ATHLEISURE MAG #66 JUN 2021

ISSUE #66

PHOTO CREDIT | UNSPLASH/SHENGGENG LIN

@AthleisureMag

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PUBLISHER Paul Farkas

EDITORIAL Kimmie Smith

Co-Founder, Creative + Style Director

Paul Farkas

Co-Founder, Artistic Director + Tech Director

FASHION CONTRIBUTIONS PHOTOGRAPHER | JessiCa Nash |

ADVERTISING

info@athleisuremag.com

@ATHLEISUREMAG CONNECT + VISIT

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EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Paul Farkas | Kimmie Smith

HOST Kimmie Smith

MIXING Athleisure Studio Team

ATHLEISURE STUDIO PODCAST NETWORK SHOWS #TRIBEGOALS | ATHLEISURE KITCHEN | BUNGALOW SK | THE ROAD TO TOKYO 2020

LISTEN ON APPLE PODCAST | IHEARTRADIO | SPOTIFY | GOOGLE PODCAST | HIMALAYA | STITCHER | CASTBOX | ACAST | SOUNDCLOUD | AMAZON MUSIC |

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table of contents

issue #66 jun 2021

STYLE FEATURES

51

9DRIP - RIOT TEN

63

THE PICK ME UP

88

IN OUR BAG

A Wild Ride with Heimana Reynolds

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We talk with this month’s cover, World Champion skateboarder who will debut his sport at the Summer Games in Tokyo 2020. We talk about his passion and career.

BEAUTY FEATURES

112

LIME BEAUTY

121

ATHLEISURE BEAUTY

In Studio with Don Brooks

38

We catch up with Don Brooks to talk about his work in the NFL, his focus in the fitness industry along with his brand, Don-A-Matrix. He also talks about training the Kardashians, workouts that we can do and more.

Harley Pasternak 56 LIFESTYLE FEATURES

82

ATHLEISURE LIST CRYSTAL SPRINGS RESORT

84

ATHLEISURE LIST BIRCH AQUARIUM

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We talk with celebrity fitness trainer, Harley Pasternak about hydration.

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Course Bound

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Executive Dir. of THE NORTHERN TRUST, Julie Tyson talks about the tournament.

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92

9PLAYLIST 9MIX | 9ACOUSTIC TM OMI

This month’s 9PLAYLIST 9MIX | 9ACOUSTIC performance comes from OMI.

Get Vaccinated, 134 Act Unvaccinated We talk with Dr. Dorry Segev about the efficacy of the COVID vaccine series for organ transplant and immunocompromised patients.

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Athleisure Studio

Listen to Athleisure Mag’s podcast network Athleisure Studio on Apple Podcast, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you enjoy listening.

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In the Zone RIOT TEN

122

9LIST STORI3S TM Sarah Potempa

171

We talk with EDM’s RIOT TEN about his passion for music, how he got into the industry, hitting the road for his tour and his upcoming album.

This month we chat with celebrity hair stylist and founder of Beachwaver, Sarah Potempa who provides us with her 9 must-haves.

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A WILD RIDE HEIMANA REYNOLDS

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Next month the Summer Olympics will take place in Tokyo. While we look forward to seeing a number of our favorites in Track & Field, Swimming and Volleyball, there are a number of sports that will make their debut and skateboarding is one of them!

We're excited to catch up with an athlete who has been at the top of his sport for the past couple of years and is an advocate for skateboarding and its community.

Heimana Reynolds has showcased his style and creativity at a number of World Championships, X Games and will now take the world's biggest stage in just a few weeks representing Team USA Skateboarding.

AM: When did you realize you wanted to be an athlete and be a professional skateboarder?

HR: I remember the day that I realized that this was something that I want to be able to do. My very first contest my dad took me to was in California, it’s this contest for all 12 and under skateboarders. He took me out there and I got to meet so many people, I got to compete for the first time and I actually did well for myself even though it was the beginners division! And I actually won a few divisions! I thought, “woah this is cool, this is awesome and We caught up with this Hawaiian native I want to be able to do this for the rest who calls San Diego, CA his home to find of my life!” And hopefully I can! So far out how he got into skateboarding, going so good you know? pro, the Olympic Trials and the power of recognition.

AM: You have won so many things from World Championships to being at the X ATHLEISURE MAG: When we grew up in Games and all of these different events. the 80’s and 90’s, we remember that after What has that journey been like for school, even though we didn’t skateboard, you? but we had friends that did. You could see how fun it was. Living here in NY, you see HR: Oh my gosh, it’s been amazing! All I it all the time from a transportation per- can say is that I’m so blessed to be able spective or just people being out having a to travel the world and to meet all of good time! How were you introduced to these amazing people and get to do all the sport? of this because of skateboarding. Who would have ever thought that I could HEIMANA REYNOLDS: Well, I’m born and be traveling the world, I could be comraised in Hawaii right? I mean, my state is peting, I could be winning, I could be known as the surfing capital of the world! making money off of this wooden toy Originally, my dad he was born and raised with wheels? You know what I mean? as the board sports rider from surfing, This journey has really been amazing skating and snowboard riding when he and it’s not done yet! I mean, I’m super could. At first, at a young age, he intro- excited for Tokyo and it’s going to be duced me to surfing. From there, I was the most amazing thing ever. very young like 4 or 5 years old and at that age, there are so many variables that have AM: That is going to be insane! I know to do with surfing – it’s cold, it’s windy, it’s you were talking about growing up in this and that. So I didn’t fall in love with Hawaii and you live in California now in it at that age. When I was 6 or 7, my dad San Diego, what’s the skating scene or was like, “ok what’s the next best thing? community like in terms of similarities Skateboarding. Let’s try this." He intro- and differences between where you duced me to skateboarding and I just fell grew up and where you are now? in love with it. He would take me all day, everyday, after school, before school and HR: Honestly, there are so many simiweekends! It was just history from there larities and differences. Growing up in you know?

Hawaii, I mean the similarities – well the reason why I moved to San Diego

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is that pretty much it’s the closest thing that’s like being in Hawaii without being in Hawaii. I’m able to still surf and skate every single day. I moved out here mainly because of the skate park and the skate scene out here you know? The cool thing about being out here is that you can stand in a certain area like my house let’s say and point in any direction and I can tell you where the skate park is. I think that is the coolest thing ever because there’s so many skate parks and not only is it about the quantity of skate parks but the quality of skate parks that are out here! Compared to Hawaii, it’s off the charts! Being out here and being able to skate, be at all of these different parks, being able to be out at the entire skateboarding scene out here is honestly the best thing for my skate career.

AM: That’s awesome! What’s an average day like for you when you’re training or doing your tricks? How many hours are you actually on your skateboard?

HR: Haha! Well a normal training day for me would of course be waking up at about 7:15/7:30am, getting out of bed, getting my day started and going straight to the NAKOA Gym where I meet with my personal trainer, Brandon Glade. We run through a bunch of – not so much body building exercises but building muscle around my joints to prevent injuries. So we do all of those exercises for about an hour. I go home and I get a nice breakfast in me and I go straight to the California Training Facility which is the Olympic Skatepark for us. I go there and my first session will be about usually 3-4 hours just running tricks that I want to work on, trying to learn tricks and hone in on tricks that need work on and I grab some lunch after. Then I go back to the skate park and then I run lines to get my stamina up, to do the tricks that I learned earlier that day or those that I need to work on. Just kind of running my legs together so that’s another 3-4 more hours!

AM: That is definitely a lot! What are the specific workouts that you do to optimize

you in your sport as I know you’re focused on building the muscle around joints? Do you have go-to’s that you do?

HR: We’re always changing up a lot of stuff. We do stamina work, we do cardio, we do a lot of agility stuff, landing hard and trying not to land hard on your bones!

Also doing lightweight stuff. I don’t know the exact names for everything, but my trainer, he’s awesome! He’s the best in the business in my eyes.

AM: Prior to COVID-19, what was your year like in terms of your competitions just to give people an idea of what your schedule was like and how much you traveled?

HR: Oh my gosh! It was never a dull moment to say the least haha! There was honestly a time before COVID where there was a contest between where it was pretty much every weekend or every other weekend. We were able to travel to China, Brazil and all of these crazy countries and multiple times in that same year! I’d just bring my skateboard along and just kind of go with it. It was so amazing to be able to feel out all of those different cultures and just competing on those weekends.

Oh my gosh it was amazing and so much fun. It was definitely strenuous but it was definitely a super amazing ride.

AM: Did you find, because we have been interviewing a number of athletes, that during this time before things started opening up again that in order to keep training and working out, that you had to do weird modifying situations to still stay healthy and on track for what you wanted to be able to do? We talked with Ryan Murphy a few months back and he was pushing his SUV up a hill because he couldn’t get to a gym haha!

HR: Haha yeah! During COVID, it was a crazy time especially being a park skater where you have all these ramps and big concrete – all the skate parks were closed you know? So it was really hard for me to be able to motivate myself. It was really funny, I had to do a lot of my sessions

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where I was in my living room and literally skating my coffee table and doing tricks off my coffee table and stuff like that! It got down to the point where I had a bunch of cases of Vitamin Water and I literally set them up and I was grinding on them and going over them – it was actually pretty funny!

It was actually a really cool experience to be able to not have to worry about the stress of events and training but to actually fall in love with my skateboard again, you know? It reminded me of when I was 8 years old and I would skate in my driveway for hours on end and just like having fun with literally nothing. I thought it was a really cool experience.

AM: Do you have go-to movements or signature movements that you do when you’re skateboarding?

HR: I do. I have a couple. My main trick that I’m kind of “known” for is called a Frontside Invert and it’s where you go front side up to the coping and you kind of plant your hand on the coping and you kind of do a one handed handstand while holding your board and then bring it back in. That’s one of my favorite tricks and I try to do that in every contest. It’s a super fun one!

AM: It looks awesome and you were in our 9PLAYLIST feature last month and we have that shot as the background of your playlist. That shot looks amazing and it’s impressive, but it must be so hard to be able to do that! Not for you obviously!

HR: It’s a lot of falling down and a lot of getting back up to learn it and to perfect it, you know?

