challenges, my time as a Radio City Rockette was truly spectacular! It was one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences of my life! @ashleydancefit Ashley Zachary Eschler Ashley Zachary Eschler

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recognize

Beauty in the

Struggle The Rockette Memoirs of LAURA

CASSELMAN

W

hen I was 3 years old, growing up in a one stoplight town, my mother showed me the Rockettes performing on television during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and I knew immediately that I wanted to be a Rockette. I declared it that day and spent my youth studying and practicing dance, At the age of 16 I was working professionally as a dancer and in 2005, I was hired to dance on the line ( of the Rockettes). It wasn't an easy path, but hard work has never deferred me. There's a beauty in setting a goal and working through your struggles to realize that goal.

B E G I N N I N G S

&

B A T T L E S

For me, I feel as if my entire life from 3 years old, when I first watched the Rockettes, was in preparation to become a Rockette. I was always in dance class learning, performing in a local dance group, or practicing. That being said, in 2004 I moved to NYC with the intention of never taking another professional dance job until I was hired as a Rockette. I took classes at STEPs on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, and also attended a Rockette Summer Camp specifically designed to teach the Rockette style. I worked out at the gym lifting daily- increasing my stamina and completing 100 kicks after every 3 mile run. One year later, after attending the intense 2-day audition at Radio City Music Hall, I received the phone call notifying me that I had an offer to join the line. I screamed in joy and cried tears of happiness for hours while calling my family to share the news.

Two of the hardest battles Laura has ever had to overcome in the ntire process and journey of being a Rockette were intense.

In 2004, I attended my first Rockette audition. Upon arrival, women auditioning turn in their Pg.22 www.boutiqueoftoi.com

application, headshot and resume, and are then measured for height range from 5'5 1/2" to the current 5'6.

Upon measuring my height, I was informed that I was not tall enough and could not audition. I was devastated. I left the audition not knowing what I would do, but understanding giving up wasn't in my DNA. I spent the next year working pilates into my workout routine and learning how to hold my body with better posture to reach that additional 1/2". Of course there's also an urban legend about a lady who stuffed her tights in order to make the height requirement...

Also, ( her second hardest battle of being a Rockette) in my second year performing with the Rockettes, I dislocated my pubic joint during the fall choreographed into the Parade of the Wooden Soliders.< I was at the end ofthe line during that fall> I did not miss any performances while recovering from that injury and attending physical therapy twice per day, but I was in incredible amounts of pain.

The ladies in my cast were awesome, constantly making me laugh while I was sitting back stage with huge ice packs in between shows and that's why the comradery of the Rockettes is so well known - it's a group of incredibly talented, professional, kind, and lucky for me - funny, women!

Here is some advice for anyone who feels that relate to Laura in at least one significant way. "Work for it and work through it! Take time to recognize the beauty in the struggle. While it's nice for things to be very easy every once in a while, nothing can replace the feeling of achievement when you actually work hard for your successes in life. No one owes any of us anything - but for those of us who live in a country where we are fortunate enough to be able to choose our path in life (the career we wish to pursue), our advantage is already there, so be willing to put in the work and effort for the rest of the dream. Injuries happen, especially in physical and

athletic jobs. Be smart about your injuries, listen to your doctors and therapists (you'll thank them later in life when you're still walking). but understand that once you're given the green light, as in the injury won't get worse, it's just going to hurt until it heals, then learn to manage the mental aspect of it. Mind over matter is a necessary choice once the doctor gives you the green light."

@LAURACASSELMAN1 Laura Casselman is now the CEO of BBC Systems, Inc. dba JVZoo.com which has received an Inc. 5000 Award in both 2016 and 2017 for Fastest Growing Companies in America. Casselman is a recent recipient of a Stevie Award for Women in Business - Executive for 2017. JVZoo has over 500,000 users, 4 million customer and has processed over $400M in the last six years. " My careers have always dominated my time, but I pursue what I'm passionate about - I truly love what I do."

