I sit here with sun rays beaming through my window, and I look out over the vast new luxury high-rises and newly present nooks and crannies that weren’t visible as recently as this time last year.
With every change of a season, as cliché as it may be, I’m always struck by how quickly time flies.
Then again, living in New York City, I’m also impressed with how much we can accomplish in such a short amount of time when we put our minds to it whether it’s calling for action from our political leaders, adding new architecture to our iconic skyline, or transforming an entire floor from a raw space into an artistic wonderland.
Cover Fall 2017 By Nigel Barker
And then there’s the change you can make in yourself with hard work, dedication, and passion.
Read about our cover talent, shot by the incredible Nigel Barker, and learn how this man from a small American town was able to do what he loves with talent, a strong mind, and an even stronger physique.
The 2017 Art issue cover came about because of my long term relationship with the founder of DogPound Kirk Myers. First, he was my personal trainer, then he became Downtown’s first fitness editor and quickly turned into a dear friend, who had dreams of his own.
DogPound New York IG
We discussed how we could showcase artists, but artists and art come in many different shapes, sizes and forms, not just ones with a brush or camera but athletes.
By Nigel Barker
Looking at him now, you wouldn’t think that Kirk Myers used to be overweight.
Kirk Myers then and now
“I was uneducated about healthy eating,” he begins.
“I drank ‘skim’ chocolate milk and thought it was healthy,” he adds with a smile.
Now, knowing much better, he’s come a long way. He credits much of it to education and preparation. And that’s exactly why he’s taken on a more educational approach to fitness.
As the owner of the popular NYC and LA gym the Dogpound, Kirk Myers’ body is one of his most important tools. To work the hours he does training his clients and running a business in NYC endurance and strength are key.
“I think most people who have their own business understand that it doesn’t come overnight. It takes years and years of grinding and learning from your mistakes,” he says.
DogPound IG Victoria Models
“You must also be open to change, open to feedback, and eager to improve your craft at all times, in every aspect. If your business is not growing, you are dying.”
And even though his business is growing, he keeps a focus on the individual.
For Kirk, it all comes down to training and making a difference for other people.
“You can really change people’s lives and the way they feel day to day,” he says. “That’s something that I can’t get enough of, it really is priceless.” Kirk Myers DogPound
Special thanks to for this shoot location to The Silverstein Organization; our incredible Board Chairman Dara McQuillan, Chief Marketing Officer at Silverstein, his guidance and belief in what we do here at Downtown each and every day is so vitally important to who we are as a brand.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 27: (L-R) Tom Astor, Cristen Barker and Nigel Barker attend the Monkey 47 Gin Celebrates "Shaken And Stirred" Podcast Launch With Nigel Barker And Tom Astor At The Wild Monkey on April 27, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Monkey 47)
At my dear friend Nigel Barker’s 47th birthday, celebrated at Monkey 47 Gin’sgorgeous New York pop-up, I chatted with his best friend Tom Astor along with Nigel himself about their newest collaboration, a podcast called Shaken & Stirred that combines cocktails with interviews and some of the most interesting people they can find. See what they had to say below!
(L-R) Tom Astor, Cristen Barker and Nigel Barker. Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Monkey 47.
Grace A. Capobianco: Tom, will you share one thing about Nigel that has remained “status-quo” over the many years you’ve known each other?
Tom Astor: Nigel and I have managed to maintain the ability to remind the other that we are not as important as we think we are or might think we should be. Thus, humility has remained throughout our friendship. I would like to think that at the same time we have kept the same level of affection for each other and our families and have nothing to prove to the other. We are, after all, just long serving best friends who have hopefully enriched each other’s lives and will continue to do so. Even him having an affair with my ex-wife wasn’t enough to ruin our friendship!
GC: For Shaken & Stirred, is there a script with each guest or is it truly off the cuff?
TA: We emphatically do not script our interviews/podcasts. Each podcast is ‘off the cuff.’
Nigel and I research our guests’ lives and careers thoroughly, which is key to steering any conversation once it gets going. Scripting our interviews would ruin the point of allowing our guests the freedom to go wherever they want in an interview.