AM: Exactly! What was the Olympic Trial process like and how many events did you have to do to qualify?

HR: The Olympic process was a cool experience, but also there are a lot of similarities and differences compared to contests that we’re used to! There’s a whole new

thing with the point system and trying to get as many points as you can because it’s the Olympics and everybody wants to get to it. There are only 3 spots for Team USA, you know? So, we had 3 main events in 2019 and then we had 2 more in 2020 until the postponement and then we had another 2 this year. In 2019, at the first event, I was able to make finals but got 6th place, the next 2 were a Pro Tour event and then the World Championships and I was lucky enough to make the runs that I needed and win those 2 events which really boosted my score a lot leading into 2020 and 2021. Unfortunately, the most recent 2 events, I battled a knee injury and had to pull out of those events, but luckily for me, I had enough points to stay in the top spot and make it to the Games.

AM: Which is amazing! Once again thinking back to growing up seeing our friends skateboard back in the 80’s and 90’s, we couldn’t have imagined that it would be a sport at the Summer Games! How important do you think that this is for the visibility of the sport and then you being a part of the debut of that?

HR: Honestly, just hearing you ask me that question just gave me the chills you know what I mean? The shivers went through my spine because it’s such an amazing thing.

First, it’s amazing for the sport to be at the Olympics and I have always thought that it deserved the recognition and that it should be considered a real sport to be at the Olympics. For me to be able to actually compete in the debut of the sport means the world to me. Skateboarding is my entire world. It’s all I’ve ever known and it’s all I ever do. It’s what I’m so passionate about and to be able to make history with skateboarding means so much to me and I’m so honored and blessed to be able to say that I will be in the debut of skateboarding for the Olympics.

AM: It’s so amazing and what are you looking forward to at the Games and what does your schedule look like leading up to heading to Tokyo?

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HR: Oh my God – I mean I honestly don’t even know what to expect. I know that there are a lot of guidelines and stuff like that, but I’m really going to be there for the ride and the experience and kind of just making the memories of a lifetime out there!

Leading up to the Games, I am definitely training as much as I can without being injured. I’m just trying to keep my mind and my body healthy. I’m trying to keep my legs warm and I know that there are tricks that I want to be able to do before the Games so I’m honing in on those and not trying to get too crazy learning anything more before the Games. I have my tricks that I want to do and my lines that I want to run and pretty much, just trying to stay healthy and reviewing the park layout and getting ready!

AM: For Olympic Skateboarding, the events are broken out between street style and park style. Can you share the difference between these events?

HR: Of course. When you talk about street skating, automatically you think about the street. You’re skating on the street, but it has a lot to do with what you see around town. Street skaters will be skating stairs, handrails and jumping off of things like that. In park skating, you’re going to see more of ramp style where you see quarter pipes, half pipes, coping and long grinds and it will be really fast and high airs.

AM: In looking at competing in park, can you break down from an Olympic standpoint – how do you accrue points, what are judges looking for? So when we’re cheering you on, we can understand how you’re being scored?

HR: When you’re skating in park, one of the coolest things about park and skateboarding in general is the creativity aspect behind it. So, a lot of the judges are looking for the speed that you’re going at and how fast you’re going, how many tricks they can pull together in their 45 second run, how high their airs are and stuff like

that. But it also goes into the creativity aspect. If you’re watching a skate contest, you will never see someone do the same run as another skater. That is the coolest thing because it brings the individuality out of the sport. A lot of the judges are looking for high airs, long grinds, going fast, how many difficult tricks you can pull without falling and the creative aspect of how unique your line was with all the tricks and which ones went back-to-back.

AM: For the Olympics, you have a designated uniform that you have to wear, but do you also have a specific board or shoes that you wear or are you able to choose your own for that?

HR: So yeah, we have the Olympic designed uniforms that we wear, but shoes, boards and helmet go under equipment. So, we can bring our own stuff in for those. I’ll have my The Heart Supply skateboard, I’ll be wearing my Axion Slip On shoes. They’re my favorite shoes and super comfortable – I love them. Also, my helmet will be a black S1 Helmets.

AM: I know that you’re partnered with KT Tape and our readers and followers know the brand and have seen them on athletes such as those in swimming and volleyball and how they use it. How is it beneficial for you when using it in skateboarding and why did you feel that it was a synergistic partnership for you to be aligned with their brand?

HR: In skateboarding and specifically with me, I don’t like to have any restrictions especially with braces and things like that.

So, if I hurt my ankle, my knee or my wrist, I don’t want to have this brace that restricts my movement too much and gets in my way with this big bulky brace on my knee. So when I partnered up with KT Tape, they taught me how to tape up my knee, ankle or anything else, it really helped to hold my knee or ankle in place without having to deal with the restrictions of a bulky brace. It was really cool to experience that and to learn how to use the tape. They have a bunch of different

stuff. I use the KT Recovery+ Wave that’s this electromagnetic pain relief thing. So if my shoulder is super sore after a long skate session, I’ll tape that thing onto my shoulder and I won’t feel it at all but the next morning I’ll wake up and say, “wow, that really helped a lot!” They also have KT Recovery+ Pain Relief Gel Roll-On and stuff like that. They have a lot of different products that help progress my skateboarding a lot.

AM: It’s always fun to do prep for these interviews and I know you’re in the campaign imagery with Ralph Lauren as well which you have such the look for that. But we also came across the Proper Rideshop.

Can you tell us more about this?

HR: Like when I told you earlier about my dad and how he got me into skateboarding, once he realized that this was what I wanted to do – he took into account that if this was something that I wanted to be able to do and that skateboarding would be my life that they would turn their lives into it too! Him and my mom both quit their jobs, got an indoor warehouse, opened a skate shop in the front and a full skatepark in the back. They run camps and clinics to teach skateboarding to the youth. It’s a super cool environment. We have a membership program where we have over 400 members with young kids.

We give back to the community and work with some homeschool programs teaching them where this is a form of their PE classes. We work with this program called A.skate Foundation which works with special needs kids in the autistic community. Proper Ride Shop has turned into a full family affair and it’s amazing.

AM: That’s amazing what they do for the community and the fact that you were able to train there while you were growing up!

HR: Yeah that’s true! They opened it up 10 years ago. I’ve been able give back to the community there and then after hours, be there to get training in.

AM: That’s fantastic and because you’re

passion for the sport is so evident, in what ways do you give back to the sport and the community?

HR: I teach kids about the sport and I try to go around to help the kids of the next generation. Proper Rideshop is a really cool thing to give back to the community.

Once, I was part of the next generation and people gave back to me and now that I’m in that next generation, I want to see the younger generation just strive and help them become what I did. I love giving back to the community.

AM: When you’re not skateboarding, what would we find you doing when you’re just taking time for yourself?

HR: When I’m not skating, I like to be in the ocean. Whether it’s surfing, fishing – especially back at home. I’m always going to be in the ocean because that’s my little zen mode. I grew up surfing and skateboarding my entire life so if I’m not at the skate park, I’m definitely surfing.

AM: We love talking to people that are changemakers that inspire other people.

Who are 3 people that have helped you in your career where you are whether you know them personally or follow them socially?

HR: Oh man. The first one that comes to mind is definitely Shaun White! He has been a huge inspiration to me since I was a young kid just watching him at the X Games skateboarding and snowboarding.

I knew of the time and dedication that he took whether he was on or off his board.

It really just made me see what was out there and made me want to push and be the best that I could be. It’s actually really cool. During the beginning of the Olympic Trials for skateboarding, he was like, “I want to start skating again and do this."

From there, I used to see him at the skate park a bunch and I was like, “woah that’s Shaun White, I looked up to him as a little kid.” We actually built a relationship together and I’m able to call him up and go skate anytime I want! It's a really cool

thing to be able to do that and to have him as a good friend of mine. He’s an amazing human.

Another person that really inspires me and I know that it might sound cliché, but my dad really inspires me a lot. He was the person who taught me what hard work is and the person that pretty much paved the way for me and taught me every life lesson that I know. He’s the one that pushed me when I wanted to quit and he helped me get back up and he is definitely one of the biggest inspirations in my life.

As a skateboarding standpoint, Tony Hawk – of course he’s been a huge inspiration to me. Not only is he probably the biggest name in skateboarding, he also opened up the doors to show that you don’t have to just be a skateboarder. He designed his own game, he gives back to the community, he travels the world and he gives skateboards to little kids. He is one of the most amazing human beings and he has inspired me my entire life. @Heimana_Reynolds PHOTOS COURTESY | KT Tape + Ralph Lauren

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IN THE STUDIO with Don Brooks

Whether you've been enjoying your workouts or are adding items into the mix, we always like hearing about methods that people are doing. We took some time to chat with celebrity fitness trainer Don Brooks who is also known as Don-A-Matrix.

We know of him from episodes on Keeping Up with the Kardashians as he has been the family's trainer for a number of years.

We also know that he has sessions for his followers and fans to workout alongside him. We wanted to find out more about his journey into the fitness industry, his method, philosophy and some movements that we can include within our routine.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with fitness and know that you wanted to work in the fitness industry?

DON BROOKS: I’ve always had a passion for fitness and a drive to stay healthy and in shape. Before I became a certified trainer, I was someone who loved working out and the accomplished feeling that comes afterward. When I moved out to San Diego years ago, I knew I wanted to be a trainer but I couldn’t have imagined where it would take me – it’s been a blessing to do what I love everyday with great clients.

AM: What was your journey into the industry as I know you were previously an NFL trainer?

DB: After moving out to San Diego to meet some family who had moved out here previously, I fell in love with the West Coast and it’s incredible weather. I started training a variety of athletes in the San Diego area – eventually working with players on the NFL Chargers – and then decided to move to Los Angeles (where it’s a larger hub) and open up my own location there.

AM: What is your fitness philosophy?

DB: If you put in the effort and hard work, you will see the results you were hoping for.

AM: Tell us about the Don-A-Matrix Meth-

od as I know you focus the workout around quarters?

DB: I came up with the Don-A-Matrix method as a way to have a specialized workout resemble a sports game. Similar to a normal basketball or football game, my workout consists of four quarters – but within each quarter, you have 3 sets of two different exercises, combined with a period of rest or relief after each quarter.