Casselman's company holds the reputation of being the "white hat" of the Internet Marketing and Affiliate Network Industry ( Entrepreneur, July 2017). " Integrity in business (well, in life) matter greatly to me."

LIFE OF RESILIENCE WWW.ALICIAASSAD.COM

BY ALICIA ASSAD @ALICIAASSADWRITES

PHOTOGRAPHER: JLM JENNIFER LORE MULLER PHOTOGRPHY WWW.PHOTOSBYJLM.COM

Many know Alicia Assad as the woman who uplifts them in their lowest points of motherhood and life in general. She is a strong, courageous woman whose words tend to wrap around the hearts of those who indulge in her writings. In her own words, she explains her life with the many hats she's worn and how that has impacted her. " On paper, I am a former Miss New Jersey and Radio City Rockette. I earned my Health Coach Certification (HC) from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and the Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) at the University of Pennsylvania. But in person I will tell you I am a recovering perfectionist and mom of four who is

following her calling to be a storyteller. My words organically emerged at my son’s bedside in a burn unit and since then, I’ve been weaving my studies of holistic health and positive psychology into my writing on resilience and motherhood.

As a speaker and a coach, I am dedicated to teaching my holistic approach to resilience,As a speaker and a coach, I am dedicated to teaching my holistic approach to resilience, because I believe we can not only survive, but we can thrive in life and motherhood. "

Toi Magazine: What made you want to pursue the career of being a Rockette?

Alicia Assad: I was a little girl from a small town in New Jersey who loved to dance and had a big dream of kicking eye-high at Radio City Music Hall. With the thought, Why not me?, my dream was born.

Mrs.Assad's journey towards the pursue of becoming a Rockette was not the smoothest journey. After many failed attempts, year after year of being turned down, falling during her audition ( Alicia said, she was "mortified but with an attitude of persistence she kept dancing immediately.) she finally became a Radio City Rockette.

THE FINAL REFLECTION

"By the end of my first season as a Rockette, I came to the hard realization that while dancing professionally was my lifelong dream, it wasn’t a career I could sustain with well-being. I’ll never forget when the curtain closed for the last time signaling the two-month run of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular had come to its end. I walked off stage and out of the warmth of the lights. Suddenly chilled, I handed my costume to wardrobe and washed the heavy stage makeup off my face. Gone were the rhinestones, false eyelashes and bright red lipstick that masked my unhappiness. I peered at my reflection in the mirror that was lined with the bright light bulbs indicating the dressing station of a true performer. As I peeled the photos of friends and family off my dressing mirror, I wondered if they would still love me without such exciting achievements to share.

As hard as it was to make it into the line of iconic Rockettes, it was even harder to say, “I’m not happy” and walk away from my dream of performing for the sake of well-being.

I moved through that difficult time by looking forward with hope and optimism trusting that by following my instincts, and doing what was right for ME (not everyone else in my life), I would find my calling and happiness."

Toi Magazine: How has being a Rockette has influenced your life now?

There are countless lessons I am grateful for, but lately, I find myself reflecting on my journey to become a Rockette, because I have a big new dream in my heart. I am carving out a career as a writer and hope to have a best-selling book one day. There are many days this feels like an impossible goal, so it helps to think back to the girl I once was pursuing the seemingly impossible goal of becoming a Rockette.

I believe every experience in life carries important lessons, and while dancing professionally was not destined to be my career, it is an experience I still draw from. Daily, I remind myself I must think, Why not me?, because those are the thoughts that ignited my Rockette dream many years ago.

Having already accomplished a dream, I know exactly how to go about making it happen again. I tell self-doubt to take a hike, and then I get back to working relentlessly at making this dream come to fruition.

But remember my first day back in rehearsals – how nervous I was.

I was frightened that I wouldn’t be able to dance again or pick up the steps. I was plagued by self-doubt, and froze up for a moment at the thought: You cannot do this. You aren’t good enough. You are too old. You don’t belong.

But the older, more resilient version of myself recognized this negative self-talk that would have undermined my experience. I immediately told myself: “Just try. Keep trying. You don’t have to do it perfectly today. You can go home and practice!”