GA: How do you choose the type of cocktail for each episode? Does it have anything to do with the guest?
TA: The cocktails are chosen for each show for any number of reasons. A guest may have been asked for a preference, in which case we will happily oblige, or I might have arrived at the studio with a hangover and be trying out the ‘latest cure.’ What we look for in all of our cocktails is their history and backstory. The history almost always makes the drink more interesting than the actual drinking…almost.
GA: Who makes the cocktails?
TA: I make the cocktails. Nige is too lazy to get involved. He prefers to pretend to iron the flags behind the set with his state of the art steam iron whilst checking himself out in the mirror.
GA: Do you, Nigel, and your guests actually drink during the show?
TA: Of course we drink during the show. It loosens up the interviewers (and the guests sometimes).
GA: Where is the show produced?
TA: At the moment, the show is produced at Univision Studios in NYC. The joy of the podcast is that we can pretty much produce them anywhere from a bar and studio in any city in the world. Given the fact that not everyone we might be interviewing lives in New York we expect to be hitting the road in the future and have started researching some pretty amazing venues.
Nigel Barker and Tom Astor. Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Monkey 47.
GA: We know a lot about Nigel, tell us a bit more about your career and personal life.
TA: I live on my family’s farm in the Cotswolds in England with my three children. Merriscourt is a beautiful place to live, and I have converted some of the old barns into a wedding and events venue. My career has involved a stint in the art world, banking, buying and selling classic cars, and squeezing as much fun out of life as I possibly can for myself and kids!
I have always had a love for New York and have visited on too many occasions to count. I feel a strong family connection with the place which runs deeply through my veins. There really is not another place like it on the planet.
GA: Have you ever had a podcast before? What are some of the challenges you and Nigel experienced?
TA: I have never done a podcast before! Nigel had to initially explain what they were. I cannot say that I have found any of the process a challenge as such. It has been a fascinating journey and such a great way of finding out about so many things one would really never know about. I suppose the real challenge is making the guests open up which has so far worked well.
GA: How’s it going so far, any feedback from listeners or guests about the show, and what if anything would you do differently?
TA: The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, both from our guests and listeners. I think the formula we have adopted/created works well and I cannot think of any reason to change things. Obviously we are open to criticism and should anyone feel we can improve our show we will sit down, listen, mix a drink. and either ridicule the suggestion or take it seriously…
I very much hope to continue to be able to do these podcasts with Nigel. There are so many interesting people out there whose views and feelings are worth listening to. I feel that we are at the beginning of doing something quite useful as well as fun. Useful in the sense of opening others (and our own) eyes to a raft of issues, fights, passions, experiences and life. I hope the listeners enjoy listening to the podcasts as much as we enjoy making them!
GC: Nigel, how and when did you meet Tom Astor?
Nigel Barker: Tom and I met when we were 13-years-old at Bryanston School, Dorset, England. It was a boarding school, and when you meet kids at that age and basically live with them force majeure, you quickly find the ones you really get on with and often times you grow up together like siblings, but ones you pick!
GC: When did you know you would be lifelong friends?
NB: I just turned 47, and looking at his answer to your first question we may not be friends for much longer!! Joking aside, Tom and I became close very early on and not because we had loads in common but because we both had a similar outlook on life. We both love to enjoy life, poke fun at each other, and are fascinated by a good stories, even when they are just rumors…
GC: Over the years, how have you and Tom kept in touch, and how did you two come back together to create your new podcast Shaken & Stirred?
NB: We were groomsmen and ushers at each others weddings, we made each other godparents to our first born, we take family vacations together every other year, rendezvousing at some exotic locale with our growing families en masse, and we realized that as our kids grow up we needed another reason to see each other hence Shaken & Stirred!
GC: I loved the bit about when you and Crissy had your first child Jack, was Tom really there 3 minutes after the birth? Can you give us a little more insight? it sounds like a interesting and humorous story.