The method delivers results by challenging the cardio and muscular endurance system to tone and sculpt the body, while burning fat. The rest period also gives participants the chance to rehydrate, which is key for sustaining performance throughout the workout. A natural, lowcal sports drink, like BODYARMOR LYTE is my go-to between quarters because it’s packed with electrolytes, coconut water and vitamins – and doesn’t have anything artificial.

AM: Tell us about your studio.

DB: My Don-A-Matrix Studio is located right in downtown Los Angeles, CA at 7704 Melrose Ave. It’s been a great location for me and my clients – I’m able to host a variety of classes DAILY inside my studio, as well as outside in the back lot.

AM: What is Don-A-Matrix Day? DB: I’m a native of Petersburg, VA – and grew up in the area – going to Petersburg High School and Virginia State University.

I was lucky enough to be honored by the city of Petersburg a few years ago – and they named an official day for me, called “Don-A-Matrix Day.” It’s an honor for me, and I love being able to give back to the community that raised me.

AM: What does an average day or week look like when you are personally working out?

DB: I personally work out every single day – and that could be before or after my personal sessions with clients or even during the sessions, where I'll personally

do the workout with them. On any given day, I could realistically end up “working out” 2-3 times a day. Free time is certainly limited!

AM: What are your go to items that you think are important for people to have on hand to have a dynamic workout?

DB: BODYARMOR is #1. It’s important to be hydrated before, during and after a workout. And I LOVE my Don-A-Matrix x Sweet Sweat Fitness Bands, as they are perfect for any workout – and allows you to work in all sorts of different modifications to your standard workout moves.

AM: How important is it for people to have accountability in their workouts and as people are on their journeys of their fitness goals, what should they be looking at to know they are achieving their desired results?

DB: The biggest misconception is that working out will change your body overnight. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case. So it’s 100% about accountability and the ability to stay the course. Results don’t happen overnight and there are going to be times when you want to relax, not workout, give-up, whatever it might be – but don’t. It’s important to keep going and workout even when you’re lazy and don’t want to. We all feel that way – celebrities, athletes, etc. – it’s just a matter of getting up and getting through it because you know that you’ll feel better and accomplished afterwards once you do start to see those results.

AM: For those that are finessing their summer bodies, what would you suggest for arms, abs and glutes?

DB: Here are three examples of specific workouts that target your upper body, lower body and core. Keep in mind, the below include a Bosu Ball and would come in a set, similar to my Don-A-Matrix method.

• Lateral Squats – Start from squatting position and keep one foot on the

ground and the other on the Bosu ball.

Leap into the air and switch feet. Repeat 20 times.

• Jump Switch Lunge – Start from the lunge position with one foot on the Bosu ball. Jump into the air and land on your opposite foot. Repeat 20 times.

• Push Ups – Start in a plank position, dome side-down, and your hands on the flat side on the Bosu ball. Lower down into a push-up position, hovering your chest off the bosu. Repeat 20 times.

AM: You’ve trained Fergie, Josh Duhamel, Travis Barker and more. When it comes to taking on clients, what are you looking for whether they are your celeb clients or someone who sees your work on TV or online?

DB: If someone wants to work with me, they just have to reach out! I always have open availability, and I enjoy working out with new attendees all the time. You don’t have to be a celebrity, just someone who is serious about wanting to better their body.

AM: We know that in addition to people looking to achieve personal fitness goals, you work with celebs that may have to transform their bodies for roles, how do you approach those projects?

DB: Any of my clients – whether they are celebs or not – have personal goals that they want to attain and that’s why they are reaching out. It’s all about accountability and understanding that you have to put in the work in order to attain those results. So as long as you’re willing to put in the work – and deal with the struggles that come with it – I’m happy to work with anyone who wants to get their mind and body right.

AM: You’ve been a long time trainer to the Kardashians. How does the Don-A-Matrix Method work with them and how is it customizable as we're sure Kim, Kourtney and Khloe have different fitness goals.

DB: Absolutely. To your point, they all have different goals from a fitness and body perspective. The Don-A-Matrix Method is great because it’s flexible for any body type, workout level and more. If we’re trying to work on a specific muscle group or just trying to tone down (or up) the workout, we can mold the Don-A-Matrix workout to each attendee’s specifications – whether that’s tweaking the workout, modifying the number of sets or adding another fitness item to change it up.

AM: We have had the pleasure of talking with a number of trainers such as Harley Pasternak, Gunnar Peterson and Jen Widerstrom about how they had to adjust working with their clients especially since they couldn’t get in the gym with them.

Did you find last year’s lockdowns a difficult transition for your clients in terms of their preparation to work out and what did you suggest to them?

DB: It was truly a strange year or time-period for everyone, so it was all about trying to adapt and manage as best as possible. For a lot of my clients, we tried live-streaming workouts and doing athome workouts – things of that sort. As time progressed, we transitioned into more outdoors workouts, given everyone’s comfortability. But I think overall, it just shows that you have to be adaptable for whatever barrier comes your way.

AM: How did you connect with BODYARMOR and what was synergistic between your brands that you felt this would be a great partnership?

DB: My partnership with BODYARMOR goes back several years now and it’s one that has been beneficial for us both. Obviously, hydration is key for working out – and BODYARMOR makes some incredible products that are better-for-you than the other sports drinks out on the market today. They have clean ingredients, potassium-packed electrolytes and vitamins, and their low calorie/low sugar BODYARMOR LYTE is great for fueling my workouts and helping me recover faster.

AM: How important is hydration while working out and of course, throughout the day?

DB: Hydration is critical to your performance – whether you’re working out or about to start your day. It can often make the difference between you being able to complete that last set or struggling to get it started. And part of that is preparation – you want to be sure that you’re hydrating before, during and after your workout – just so you’re giving your body exactly what it needs for fuel. @DonAMatrixTraining PHOTOS COURTESY | BODYARMOR

What New Yorkers Need to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines New York City is committed to keeping everyone safe and healthy by ensuring that access to COVID-19 vaccines is fair and equitable. COVID-19 vaccines will likely be available for most New Yorkers by mid-2021. Some people, such as health care workers, essential workers who cannot separate from others, and older adults and other people at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 can currently get vaccinated.

When you get vaccinated, you are helping to protect yourself and your family and friends.

You are also helping to make your community safer. We know New Yorkers care about their communities, including health care workers and small business owners.

Do the vaccines work?

• Two COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) have been approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In clinical studies, both vaccines were more than 94% effective at protecting participants from COVID-19.

Are the vaccines safe?

• Yes. You cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine.

The vaccine does not contain the virus. It teaches your body’s immune system how to fight the virus, so it can fight the virus if you are exposed to it.

• The COVID-19 vaccines have gone through large clinical studies involving tens of thousands of people of various ages, races and ethnicities. The evidence from those studies was closely reviewed by the FDA and independent organizations.

• Researchers have been working on vaccines for coronaviruses for years, so they did not start from scratch.

Are there side effects?

• It is normal to experience side effects after the first or second dose of the vaccine. Common side effects include soreness in the arm where you got the shot, headache, body aches, tiredness and fever.

• If you have any questions or concerns, call 311 or talk to your health care provider.

• Side effects can be unpleasant, but getting vaccinated helps protect you may help protect and other New Yorkers.

HYD RAT

with HA

ATIO N CH ECK

AR L EY PAST E R NAK

We always enjoy catching up with Harley Pasternak, MSc, celebrity trainer, nutritionist and Propel ambassador. He is someone that is not only passionate about working out and food nutrition, but he also believes in the importance of hydration as these three things optimize your body as you go about your day. We wanted to see what he has been up to since we talked to him last summer; get some tips on working out; solo or with friends without equipment and what tools he enjoys using.

ATHLEISURE MAG: With everyone being able to enjoy summer weather, what are the best exercises that we can do outside that don’t require equipment?

HARLEY PASTERNAK: Walk! Walking is still my absolute favorite exercise because it does not require any special equipment, you can do it throughout the day, it can be a form of socialization, and you can even watch your favorite TV show or movie if you have access to a treadmill indoors. I make sure my Fitbit reads at least 12,000 steps every single day!

AM: For those that want to have their friends, family or small groups to workout together, what kinds of workouts do you suggest for this?

HP: Aside from walking as a group, fun games like pickleball or ultimate frisbee are great ways to get a bunch of people involved in a healthy competitive activity that burns lots of calories. Circuit is also a fun way to include a group of people, by having a few different stations, each of which has a different exercise that people can cycle through.

AM: For those continuing to build their home gyms and as you have designed and developed various equipment, what do you suggest should be added to people’s homes?

HP: I’m a big fan of dumbbells. Their versatility is unrivaled. Aside from having some dumbbells, I love a TRX suspension strap, sliders, a good exercise bench, and

an elastic headband. If you’re looking for something a little upmarket, nothing comes close to FORME for a digital hardware solution, or you can access some awesome digital content that does not require any equipment at Alo Moves.

AM: What are some tips that we need to incorporate post workout for our recovery?

HP: Hydration is key! Most of the people that come to my gym show up already dehydrated. We actually focus on pre-hydrating, hydrating throughout the workout, and rehydrating right after.

AM: Hydration is important and even more so when we’re in the midst of summer heat, what are your suggestions for this?

HP: I’ve been a big believer in Propel Fitness Water for a few years. The fact that you can get fluids and electrolytes into your body without sugar, goes a long way.

Also research shows that flavored water leads to people drinking more fluids than unflavored water. The Propel Powder Packs are super convenient because you can put them into an empty bottle – like the Propel reusable bottle – add water, and shake.

AM: How much hydration should we be consuming on average and what’s the best way to go about that each day?

HP: I tell my clients that 3 L of fluids each day is a must. If you are exercising in the heat, that number goes up relatively.

AM: We like heading to your IG to see recipes that you suggest that we eat such as your open faced shrimp sandwich. What would be a summer menu for the day that you suggest that we can enjoy for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

HP: I love starting my day with a smoothie, especially one that uses summer fruits like berries. Try my Red Berry Smoothie from the Body Reset diet. Lunch can be a nice salad using seasonal vegetables,

seeds, and lean protein like grilled shrimp.

