Athleisure Mag #61 Jan 2021 | NEW YEAR, N3W YOU

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

PRO BEACH VOLLEYBALL SILVER + BRONZE TEAM USA OLYMPIC BEACH VOLLEYBALL

THE GOOD

Being able to compete at the AVP Championship Series in July, the only competition we had in 2020, and on top of that, winning the Series! It was a very quick ramp up with a condensed competition schedule, so I was very grateful to have KT Tape to keep me healthy throughout! I also got to spend a lot of time with my niece and nephew and visit them in the summer in Montana for the first time ever, which was wonderful.

THE ADD

I started writing an ebook, my goal was to have it mostly done by the end of 2020, but I’m still working on it. Now my goal is to release it before the Tokyo Olympics.

THE BUZZ

Well, along with the Olympics in July, I’ve decided to remodel my house! So I’ll probably have lots of fun updates on my Instagram and Facebook stories if you want to follow along. We’re currently waiting on a confirmed beach volleyball schedule for the year, but I’ll share that as soon as I hear as well, just hoping for more than last year!

IG @AprilRossBeach

PHOTOS COURTESY | KT TAPE

BRAVO REAL HOUSEWIVES OF DALLAS CEO ULTIMATE LIVING

THE GOOD

My skincare line, Hard Night Good Morning and my nutrition line Ultimate Living, really grew due to people watching my Instagram and Facebook Live videos that highlighted a particular product each week during lockdown/ quarantine that started in the Spring of 2020. People understood that I was not only just a face attached to a product, but also an owner who’s passionate and knowledgeable about her companies and their products.

I spent a lot of time going within and centering through meditation. I found answers within by working with my Shaman and friend, Darrin Davis, who you will see on BRAVO's Real Housewives of Dallas. I really wanted to explore my feminine, compassionate side and I’m a work in progress…but at least I’m working on me!

I reached out to family members that were estranged for many years, and that journey will unfold on this season of RHOD. I am proud of myself for making the effort.

THE ADD

I had to cancel a big trunk show tour we had planned with Dillard’s due to COVID-19. I am hoping we can reschedule this when the vaccination plan has been executed, and I may start to make more personal appearances.

THE BUZZ

We have 2 new products in the Ultimate Living nutrition line. LKB, which is a cleanse for the liver, kidneys and bladder that everyone needs after 2020! And a Brain Balance formula, which is so very important after experiencing coronavirus. People are reaching out to us who have had side effects of memory loss and cognitive decline because of COVID-19. This product has been formulated with natural ingredients that are proven to support cognitive/memory function. It is extremely helpful for these type of issues and for people with anxiety, ADD and ADHD. It is an astounding product! We have also added CBD to our Miracle Pain Cream. I cannot wait to launch this new product as it is more effective! Last, we are working on some new products in my skin care line, Hard Night Good Morning, and we will start the process of being certified in the EU this year. We have so many customers that reach out to us from other countries and I am very excited to be able to offer the skin care line to them hopefully later this year.

I am excited about sharing more of my love of cooking online. I was working on a YouTube cooking show, but it was sidelined due to my ankle replacement surgery. I am excited to pick that back up in a few months. In the meantime, I will continue to create unique recipes and share them online with my followers. It is hard to cook standing on one leg, but I am sure I can make it work! All in good time! Everything works out the way it should. I really believe that!

IG @DAndraSimmons

@UltimateLivingD

@HardNightGoodMorning

PHOTOS COURTESY | D'Andra Simmons

CELEB CHEF + RESTAURATEUR ENTREPRENEUR TV HOST + PERSONALITY

THE GOOD

Personally, COVID forced our family to come together for almost 3 months. It’s one of the most special times we’ll ever have had, spending almost 3 months quarantined together, my boys, my wife and I. Though it’s a horrible reason to have gotten the time together, without COVID, we would never have been able to have three months together, it was truly a blessing in disguise and I absolutely treasure it. I did five times more home cooking than I’ve ever done in my entire life. My wife, Polly even started her own sourdough starter, Bob, though now deceased (I may be responsible for his untimely death) during COVID, which she really enjoyed, and she remains to have clean scans today which we are so grateful for.

Professionally, one month before COVID became a world pandemic, I founded MingsBings, which has been a dream of mine for many years. I fully got to focus on only MingsBings and proudly 9 months later we made our first online sale, which I never could have done if my restaurant were open. Plus, my Blue Dragon team and I were incredibly proud to have been able to serve thousands of meals with the Lee Initiative.