I made my way through that first rehearsal dancing “good enough” and went home to work my butt off. What was great about this, is my kids saw me working hard to learn the choreography. My oldest daughter would play the video for me and rewind it each time I messed up. She saw my progression and was there to see me perform. I hope this she remembers not only my exciting performance, but the work I put into making it back on stage."

ALICIA ASSAD BACKSTAGE ROCKETTE PHOTO AT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL CIRCA 2005

DOUBT LOSES

"Interestingly enough, I recently returned to dance in a line of Rockettes after 11 years (and having four kids!). ( Read Alicia's experience on that on her webiste www.aliciaassad.com and search for "How To Thrive In The Shit" ALICIA'S RETURN DANCE AFTER 11 YEARS AND 4 CHILDREN!!

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PHOTGRAPHER: JLM PHOTOGRAPHY ALICIA ASSAD AND HER 4 CHILDREN

RESILIENCE & MOTHERHOOD

"I was no stranger to the epidemic of perfection that is sucking the joy out of motherhood these days. I became a mom at the tail end of my transition out of performing after having studied holistic nutrition and positive psychology. Needless to say, I set the goal of being the most natural and happy mom ever which I credit for my crash into motherhood.

This article touches on the process of letting go in early motherhood and how setting healthy and realistic goals is what now sustains me: http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/words-pediatrician-toldchanged/story?id=44186697 That being said, “letting go” and “embracing imperfection” in motherhood is tricky, because maternal instinct urges us to be and do more constantly. We are afraid of failing largely, because we fear it will hurt our kids.

I wish my crash into early motherhood was my only “failure” but it was the first of many. Looking back, I see how becoming a mom has been an eternal process of surrender. The journey has NOT unfolded the way I anticipated and on my best day, I am imperfect.

I often say, “In motherhood there is no clear way to define success and a million ways to fail. But therein lies a million opportunities to gain resilience and grow.”

These words are inspired by my worst day in motherhood where my toddler son suffered a life threatening burn injury. My eBook, On Resilience and Motherhood: A Journey from Fear to Strength talks about how I recovered from a failure so big a social worker insinuated I was a bad mom. For me, that was rock bottom. How do you go from striving to be perfect to recovering from that?

If you are curious to know how I am thriving in the aftermath of an adversity like this, subscribe to my website to download my FREE eBook.

The story of how I survived my worst day in motherhood will introduce you to the theories I have studied and give you an idea of how I believe the science of happiness applies to the trenches motherhood.

My writing draws upon current social and psychological research to explain HOW we can thrive BECAUSE OF what happens on our motherhood journey.

In the meantime, you can peruse my blog for more information about my holistic approach to resilience and find some concrete tools under my Free Resilience Resources Tab. Then, catch a glimpse of what my resilient lifestyle looks like on Instagram, or follow me on Facebook: @AliciaAssadWrites Be sure to visit Alicia Assad's webiste, www.aliciasssad.com for even more in-depth encouragement for mothers and those who strive for resilience.

PHOTOGRAPHER: JLM JENNIFER LORE MULLER PHOTOGRPHY WWW.PHOTOSBYJLM.COM

Former martial artist and amateur boxer now turned international boxing coach. JT Van V trains fighters and hobbyist boxers to complete their passions with delicacy. He is of course also the Founder of the Youtube channel Precision Boxing which has approximately 272,000 Subscribers and is consistently growing every minute.

@precisionboxing www.precisionstriking.com

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SHORT BOXING WORKOUT for

ers n n i beg

3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5 minutes Skipping Rope or Light Jogging on the spot 3 sets of 20 reps Alternating Toe Touches (touching the left foot and right foot equals 1 rep) 10 minutes Punch Combinations and Moving in between combinations (make sure to play your favorite music) 50-100 push-ups in sets of 10 60-100 crunches or bicycle kicks in sets of 20

JT VAN V

TOI Magazine: What made you want to pursue your career in boxing?

How did you personally get started?