And dinner usually focuses on the lean protein like salmon or chicken with a bunch of grilled seasonal vegetables, and a baked sweet potato.

AM: This summer, people will definitely be excited to go out and to do so with a number of people, so I think that people will be busy for sure. How do you maintain a balanced lifestyle that allows you to optimize your summer while setting you for success as we transition to other seasons?

HP: I think building your physical activity around walking is key, especially in the summer. Because of the high temperatures, I like to get most of my walking down early in the morning or at the end of the day while multitasking by doing phone calls or returning text and emails.

Preplanning your meals is also very helpful to make sure you don’t feel overwhelmed every day of the week trying to cook. @HarleyPasternak PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | Jessica Nash

COURSE BOUN with Julie Tyson

ND n

On Aug 16th - 22nd, THE NORTHERN TRUST golf tournament will be back at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, NJ. We attended back in 2019 and in anticipation of the upcoming event, we wanted to find out more about this tournament, its importance in the golf season and how it benefits its communities. Julie Tyson is the Executive Director of the PGA TOUR of THE NORTHERN TRUST. She shared her career journey, how she came to working in the golf industry, her approach to putting on one of golf's biggest tournaments as well as how she balances a myriad of schedules.

doing this magazine, we talk to so many people across a number of verticals and a number of them have come from IU and it always makes me think of just how phenomenal of a school it is and how far their arms reach! I’m from Indiana originally so I always wanted to go there, but looking at it from where I am now, seeing all the people that come through there it truly is incredible.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Back in 2019, we had the opportunity to go to THE NORTHERN TRUST and had an amazing time there so it’s so great to find out more about this tournament and your role in it. I’m also excited to chat with you as we are fellow alumnae at Indiana University so it’s always nice to connect with people from there!

AM: Same!

JULIE TYSON: You are! You’re a Hoosier?

AM: I loved it so much that after my freshman year, I became an Orientation Leader there every summer for the incoming students that were coming in! I’m still friends with a number of the people from those teams as well as students that I oriented.

Bobby’s last year was my senior year, but my memories there were truly incredible and anytime I get to talk to others that went there, I know that it’s good people.

AM: I am and I was impressed that you were a founding member of the IU Dance Marathon on campus as I enjoyed going to that and raising awareness!

JT: That’s amazing and so cool! I’m on this sports board that they have now at IU and we had a board call last week and it’s like a who’s who of sports. I was listening on the call and I thought, “gosh Indiana turns out some really talented people!”

AM: Without a doubt!

JT: Well you included!

AM: Well thank you!

JT: You have quite a business!

AM: Thank you for saying that! It’s been an incredible journey and even in this time of the pandemic, we were really able to take stock to optimize what we’re doing while working on some really amazing things that will be launching soon! You know, in

JT: I have 2 older brothers and I’m from Chicago originally and they went to school there during the Bobby Knight era.

JT: And just like you, but for a different reason, we really wanted to go to Indiana University badly. I remember my first foot steps onto the campus, I had a couple of those pinch me moments like, “I can’t even believe that I’m here!” It’s such a cool experience.

JT: Awww me too. I agree completely.

AM: Exactly. You have worked in this industry for a number of years. What is your background and what led you to working in sports and specifically to the golf industry?

JT: I was in media sales for a long time out of Chicago and I remember very distinctly boarding a plane and it was one of those really small 19 seat planes and I was in Michigan and it was in Feb. and I thought that it was freezing cold and dark and I need to do something different. I started to think about what would be next for me and I thought that being an agent would

be interesting and fun. So my easiest path in I thought would be women’s sports to become an agent. I thought that I didn’t want to travel all over the globe at that stage in my life so that eliminated tennis because they were playing a lot of their events globally and I thought that golf would be an interesting thing because it was very well established and sort of fit with the lifestyle of not being in freezing cold Michigan weather.

So I reached out to the Vice President of Business Affairs at that time and said, “If you ever need help with your television, I’d love to help.” We got through a bunch of conversations and lo and behold he became the Commissioner of the LPGA, a guy named Ty Votaw. So I went to go work with the LPGA initially and worked there for a long time. It’s a very entrepreneurial setting where if you can dream it, you can do it. I loved my first foray into golf through the LPGA and then my career progressed and I ended up working at the PGA TOUR first in Account Management and then in Global Sales. Then, in 2017, my path led me to a counterpart and a friend that had become the head of our Championship managed event that we own and operate a portfolio of events and he asked if I ever wanted to come and run a tournament within this group of events?

That began my event management experience was in 2017. THE NORTHERN TRUST happened to be moving from LA to NY so it was a perfect time for me because I got a new title, we were playing new venues and so everything was new. I didn’t walk into a big legacy really even though this event has been played in and around this area for over 50 years!

AM: That is quite a journey. Before we get into THE NORTHERN TRUST, can you tell me about your role at the PGA and what your day to day is like?

JT: So, I’m the Executive Director which means that literally if you think about it like a CEO of a small business, every aspect of the event rolls up through me whether it's client relations, whether it's

operations, local relationships with the city or the state – putting on an event like this you have to let everybody know you’re coming to town and make the appropriate accommodations, marketing, HR, everything under the sun. Now the great part about this is that if you think about it like a franchisee, I have the PGA TOUR in the backdrop that we’re owned and operated and I have those resources that I can tap into on a daily basis. But we’re pretty much in NY running our own show up here.

AM: As you mentioned, THE NORTHERN TRUST is over 50 years old, can you tell us about this tournament which is the first of 3 FedExCup Playoffs events? What makes this such an important event?

JT: This is probably one of the most competitive events in all of golf where players compete throughout the regular season to earn enough points to make it to the Playoffs. We are the first Playoff event as you said. So we only accept the top 125 players in the world. If somebody gets sick or decides that they don’t want to play this particular week, we will play with fewer people. We won’t bring anybody else in. Not only do they compete to get into this event, after this event, we will cut as the Playoffs progress as they go from this event to the second event it will go to 70 players. So for some number of players like 55 players, their season will end at the conclusion of our tournament at THE NORTHERN TRUST because they didn’t earn enough points to make it into the top 70. So that’s 1 and 2, we tend to be one of the largest global platforms first being in and around NYC which is a huge enough platform to begin with. This event is also televised in over 220 countries worldwide so it’s a really big stage that we're putting these guys on. Lastly, over the course of those 3 weeks, these players will pay for over the 3 week run between the bonus pool at the end and the 3 weeks of purses, almost a $100 million in prize money. So that in and of itself, the scale of the stage, the number of hours of television, the platform, the fact

that their season could end – there is a lot at stake here that these guys are playing for. So, really competitive environments tend to produce memorable moments on the golf course.

AM: Wow that is very critical in the fact that you could be ending your season after that particular tournament. How far in advance do you begin working on a tournament like this and as we’re a few weeks away, what does your schedule look like leading up to it?

JT: This event typically rotates in and around NY and NJ and in 2020, we played in Boston. We start planning 18 months in advance for where we are going to be in the upcoming year while simultaneously completing the steps towards the current year’s event. We have to be building 2 events simultaneously.

AM: When people think of golf, they think about The Masters, The Players or The Open as opposed to thinking of a tournament that’s minutes away from NYC, what are the intricacies of having a PGA TOUR event in NYC? JT: Yeah. Interestingly here a local NYer or someone from NJ that is from the area will tell you that convenience is key! You have to have an easy way to get to something no matter how compelling. Unlike some of these other places where you’re in Augusta, GA and it’s convenient and easy to get to once you’re on the grounds of Augusta – you’re pretty local there. Here we battle traffic and all of these other kinds of modes of transportation. I think in 2021 what you will see as fans is that we have made it more convenient to get to the tournament. This being our first time back since 2019, we learned a lot from our fans so parking will be easier, we’ll have our ride share much closer, our Ferry will drop off at the Liberty National Port instead of at Port Liberté. It will be super easy to get the opening and closing holes. So we have made it more convenient – that’s 1.

2,I think that if you live in the area, you

have access to pretty much anything that you could ever dream of from world class food options to entertainment so we really have to try harder to make this a singular experience that is super memorable.

So we have really held ourselves accountable to building something that we think will get people to come back time and time again and hopefully your experience proved that we’re working hard on that front.

AM: I thought it was awesome. We went to the Media Day the day before and took the ferry over that day. I thought it was really cool. Who would have thought that steps away from the city, we have a golf course that we can go to without having to go to other regions in the country. It was really well produced and I’m excited to see what this year will be like. When I think about the music festivals and fashion weeks that we have attended it’s always challenging to do them when you’re talking about doing them here!

JT: I totally agree and we’ve lived through every challenge. COVID being what it is, to have THE NORTHERN TRUST last year in Boston during COVID which I can’t think of anything that is more complicated and we successfully pulled that off so we learned a ton about running events in a COVID environment just like everybody did in running their businesses.

AM: Speaking to that, running any type of event during COVID is problematic. What was your approach last year to tackling it and being in a different locale and keeping in mind all of these other factors that were literally outside of your control?

JT: Well, first we had to determine what was going to be our North Star. Our North Star was always going to be safety. Safety of the players, safety of the fans, safety of the volunteers, of the staff and in every step. We decided that we were going to operate without fans because we didn’t know if we could effectively do it as there were a lot of unknowns about COVID, there were no vaccinations - we just didn't

think that we could aggregate people in a safe way. We knew that with the areas with the population of people and volunteer staff and players, that we could control how they could engage, we could control social distancing safety measures. So safety was always going to be our North Star. The second part of this and I think with anything that you’re going through with a crisis, is communication. We over communicated to everybody, the league, we communicated to the state and health officials. We over communicated with people and brought everybody into the process so that they could transparently see what we were planning to do and to advise us if we were going down a bad path. It helped us to be able to play in a time where most sports were unable to.

We were really excited to be able to do that and to deliver to fans so that they could at least watch it on TV. AM: In 2019, we had the best time watching Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka play and walking the course as they played. So for this year’s event, what kind of hospitality features and experiences that fans can enjoy while watching their favorite players.