THE ADD

We did not get to shoot Simply Ming season 18 last June. I’m totally psyched to be able to announce we will be shooting that we are filming next month in a 2-medium format - we’ll be livestreaming on my Facebook and then later you’ll be able to view episodes on PBS and Create. Simply Ming @ Home will be so much fun and you’ll even see one of my boys join me here and there, I’m really looking forward to this season.

THE BUZZ

I’m really excited about starting to film Season 18 of Simply Ming. I’m excited to continue teaching through virtual events where I send food to people’s homes which has been a lot of fun. Finally, I’m so psyched to see MingsBings continue to grow with new flavors. It is truly my pivot and I loved every part of the process.

IG @MingTsai

@SimplyMingTV

@MingsBings

PHOTOS COURTESY | Chef Ming Tsai

FOUNDER OLEHENRIKSEN COSMETICIAN, AUTHOR TV PERSONALITY

THE GOOD

As the founder of the OleHenriksen skincare brand, I have a background of being in the spa industry for many years. I was hands on with a number of people from Naomi Campbell, Madonna, Mark Wahlberg to David Bowie, Iman, Diana Ross, Prince – you name it! I love to take that experience into the bathroom and I want every woman and man who treats themselves at home to have that beautiful textural experience when you look in the mirror!

The products this past year have won over 20 international awards. Last year, I was thrilled to see the Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum become a global hit and a bestseller to this day! As a pioneer of Vitamin C decades ago before anyone else in the business, this gave me a lot of joy! For me, what’s great in life is that everything is collaborative. I work with some of the most brilliant men and women around the world.

I traveled non-stop around the world last year sharing the Ole Philosophy before we closed down due to the pandemic. I was in the Middle East for a week and hit all of the countries there, I went to Russia for a week and was in France. I was also focused on healthful living whether it’s eating a balanced diet or being creative in the kitchen. Something that we have had the chance to do because of the pandemic and being in lockdown is to eat at home. We can’t go out like we used to in most parts of the world and then of course fitness – finding what speaks to you – your health is your wealth. Your magazine focuses so much on that, it empowers you! I'm turning 70 this year and I can do 300 pushups a day and I can still shake my booty and I'm not going to stop because endoprhins trigger your brain!

I would say that last year, there was a dark cloud hanging over the US because of things taking place in Washington.

What saddened me and made my heart cry is that what we saw with Black Lives Matter is how tragic it is with the racism that exists to this very day in America. We have come far and we have not come far. I’m very excited about the Inauguration because we kept our spirits high because that is the spirit of America. I do know that President Joe Biden and Madame Vice President Kamala Harris will unite Americans. It will be a bit of slow healing; however, there are enough good people out there.

THE ADD

I am cleaning out all of my business paperwork that goes back to when we started in 1975! I’m going through the archives, the photos, the PR and I am eliminating and organizing the cabinets everyday in my spare time. It gives me a bit of lightness and you have a bit of an overview! I am also turning 70 this year so I look forward to throwing a big bash once we can do so safely!

Family is everything! It’s going to be a year that we’re going to catch up a bit more. Last year was about keeping our distance and wearing masks and we’re still going to do that to stay safe. I look forward to the parties that we couldn’t have and to be able to see our families and friends as the vaccines will become available.

THE BUZZ

We have 3 more product launches for this year that I can't talk about just yet, but we will do launches around them under our Ole Glow Camps. We have done them for the past 5 years at a number of destinations. Our next one will be in late Spring in Capri which was the inspiration for our Lemonade products!

IG @OleHenriksen

PHOTO COURTESY | Ole Henriksen

PRO SNOWBOARDER 2 X GOLD + SILVER TEAM USA OLYMPIC SNOWBOARDER

THE GOOD

Light being shined on racism and what’s still happening in our world. Hopefully good is coming from all the chaos of the last year... I think the “pause” and time at home was actually really good for myself and hopefully other people to ground themselves and realize what’s important to them. Maybe the hustle and chaos of our old reality can shift. More people grew gardens and harvested organic food! As sad and scary as last year was, I think there was still a lot of good...

THE ADD

I’m not so worried about my personal goals at this time as I feel there are bigger issues. A simple goal is to be more kind, more loving, more understanding and help spread love in what sometimes can feel like a dark world...

THE BUZZ

A new snowboard event called “Natural Selection” and I’ll be filming in the back country, and doing more charity events with “the Jamie Anderson Foundation” to get kids into sports and live a healthy and active lifestyle!

IG @JamieAnderson

PHOTO CREDIT | 2021 Laax Open at Laax Resort in Switzerland where Jamie won/Dasha Nosova