JT Van V: I started off in martial arts as a way to avoid high school bullying and to protect myself in the event of a street confrontation. However, I felt that the type of martial arts I was doing at the time didn’t give me the results that I needed. I switched to boxing and immediately fell in love with the realism, intensity and focus on conditioning. Soon I developed a whole new level of self-respect and confidence which carried out into all my actions. I felt a sense of calm and inner peace I had never felt before. Boxing became a way for me to realize my full potential mentally due to commitment, focus and discipline; and physically due to the demands of the sport.

This sense of inner calm, happiness and focus made self-defense a non-issue. I think people could sense that I wasn’t a worthy target.

TOI Magazine: Why is boxing such a beneficial sport for not only professionals, but people with everyday lifestyles?

JT Van V: The best thing about boxing is that it engages you mentally on a number of levels. Every technique has a purpose, and multiple techniques are linked together to achieve an objective. So when you are boxing, you are not just simply burning calories or working on aesthetics, you are putting movements together with a purpose and getting in shape at the same time.

With boxing you are not just limited by the

workout, you can use your imagination and creativity to make it new and interesting every time, and there are a number of different bags and tools to help. The speed bag, the double-end bag, the focus pads, shadow boxing, the heavy bag, the slip line, and partner drills all make the sport a lot of fun.

Every workout can have a different focus. You can float like a butterfly one workout and sting like a bee the .

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next. Imagination and mental engagement make the sport so much fun, even if you are just training on your own. The only thing I enjoy almost as much as boxing is dancing TOI Magazine: How does one get started in boxing? Is equipment or a boxing gym needed?

JT Van V: Boxing can be as simple as practicing techniques in front of your television/laptop in your living

room with no equipment, all the way up to training at a competitive gym under a certified coach. My advice is to follow your heart and your initial motivation, let your desire guide you. Some people need to start slow, the easiest way to do that is to check out some Youtube boxing workouts andBlog: just www.theverythinghousewife.com practice while watching.

The next level would be to get a heavy bag, wraps and gloves and either practice on a bag at home or at

a local commercial gym. If you are very ambitious then find a gym near you that offers a boxing program and take a trial class. You don’t have to do everything at once. Follow what your heart desires and build up one step at a time.

TOI Magazine: What exercises or workouts do you recommend to get a beginner familiar with basic boxing techniques?

JT Van V: Boxing is essentially throwing punches, avoiding punches with defense, and moving your feet in between. My recommendation is to do one of two things: 1) Watch some tutorials online and practice the techniques by themselves. Once you are comfortable with the basic techniques of the jab, cross and hook along with moving forward, backward, and side to side, then start to combine them in a little 10 minute shadowboxing workout. Throw a 2-3 punch combination and then move to a new spot a couple feet away. Throw 2-3 more punches and then move again.

Repeat this for a duration of 10 minutes.

2) You could also find a trainer and take a couple private lessons just to get you up to speed. This is the approach I took when I started. I wanted to learn quickly so I could practice on my own. It is an initial investment but pays off quickly because once you have the basic knowledge it’s much easier to move to more advanced techniques and combos. Once you learn the techniques and basic combinations they are yours to keep, you can take that knowledge and use it anywhere.

TOI Magazine: What would you say to someone who is debating on pursuing boxing due to a lack of motivation?

Boxing is great because you can train at the intensity and complexity you choose on any given day. You can keep things very simple and just feel the results of a great sweat, or you can work through something more complex such as hitting and ducking to the left or right and then coming back quickly to hit again. The beauty of boxing is that you can adjust it to match your motivation levels. You can train light and simple on a low energy day or intense and more complex on a day where your energy

is sky high. Unlike running, skipping, cycling, and weight training where it’s common to pressure yourself to constantly improve.

If you ever need a little boost for energy or a boxing workout, checkout JT Van V's Youtube channel for boxing simulation workouts that are SO close to the real thing!! He has even provided a short workout for those who are considering boxing and even for those who need a quick boost during the day. try it out and Blog: www.theverythinghousewife.com tell him how it went for you!!