JT: I think one thing to note is that if you’re a golf fanatic, we’ve got an option for you which is golf with a side of fun, but if you’re not super into golf and you just want to watch a little bit of golf, we’ve got fun with a side of golf. I think that more and more our fans are starting to see that you don’t have to watch 8 hours of golf if you don’t want to. We’ve got hospitality options that range from anywhere from over a little over $100 a ticket to all the way to $7,500 a ticket. It just depends on the level of convenience that you're looking for. So at the high end of that, the $7,500 ticket gives you valet right up to the door of the club. At the lower end of that, you’ve got access that will keep you out of concession and food lines and it gives you a reserved seat which generally is hard to find in golf. We’ve got hospitality options with everything in between and it just becomes things like climate control, shade

or location on the golf course if you’re on a finishing hole. Those things come at a premium. We’ve got people and opportunities that can help coach you through any kind of opportunity that you want to experience. I think that the most interesting thing is for our Grounds Patron. We have 6 miles of front row seats for our Grounds Patrons which is unheard of in sports. Also, our amenities bring in local flavor with our food partners that you saw in 2019. So Shake Shack, Luke’s Lobster and Pizza Vita are there. We also brought in Playa Bowls which is a healthy option that was one of the bits of feedback that we got back from our food partners. We’ll have a wine garden that we fashioned after a North Fork vineyard experience with Adirondacks and food for purchase that pairs up nicely with wine as well as other kinds of experiences that people can enjoy. Again, if you’re interested in fun with a side of golf, we’ve got all kinds of space on a 6 mile golf course that is out in fresh air for you to enjoy with your friends.

AM: In addition to watching amazing athletes and having fun on site, there is also a charitable component as I know you’re focused on food scarcity. Can you tell me about where the proceeds will go to this year?

JT: Thank you so much for raising that as it is super important to us. Right now, we’re trying to frame up our relationships with our charitable partners and part of the reason why we’re still working on that is that it is the tournament’s proceeds that go out to that charity. So we have to hit the numbers in order to take the proceeds and provide them out. What we have tried to do is to pick some themes under the umbrella of Community Champions and Community Heroes. We know everyday that there are people going to work to make somebody else’s life better. Wherever we and THE NORTHERN TRUST as our title partner can go to work and help make those folks lives easier, we want to be able to do that. Things we've focused on include food scarcity that is coming out of COVID in NJ. They're focus-

ing on real issues and summer is always tough with kids not going to school and having a guaranteed meal so that was one that we knew we wanted to be able to help. We’re looking at Boys and Girls Club, The First Tee which is our national charity partner with local chapters.

We work with Tackle Kids Cancer, so we have a whole host of charities that we’re talking to right now and we want to help them in 2 ways. 1, with proceeds and financial underpinning and 2 is to take the PGA TOUR’s broad spotlight and shine it on those charities so that not only are we giving to them, but others that can afford to give are also supporting them. So you will see a lot of that going into the weeks leading up to and during tournament week.

AM: Going back to the point you were making with safety being a North Star, what can fans expect when it comes to their experience on-site at the tournament this year in terms of protocols and adherences that are taking place?

JT: Happily, NY eclipsed it’s 70% mile marker with vaccinations so that has been a mile marker that we have been waiting on for a long time! That being said, we also know that as people take their first steps back out into society, they’re going to do this in a cautious way and we want to meet them where they are. First, our food service, even when you’re in a shared structure for hospitality, where we used to have a buffet, we’re going to modify those experiences in terms of the way that we serve and produce the food so that we can make sure that everything is done safely, prepared safely and served safely. Second is, we’ve got fresh air that people can enjoy so we will keep things largely open air this year, more than we have in years past.

That's due in large part because of COVID, but also because we have all been cooped up and we think that people want to be outside a lot more. Thirdly, we want to remove the judgement from mask wearing so we will be an environment where if you feel that you want to wear a mask, there will be no judgement and we will encour-

age it, but it will not be required. Generally speaking, we have an army of volunteers that will be wiping down surfaces and making sure that we keep people a reasonable distance apart – all those things that we have come to expect and want at a golf tournament will continue.

I think that our 2020 experience made us much more knowledgeable to know how to operate in this environment.

AM: Wow, it seems like you have so much on your plate with so many different types of schedules running, outside of your job at the PGA TOUR, how do you take time for yourself?

JT: You know, I think that work and life sort of blend together and I’m fortunate because I work in golf and golf is a passion point for me. Being outside is a passion point, so I get to do a lot of what I like to do anyway. I have a family and I have a dog and things like that and when they want your attention, you sort of just give into it at those moments. So everything has its place and I’m grateful that I have all of those things because they are welcome distractions.

AM: How do you give back to the community whether it’s golf or philanthropic endeavors that you’re involved in?

JT: I sit on a couple of boards, but I think that really the thing for me is that my job marries to my passion point. Everyday I get up and I get to think about the tournament that my team and I, THE NORTHERN TRUST, that operates with us will be able to benefit the communities where we play. I’m really lucky in that regard because I get to do that everyday for a lot of hours a day. We all work a lot of hours and part of my mission is to make sure that we’re serving those communities and building deep roots and I’m grateful that we get to do that so that work and life get to blend together in that way.

AM: It’s always great when we get the opportunity to talk to changemakers and I think especially when we talk with women

in sports that are dominating their fields and doing such an amazing job. I know our readers will enjoy it and personally, just prepping for this interview and seeing the dynamics of your career, I was really impressed and excited to talk with you and to see this event from another vantage point!

JT: I’m impressed with you! You’ve got this business that you created from the ground up are you kidding me? This is amazing. We love your support in covering this tournament.

AM: We’re always about storytelling and I love bringing awareness to a number of our topics especially when it comes to areas where people may not think of women being involved in. It’s exciting to see what the landscape can be especially for younger women that are coming up that they will have a better footing than what we had when we started on our journey.

JT: Hopefully that is true or we’re not doing our jobs. Someone once told me, “when you get to the top, send the elevator back down for women.” I’m grateful that you’re helping to do that and any way that I can do it, I want to do it! @PGATOUR @Thentgolf PHOTOGRPAHY COURTESY | PGA TOUR/ THE NOTHERN TRUST

ATHLEISURE LIST: Hamburg, NJ

CRYSTAL SPRINGS RESORT As we all embrace getting back into travel, we're adding some stops to our list! Crystal Springs Resort boasts 2 properties that allow you to be one with nature while taking in a myriad of activities.

tain in Vernon, NJ just a few minutes from Grand Cascades Lodge. The hotel is family friendly and features multiple pools, a state-of-the-art sports club, family-friendly golf course and a top rated spa in the state – Elements Spa.

The AAA 4 Diamond Grand Cascades Lodge is a newly renovated luxury hotel set amid lush natural surroundings.

The majority of the rooms are suites with a full kitchen and balconies. The recent extraordinary makeover of Grand Cascades Lodge, which was undertaken when the resort was closed during the pandemic, is highlighted by its biophilic design, which is a concept utilized to increase guests' biological connection with the environment through using natural materials and light.

The Resort has an incredible array of amenities with something for everyone including three pool complexes (the Biosphere, a tropical pool com plex plus two outdoor pools), two spas, 6 golf courses, putting green, free Wine Cellar tour, marshmallow roasting and family movie night, outdoor game deck, fire pits and more.

There are also more than 4,000 acres of hiking trails including on the mountaintop, as well as archery and fishing at the Quarry. On weekends, guests can also purchase bottles from the renowned Wine Cellar at the resort’s

Minerals Hotel is tucked into a moun-

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outdoor pool that is heated so guests can use it year round. The Biosphere was the first structure of its kind in the U.S. to incorporate advanced German Foiltec roofing material, allowing nearly 100% light transmission for yearround natural tanning. The roof also retracts in the summer months.

Crystal Springs allows city residents to reconnect with nature and also themselves, which is incredibly important after the stressful past 18 months.

The newly launched Health & Wellness Program includes many self-café experiences and activities. Guests can choose a range of activities from strenuous hikes and kayaking on the mountain top to mediation, sound healing and yoga classes including goat yoga, to forest bathing. Crystal Springs is also the largest golf resort in the Northeast with 6 courses for golfers of all levels, as well as the David Leadbetter Golf Academy.

CRYSTAL SPRINGS RESORT 1 Wild Turkey Way Hamburg, NJ 07419 thecrystalspringsresort.com @crystalspringsresort

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ATHLEISURE LIST: San Diego, CA

BIRCH AQUARIUM We caught up with Beth Chee Marketing Director of Birch Aquarium Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Birch Aquarium is not only a place to see aquatic life and ocean views, but it shares the excitement of cutting-edge, world-class scietific discovery.

even the littlest guest can go face-toface with these stunning creatures.

Jellies are not the strongest swimmers and are technically a type of plankton, which means they go with the flow, rather than against it! They rely on ocean currents in order to swim around, which is where the cyclindrical shape comes from — It's specifically designed with these planktonic drifters in mind! The round shape of the experience, along with the water flow, creates a current that helps the jellies drift!

The Hall of Fishes features more than 60 habitats where guests can get up close to amazing ocean creatures including Leopard Sharks, eels, jellies, a Giant Pacific Octopus, and our rescued Loggerhead Sea Turtle. Don’t miss the two-story Giant Kelp Forest, or the sea babies in our nursery — from Garibaldi to baby sharks and seahorse.

Guests can also enjoy additional exhibits such as Seadragons & Seahorses, where they learn about these charismatic creatures and get a peek into the work that the Husbandry Team is doing to ensure their survival and the MPA Touch Pools on Tide Pool Plaza,

Their newest exhibit is a 600-gallon cylindrical Moon Jelly experience in the Hall of Fishes and is unique in how it curves out into the walkway, where

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where guests can get hands-on with tidepool creatures including juvenile sharks, sea anemones, sea cucumbers, and other local species — all while learning about the areas' local Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

may be removed, and you are welcome to bring your own food, or to purchase from Splash Café by the French Gourmet. If you can't make it in person, there are a number of virtual activities including the Kelp Cam and Seadragon Cam to name a few.

In the fall, the Moon Jellies will be replaced by iridescent ctenophore jellies, in a celebration of living light.

BIRCH AQUARIUM 2300 Expedition Way La Jolla, CA 92037

The safety of their staff, guests and volunteers are a high priority. They are continuing to require masks indoors and out. They are currently limited to a capacity of 50 percent and require advanced reservations for a specific date and time, to minimize crowding.

aquarium.ucsd.edu @BirchAquarium PHOTOS COURTESY | Birch Aquarium

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IN THE ZONE with RIOT TEN

Over the past few weeks, we've started to see a number of our favorite artists hitting the road to perform at residencies, events and more! It's so exciting to see how we have begun getting into a modified new normal. We caught up with RIOT TEN, a producer and DJ who we have enjoyed including his songs in our playlist. We wanted to find out how he got into the industry, how he stays inspired when making his music, about his new album that launches next month on Dim Mak's label and his upcoming performance at Lollapalooza.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with music and when did you realize that you wanted to work in the industry?

RIOT TEN: For as long as I can remember I always loved music. But it wasn't until the start of high school that I began experimenting with it. That's really where it all started. From then on, I knew I wanted to make music for the rest of my life and there was no one that could tell me otherwise.

AM: How did you get your start?

RT: Well, I guess it depends how you would define "start", but I'd say mine was when I first downloaded FL Studio. I was introduced to it by a friend of mine, Jack Bass, during my sophomore year of High School. The rest is just history.

AM: How would you define your style of music?

RT: I'd describe my style as loud, obnoxious, and high energy. Haha I know it doesn't sound very inviting, but when you're playing in front of thousands of people, and you feel the energy, it makes a bit more sense.

AM: Who would you identify as your mentors musically?

RT: That's a hard one to be honest. As far as producer mentors, I never really had anyone take me under their wing so to speak, but influences are a completely dif-

ferent story. I still draw influence from so many artists, all different genres and different sizes. I also had some artists supporting my music early on that played a big role in my growth. I toured with Yellow Claw, Adventure Club, Excision, and others early on.

AM: You’ve been producing music since you were 15, when did you realize that you wanted to DJ and at what point did you feel that you made it in the industry?

RT: I was around 18 I believe, playing at house parties, when I realized I wanted to DJ. The energy from those parties was something I'd never felt and I was addicted to it. And I'd say I was around 25 when I began feeling "legitimate" in the scene. I know I still have a long way to go, so even though I may be on a larger stage, I still don't necessarily feel like I've "made it"...

If that makes sense. When I start headlining festivals, and my music is hits #1 on Billboard, maybe then I can rest.

AM: You’re known for dubstep and hardtrap, when you’re not making music, who do you enjoy listening to when you’re just relaxing at home?

RT: I'm a big fan of rap and hiphop, so when I'm driving I'm usually listening to that.

Some Smokepurpp, DaBaby, Ludacris, Lil Jon. etc. If I'm relaxing at home, some chill house music does the job. Artists like Kaskade, Deadmau5, stuff like that. But if I'm in my feels, I love some Hans Zimmer, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Ryuichi Sakamoto.

That might come as a surprise to some.

AM: Creatively, what’s your process like when you’re creating your music?

RT: It really varies. Sometimes I have a concept of what i want to do and other times I just play around with sounds and see if something cool comes out of it. There are also times where i'll just sit there for hours and nothing good comes out of it.

Patience is key.

AM: This past year or so has been one that

we couldn’t have scripted. With the lack of being able to tour and with plans being in the air, how did you approach continuing to make music?

RT: It was a hard time for so many of us, but I really do think I wrote some of the best music I've ever made. It gave me so much more time to really experiment, hone in on my craft with different sounds and styles, etc... Although financially difficult, in hindsight it was everything I really needed to continue my career.

AM: What did you learn about yourself during the pandemic?

RT: I realized that I wanted to help others more. I wanted to do more good deeds and be a better person overall. I've always believed in good energy, so the time off at home really helped me actualize it.

AM: We have been playing “Don’t You” on loop as it’s cool to listen to when you’re relaxing but is also awesome for working out. This song has such an ethereal quality to it, what inspired you in creating this?

RT: Honestly, this song was a bit of an accident. It was just one of those times when I was messing around with random sounds while warming up. I started to catch a groove and it literally all came together in the same session. For me, the vocals really opened up a lot of possibilities in the song and sort of became the glue.

AM: You’re releasing your latest album, Hype or Die: Homecoming in July on Dim Mak, tell us about the album and what can we expect?

RT: It's my best body of work, hands down. As far as expectations, you can expect a lot of different styles of bass music.

Some of the songs are slow, some fast, some high energy, some more melodic, some aggressive, some tame. I think overall the listening experience is the best I've put out and I am beyond excited for this release.

AM: Who are 3 people that you have yet to work with that are on your list?

RT: Honestly an easy #1 for me is Meek Mill. The energy and rawness he has is something I've always wanted on a song of mine. For the more melodic stuff that I make I would love to work with Maroon 5, or at least Adam. His voice is A1. And on the production side, however cliche it seems, Skrillex would be the ultimate collaboration.

AM: With things reopening again, you’re back on the road performing and you have a number of festivals coming up – you’re playing Lollapalooza – how excited are you to play this festival as well as to get back to juggling a schedule?

RT: I think excited would be the understatement of the century. Haha playing at Lollapalooza has been a bucket lister of mine since I began touring and I'm going to make a major statement with that set.

Overall though, don't get me wrong, I did enjoy being at home with the family, so I'm going to miss that a lot. But nothing beats delayed flights, airport food, and crying babies on a plane every week. I'm so ready for it all again. haha AM: Are there additional projects that you have coming up that we should keep an eye out for?

RT: Sitting on A LOT of unreleased music right now. We have a new single this month with a music video, a full length album in July, and I just about have the follow up EP finished as well. In addition, I have a side project that I'll be announcing soon as well. We've released a handful of singles already under the alias, but I've yet to disclose my involvement. Excited to see the reaction to this!

AM: When you’re not making music or hitting the road, what do you do in your downtime?

RT: I'm at home with my 2 boys and my girlfriend. I really don't like to go any-

where when I'm not traveling, so you cancatch me spending time with the family or playing Xbox with friends. I'd consider myself a gamer, so I definitely like to escape sometimes and play some Apex Legends and Rocket League. @RIOTTENMUSIC PHOTOS COURTESY | RIOT TEN

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The Covid-19 pandemic has deeply altered all of our lives and we feel truly blessed to have the opportunities to have high quality vaccines available in the US. We came across some truly excellent work in this area by world-renowned organ transplant surgeon, Dorry Segev, MD, PhD, particularly around the efficacy of the vaccines for organ transplant and immunocompromised patients, and reached out to find out more about his studies and findings and definitely have important information to convey to our reader community. Please take note and pass along this information to your family and friends if applicable.

Dr Segev is the Marjory K. and Thomas Pozefsjy Professor of Surgery and Epidemiology and Associate Vice Chair of Surgery at Johns Hopkins University. He is the founder and director of the Epidemiology Research Group in Organ Transplantation (ERGOT), the largest and most prolific group of its kind in the world.

People who are immunocompromised or immunosupressed should get vaccinated when possible and also continue to strictly follow Covid-19 safety measures after vaccination, including proper mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing as the efficacy after their vaccine series may be less than people with healthy immune systems due to their condition or medicines they take. Studies are also underway focusing on these patients, especially those taking certain types of immunosupressants, who may be considering a third dose when seeing no/low antibody response after their vaccine series while working with their doctors and careful medical consideration.

We spoke with Dr. Dorry Segev about his recent groundbreaking study on Antibody Response to 2-Dose SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine Series in Solid Organ Transplant Patients, that evaluated the state of transplant and immunocompromised patients and Covid-19 vaccination in the US today; some upcoming studies he is currently working on; and some of the core fitness and wellness activities and life lessons that

he focuses on in his active lifestyle.

See Dr. Segev’s groundbreaking study on Covid 19 mRNA vaccine response.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What led you to study the response efficacy of Covid-19 mRNA vaccines in transplant and immunocompromised patients?

DR. DORRY SEGEV: As a transplant surgeon, I take care of people who are on immunosuppression and who are vulnerable. We know that transplant patients were at higher risk of getting Covid-19 and higher risk of dying from Covid during the pandemic, so as soon as there was talk of the vaccine coming out I knew 2 things, 1) that transplant patients might be fearful of taking the vaccine because transplant patients and anybody with on immunosuppression were excluded from the original trials – so they did not have evidence the vaccine was safe specifically for them (eg. an organ rejection or a flare of auto immune disease) - so very early on we wanted to make sure it was safe for immunosuppressed people and we did that very early on; and 2) we also wanted to understand how much immune response immunosuppressed people were having, because to have an immune response from the vaccine you have to have a functioning immune system and we purposefully inhibit the immune system of people with transplants and autoimmune diseases and things like that by putting them on medications that specifically blunt the immune system so that they don’t get rejections and flares and manifestations of their conditions. So it’s a balance between not wanting them to have a rejection but probably we are limiting the ability of their immune system to mount a response with the vaccine. Since this was a new vaccine technology and particularly dealing with a virus out there more fatal disease than say the flu - we did the study very early on. With the initial roll-out prioritizing medical staff and frontline transplant broadly on social media so we could very quickly say things about safety and immune response.

AM: What was your reaction to the results?

DR. DS: I knew that the immune response would be less - I had no idea it would be this much less. Basically after 2 doses of the vaccine, the overwhelming majority of transplant patients do not have evidence of the same level of protection that people with normal immune systems have.

More specifically, half of them have no antibodies detectable after 2 doses which is in stark contrast to every single person with a normal immune system who would have high levels of antibodies, and even the half who have antibodies have lower levels than those in the general popula tion with intact immune systems. So this is highly problematic for transplant patients. They probably have some level of protection if they get the vaccine, maybe they get less severe disease, but assuming they have the same level of protection as people with normal immune systems is a very dangerous assumption.

AM: So this is largely about the medications transplant patients and immunocompromised patients take?

DR. DS: That’s why I found myself as a transplant doctor also studying people with autoimmune diseases because it is specifically related to the medications that we have people take. So anybody who takes immunosuppression, medication that specifically impacts for example the B-cell or T-cell immune systems, is at risk of having a lower response to the vaccine. For example, the typical triad cocktail of immunosuppression for transplant patients is steroids, antimetabolites, and calcineurin inhibitors, and all of those attack certain aspects of the immune system which are necessary for the best immune responses to a vaccine.

AM: Now – it's definitely still recommended for transplant and immunocompromised patients to get the vaccine when it’s feasible for them?

DR. DS: No question, other than very rare cases where someone is not a candidate

for the vaccine, the overwhelming recommendation from all the transplant societies and societies that deal with rheumatic and autoimmune disease is for sure to get vaccinated. Because whatever is happening, it is an immunologic journey to go from no protection to, ultimately, adequate or some protection from Covid-19.

You need to prime the immune system, get the B-cells and T-cells activated, etc.

You need to start that journey as soon as you can and things will start to move around. If you will ultimately need a 3rd dose, for example, you still need to get the first 2 doses anyway. For sure get vaccinated, as soon as possible, with the full series as recommended in the US. And an area of ongoing investigation is what to do next for people who don’t have a response to the vaccine series.

AM: Can people take antibody tests to see if vaccines are working?

DR. DS: There are established quantitative antibody tests, but there are dozens and some are more reliable than others.

In our studies we’ve included what tests we’ve used with thousands of patients and there is some reliability there, like the other big JAMA studies, but some others haven’t been evaluated as carefully. If you’re working with doctors and considering a 3rd dose, then an antibody test is a reasonable place to start to see if a patient has antibodies, in weighing risks and benefits of that, in knowing where you are starting antibody-wise - so it can help you make the decision if it may be a right move for you. Another instance where antibody tests may be really important is - say you’re a transplant patient being required to go back to work in a mixed-vaccinated, mixed-mask wearing setting, and it is a high likelihood you don’t have high antibodies, then a test result could show being your employer that you are far safer to work remotely, and that may be some useful quantifiable evidence for that.

AM: We were just going to ask about third doses, so this is an option to consider for some specific people when working with

their doctors?

DR. DS: A number of transplant patients with sub-optimal responses to the initial vaccine series have gotten third doses in consultation with their doctors, and csreful medical consideration. We’re actually running an observational study, where anybody who has done or is doing that is welcome to check out and join our study and we check their B-cell and T-cell, and entire immune system, before and after that third dose. We did another published on June 14, a 30 patient study to look at the safety and immunogenicity of a third dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in solid organ transplant recipients. Here is a link to this study. From our study we saw if you had a very low antibody response and had a 3rd dose, you got boosted to a high antibody response, and if you had no antibody response, even then about 1/3 got boosted to having an antibody response and the other 2/3 didn’t, but we’re still studying their T-cell immunity and deeper immune system. In France, a patient group sent our first JAMA paper to, the French government, who then said anyone taking immunosuppression medication should get 3 doses already. So we’ll probably see a lot of data coming out of France to see if there is a better immune response with 3 doses than 2 doses for these patients.

We have an ongoing observational study, and after careful medical consideration with their doctors, we are welcoming patients to visit/join Transplantvaccine.org.

We are also working with the NIH with to launching an interventional trial where we’ll be able to give people a third vaccine dose under standardized and formal circumstances, while carefully monitoring their transplanted organ. The plan is to start as a pilot study at John Hopkins in Baltimore and to expand to multi-center national trial. For that pilot study, we are awaiting the necessary approvals for that.

We hope to get these approvals and then we may be enrolling people this summer if it goes forwad.

AM: So due to the medication use, it is recommended that patients taking immunosuppression medication be aware and more cautious after being vaccinated?

DR. DS: Anybody in the US who is taking immunosuppression of any sort that purposely blocks their immune system should be talking to their doctors about efficacy and risk protection, rather than read trying to make sense of the massive published literature on their own, or getting information from other sources.

Right now all that is being measured are antibodies, not B-cell or T-cell immunity, so maybe in a couple months we can look on per-drug levels under the surface for other assurances. You should be talking to your doctors and be careful, some medications that people take with autoimmune diseases may have a negative impact to the immune response like transplant patients include antimetabolites – like Mycophenolate or, Azathioprine – like Rituximab - like, Brentuximab, and Tacrolimus, which is a calcineurin inhibitor also taken by transplant patients, and are showing similar issues. There are many medications for autoimmune patients, but this is all still being looked at.

AM: So what can everybody do in the meantime to help people that are transplant patients and those that are immunosuppressed?

DR. DS: The best way we can deal with this pandemic is for everyone to get vaccinated so people with normal immune systems can develop the kind of protection that can reduce the prevalence of this horrible virus in our communities and can help protect the people who have more compromised immune systems who can’t mount that level of immune protection for themselves.

We’d like to thank Dr. Segev, and his colleagues, for the amazing work done shedding light on these issues for transplant and immunocompromised patients. It was interesting to see that all of the studies published so far have been entirely funded

through philanthropy.

If people are interested in helping with philanthropic efforts for Dr. Segev’s other studies and trials, they should can contact the doctor directly at Dorry@jhmi.edu.

This work was supported by the Ben-Dov family; grants F32DK124941 (Dr Boyarsky), K01DK101677 (Dr Massie), and K23DK115908 (Dr Garonzik-Wang) from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK); grant K24AI144954 (Dr Segev) from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); and by grant gSAN-201C0WW from the Transplantation and Immunology Research Network of the American Society of Transplantation (Dr Werbel).

AM: What kinds of things do you do for leading an active lifestyle in terms of fitness and wellness?

DR. DS: I try to cycle every other day, do water skiing when I can, and rock climb outside or inside at Earth Treks in-between. My wife, Sommer Gentry, a MITtrained PhD mathematician, and I have been in the competitive partner dance community since 1999, and were competing in Lindy Hop swing dancing at national level, and for 3 years and were in top 5 nationally. I was a musician for most of my life and loved discovering that you can move physically to music, and that swing dancing is improvizational like jazz is improvizational, so improv with a partner in dance as a physical expression in a partnered way was similar to jazz on stage with other musicians, but was more physical.

AM: What kinds of nutrition goals do you have in your diet?

DR. DS: I try my best to eat healthy, lots of green stuff, and avoid carbs and sugary foods. The only dessert I’m willing to eat is 80% or higher Cacoa chocolate, but really try to cut out foods that are chemical reactions versus those you find in nature, and also try not to eat emotionally but

only when hungry. I’m willing to eat 80% or higher Cacoa chocolate, especially by training myself this is my reward, being super healthy, but can have this incredibly delicious chocolate while having some tea, although I’ll admit that this high-level of Cacao is an acquired taste. It’s a great experience while staying fit. Another advantage for this as a sweet is that most people don’t ask for a bite!

AM: What general life aphorisms do you follow?

DR. DS: I follow 2 which are great to share..

My favorite quote from Stephen Sondheim is – ‘wishes come true, not free.’

You can fulfil your wishes, but you have to work hard to do so - I love how he says this so elegantly and efficiently. Another is a life motto of mine is to try something you’re not good at every day, with the goal of reminding of yourself embracing humility, being only human and trying to improve. Sure, others can do many things better than I do, so it’s how to start getting better. When I started dancing I was a terrible dancer, but by being humble and working hard I was able to reach a nationally competitive level. It takes hard work to make changes!

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 134 - 135 Unsplash/Nick Fewings | PG 138 - 139 Unsplash/CDC | PG 140 Unsplash/Elizabeth McDaniel | PHOTOS COURTESY | PG 137, 143 - 149 Dr. Dorry Segev |

1 in 4 kids may face hunger because of the coronavirus.

With schools closed and parents’ paychecks cut, countless children in America don’t know where their next meal is coming from. You can help feed them during this crisis, and in the recovery to come.

Find out how you can help at NoKidHungry.org

BingelyBooks Chip Tahini Cake with Chocolate Frosting, as well as One Banana Only Muffin Tops, Pancake Bread, Cauliflower Cacio e Pepe, and Masala Mac and Cheese.

By drawing on her Indian roots for plant-based dishes like Spicy Eggplant Masala and the Best Dal Ever - you'll see how she is able to make twists on these classics. We're also excited to try her Kheer, Sweet Potato Aloo Tikki, Creamy Black Lentils, and more.

You'll find that this Today Show favorite has removed dairy without sacrificing flavor.

Even her desserts rely on the use of unprocessed sugars, legumes, and grain-free flours, but they still satisfy every sweet tooth as you learn how to use these healthy ingredients for maximum flavor and joy.

LET'S MAKE DUMPLINGS! DADA EATS LOVE TO COOK IT

Ten Speed Press Hugh Amano + Sarah Becan

We love that Dada Eats Love to Cook It includes over 100 meals and dishes that include plant-based Indian dishes with a twist! Dishes included in this book are generally vegan, allergen-free, gluten-free, and grain-free as she likes to utilize the most nutritious ingredients and not because she is looking to cut something out.

If you've yet to add a comic cookbook to your collection, we highly suggest the creators of Let's Make Ramen! who just released Let's Make Dumplings! This easy to follow cookbook will help you in making Asian dumplings into your kitchen with sweet and savory varieties, dipping sauces, riffs and more.

Those cooking her dishes will see her creative take on Brookie Pie and Chocolate

Chef Hugh Amano and comic artist Sarah Becan present them

Rodale Books Samah Dada

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Each sibling has something that they haven't shared. By midnight the party in Malibu will be in full swing and by morning the Riva mansion will have burned down. But before that, secrets will be revealed with the copious drinks that have been consumed. The next 24 hours will show what they choose to do with their lives.

in a colorful book that gives you the history of wontons to potstickers, buuz to momos, gyoza, crab rangoon, Cambodian Num Kom, folding styles, various options to cook them and flavorful fillings that can be achieved by newbies as well as those who are familiar with creating them.

MALIBU RISING Ballantine Books Taylor Jenkins Reid

When the 4 famous Riva siblings come together for Nina Riva's epic end of summer annual party in August 1983, the next 24 hours changes their lives forever. Everyone is excited to attend to see Nina (surfer and supermodel who is not excited for her own party), Jay (championship surfer), Hud (renowned photographer) and their baby sister. They are the children of the lengendary singer Mick Riva that we meet in Malibu Rising.

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BingelyStreaming and how she got out of Boston.

As she talks about her life prior to the chaos and after, we are left wondering if she can be truested and what can they find out about the origins of this blackout and who profits from the wide sweeping chain of events that took place.

EDITH! QCode + Crooked Media iHeart Radio This scripted political satire podcast by QCode and Crooked Media reimagines history starring Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, I Care a Lot and Jack Reacher) as Edith Wilson, the second wife to President Woodrow Wilson explores the untold true-ish story of America's secret First Female President.

BLACKOUT QCode Spotify Last Season, QCode's BLACKOUT, an apocalyptic thriller, introduced us to a small town radio DJ, Simon Itani (Academy Award winner Rami Malek of Mr. Robot, Bohemian Rhapsody and The Little Things) fights for his family and community when the power grid is shut down nationwide bringing on a devolving modern civilization.

In season 2 whch started a few weeks ago, it picks up after Simon's family escapes. As they wait out what took place, their paths cross with an old family friend Wren (played

by Aja Naomi King of How to Get Away with Murder, The Upside and Sylvie's Love). In the safehouse that she found them at, she tells Simon and his family what she experienced in Boston when the power grid went down

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We get introduced to Edith's life prior to her husband suffering a massive, paralyzing stoke in the White House. Telling no one, she does the unthinkable. For nearly a year, after the end of World War I, she acts as the de facto unelected President. She signed issue orders as her husband, fired people as him and caused international incidents in his name. A number of historians believe she took on this role near the end of his presidency.

While all of these activities are going on, enemies that are external and internal get closer to finding out her most guarded secret.

In this limited series, we learn about how the events took place, the role that she played and her

Issue #66 | Jun 2021

Viewers are left thinking about how she was able to be involved in the shift of R&B as well as to buck the notion of what an artist of the genre was perceived to be. We also get an insider view on the obstacles that took place between her first album, What's the 411 and how that affected her as she was in the process of creating My Life.

thoughts of doing so.

MARY J BLIGE'S MY LIFE Amazon Original Documentary Amazon Prime Video With 13 albums, Mary J Blige notes that her second album, My Life, is her most important one. This documentary talks about the importance of this album which allowed her to speak to her fans as well as to survive what was happening around her. This 17 track album was a lyrical therapy for her and was mainly produced by P. Diddy and Chucky Thompson.

The documentary, My Life, explores the making of the album and allows her to get candid with members of her family, collaborators, record execs (Andre Harrell, Jimmy Iovine) actors (Tyler Perry, Taraji P. Henson) and fellow artists (Method Man, Nas, Alicia Keys) as they talk about her transition from the projects to the upper echelon of the music industry. Mary also talks frankly about her struggles on camera.

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THE THE ART Con SN OF cor ACK dH ill

As the summer continues, there are more opportunities to go out and enjoy the long days with friends and family. For this month's The Art of the Snack, we talk with Owner/Chef Guy Kairi to find out about Concord Hill located in Brooklyn. He shares his culinary journey, what we should order on our next visit and what we can expect when we swing by.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about your culinary background.

CHEF GUY KAIRI: I grew up in Tel Aviv in a family of Greek and Egyptian immigrants and food was always a big part of my life.

I went to culinary school in New York and when I graduated, I kept thinking about working in Europe even though New York had a great culinary scene. I just wanted a more classic setting where I could perfect my skills. I spent some time in France, about six months since I could not afford to work for free for very long! I apprenticed in a few restaurants in Paris and a butcher shop in Normandy, absorbing whatever knowledge I could along the way. When I returned home to Israel, I wanted to put my classic training to use. My first five years were spent at a super busy bistro at a boutique hotel. I learned to work very fast in the kitchen while still maintaining the quality of food. This was a good first part of my career and made it easier to take a step up to fine dining. Then I heard about a Japanese chef coming from the UK to open a restaurant in Tel Aviv, also in a boutique hotel. It was a very interesting project as it took 13 years to renovate the building. A real passion project from a guy from London who wanted to have his favorite London restaurant, Dinings, in the hotel. [I actually was connected with him through some friends in the art world, his art dealer was my friend.] It was a complete switch from French to Japanese, like starting from scratch. The whole approach to the experience was completely different so I immersed myself fully into the process. Usually to be a sushi chef, you need 7 – 10 years of training but the chef said I would be ready in 3 years. By the end of my time there, I was able to ex-

ecute the menu at a very high level. I did learn that you can make amazing things in a small space. All it takes is to be adaptable, creative and have a skillful hand. By the time I was in my mid-thirties, I knew sushi was not my passion.

My real passion is more connected to cooking with wood and live fire with a clear connection to nature and what’s going on around us. I was always drawn to the sea and seafood. My focus became more about cooking simple preparations but using the best ingredients.

I’ve also worked in San Sebastian and was very inspired by my time there.

AM: How would you define your style of cooking?

CHEF GK: For me, it all starts with the ingredients, which is then backed up with Japanese techniques and classic French preparation.

AM: What led you to become the chef/ owner of Concord Hill located in the Brooklyn?

CHEF GK: While I was in cooking school, I bartended in the West Village. Over the years, I kept in touch with the owner and whenever I came back to see what was happening in NYC, we’d meet up. I was scoping out what it would take for me to open in the city. He co-owned this restaurant with two people I used to work with but it wasn’t really working out. He was torn between closing or selling, really whatever came first. For me, coming from a foreign country, having a place that was plug and play was the best option. I had already lived in Williamsburg and it was natural for me to come back. Concord Hill provided me with a good platform to do what I wanted without having to build a restaurant first.

AM: When did you launch and what can guests expect when they come to dine at Concord Hill?

CHEF GK: I bought the restaurant in April

2019 and then spent several months slowly changing the menu.

that we should try at Concord Hill?

Guests can expect a warm welcome, we’re sort of “fine casual.” I’m committed to sourcing high quality ingredients, at the peak of the season and at peak quality.

The menu evolves with the seasons and always features different types of seafood and flavors. Diners have the option for a lighter meal or more sophisticated multi-course dinner. I look for healthy ingredients, grown and harvested responsibly.

Jamon Iberico on a mini baguette from Balthazar shows off one of the world’s greatest hams. It really brings me back to my time in San Sebastian in Spain.

AM: Can you talk about the aesthetics of your restaurant for those that will be dining inside?

CHEF GK: The dining room is intimate, about 36 seats, but we nearly double the seating in the warmer months with the outdoors. We have touches of marble like our bar counter top and some ledges but generally the décor is simple and color palette muted. It’s really about what’s on the plate.

CHEF GK: Mushrooms with Egg Yolk - our mushrooms are foraged and I only use free-range eggs.

Basque Cheesecake with fermented blackberry sauce has become a signature dessert at the restaurant. It’s also inspired by my time in the Basque country in Spain.

The crustless cheesecake is baked at high temperatures to create a singed outer layer that gives it a burnt look on the outside yet it is airy and velvety on the inside.

AM: What are 3 cocktails that you suggest we should have when visiting?

AM: When creating this menu, can you tell us about where inspiration for your dishes came from?

CHEF GK: There’s a fun story with one of our signature drinks, the MandarAnna. It was a bespoke cocktail we created for the birthday of Anna, one of our great friends and loyal customers. It’s made with mezcal, mandarin, morita chile. St. Germain, thyme. She loved it and asked us to put it on the menu, which we were happy to do.

CHEF GK: It always starts with the ingredients. I love talking with my purveyors about what they’re bringing in. From there, it’s all about how to prepare them in the simplest way.

The Goose is Loose with pear vodka, lemon, ginger, jalapeño, pear puree – it has a little kick from the ginger and jalapeño tamed by the fruit. It’s light and easy to drink.

AM: What are 3 signature dishes that you suggest that we should enjoy?

You've Gotta Be Kiwiing Me is made with gin infused with kiwi, cucumber and basil, boomsma bitter, aquavit and lemon. Our bar team loves to infuse spirits with other ingredients to create uniquely flavored, delicious cocktails that you can’t find anywhere else. The cocktails change seasonally and this one is perfect for summer.

CHEF GK: Hay Roasted Chicken – if you like chicken that’s a great one to try.

Yuzu-miso Glazed Grilled Shrimp – it’s just a delicious combination of flavors.

Wild Caught Fish - I always have a wild caught fish on the menu. They’re caught off Long Island and brought to the restaurant whole. I butcher them here.

AM: What are 3 appetizers and/or desserts

AM: What vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free friendly items do you have?

CHEF GK: Fresh Herbs & White Beans and Grilled Mixed Cauliflower are both vegan dishes. For vegetarian options we have

Mixed Lettuce, Almond & Pear Salad; Mixed Organic Mushrooms & Egg Yolk; Grilled Kale & Parmigiano Reggiano, and Truffle Fingerling Potatoes.

AM: During COVID-19, many restaurants have had to pivot on how they serve the guests and neighborhoods with pickups, delivery, reduce indoor dining, outdoor dining etc. – what have you been doing during this time?

CHEF GK: When the pandemic started, we pivoted immediately to pickup and delivery. It was just me and my GM working every day. I was cooking alone in the kitchen and it was incredibly stressful. We didn’t know how long we would have to do that. Thankfully, we had been doing some delivery beforehand so we didn’t have to start from zero. It grew pretty rapidly and introduced us to a lot of new customers.

Our delivery volume today is actually still higher than before the pandemic so that’s a win. Now that everything is reopening and New Yorkers are dining out again, we are meeting people for the first time even though they have been delivery customers for over a year. That’s very cool. Outdoor dining has been amazing. Previously we only had a couple of tables outside but once the city loosened regulations, we were able to build a curbside structure and add several more tables on the sidewalk. We’re also part of Open Streets so in the summer we have a lot more seats. @Guy.Kairi @ConcordHillBK PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Concord Hill

Issue Issue #66 #66 || Jun Jun 2021 2021

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