NB: Timing is everything as they say, and there is another character we have not mentioned yet who is Dickie Dawson, the third musketeer. He is also a godparent to our children, and his family also vacations with us, and he was a groomsman/usher etc. We are all very competitive with one another and Tom wanted to make sure he saw his godson before Dickie and jumped on a plane when he heard Crissy was in labor arriving at the hospital 3 minutes after the birth…poor Dickie was an appalling two weeks late.
Nigel Barker and Bryan Greenberg. Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Monkey 47.
Nigel Barker and Bridget Moynahan. Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Monkey 47.
GC: You say the podcast came about from lots of boozy lunches and dinners, I’m sure that there’s more to its creation than that.
NB: Well there were brunches too! It really all culminated one weekend last year when Tom was visiting at our home upstate in Woodstock, NY. We were having a hilarious time, chatting, plotting, exaggerating, bragging, and joking as we do and thought what can we do to have a perfect excuse to do this more frequently and the podcast was born.
GC: It seems like it’s a little bit the male version of (formerly) Kathy Lee and Hoda, a morning show where alcohol is a prop. Alcohol sort of helps lift the boundary lines for you, Tom, and your guests, would you agree and give us an example?
NB: I have been on the Kathy Lee and Hoda show a few times and trust me, S&S is very different. We do indeed enjoy a cocktail or two on Shaken & Stirred, but as the name suggests the drink is a character throughout the show. Most of us have a story about the first time we had a drink, or what we were drinking when we met someone special, and every cocktail has a historical story of how it came about. For example, when I first met my wife Crissy, I took several girls to a bar in Milan, Italy and I asked Crissy if she would do a tequila body shot with me. Crissy being the good (clever) girl from Alabama declined but this other model from Canada piped up and said she would. So I applied the salt to her neck, placed a lime between her lips, then licked the salt from her neck, took the shot and bit the lime out of the girls lips…Crissy immediately changed her mind and said she would do one too. So I set Crissy up with salt on the neck and lime in the mouth but this time when I went to bite the lime out of Crissy’s lips she pulled the lime into her mouth and I had to give her a proper kiss to retrieve said lime. That tequila body shot was our official first kiss.
GC: What do you hope that your audience learns from Shaken & Stirred?
NB: We are fond of rumors, legends, and stories on Shaken & Stirred, but ultimately it’ss the truth and not the well rehearsed Hollywood publicist’s version.
GC: How do you and Tom choose your guests?
NB: So far (we have recorded 24 episodes) they have all been friends, but we designed it in a way that it really doesn’t matter what the guest is known for or what they are currently trying to promote. Rather, we think of topics we want to discuss and then our guests join the conversation. The only prerequisite is they need to be good raconteurs.
GC: Any exciting up and coming guests? And who would be your dream guest?
NB: Lot’s of great guests like Miss J, Coco Rocha, Michele Hicks, David Mixner, The Jauncey Brothers, Fern Mallis, Hugh Evans, and Hugh Jackman and Deborah Lee Furness are scheduled for our next taping.
GC: Many people attempt to become entrepreneurs, and those who are, know it’s certainly NOT easy. You shared with the audience that you have always a ton of balls up in the air, how do you juggle them, and when one drops, how do you handle it?
NB: I never really think of myself as an entrepreneur, I just liked to get involved in whatever interests me and don’t pigeon hole myself. Of course, not every idea or business is going to work perfectly, but if you don’t try you’ll never know. I look for opportunities that I am personally interested in and have some knowledge about already. I don’t need to be an expert but once I commit I am in 100% and try to become an authority on the subject for my own peace of mind. Just because I am a photographer doesn’t mean I can’t be a TV host, an author, movie producer and director, furniture designer, or gym owner!
On February 7th, Downtown had the pleasure of attending the Blue Jacket Fashion Show. In its third year, the focus was on upping the awareness for prostate cancer.
Miss J (J. Alexander) (L) and Crissy Barker (R) are seen at The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019, in New York City, NY. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Blue Jacket Fashion Show benefited the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), founded by philanthropist and financier Michael Milken. All money raised go towards funding cutting-edge research that will save, extend, and improve the lives of not only prostate cancer patients but other cancer patients as well.
Models walk the runway during The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Mario Cantone and Judy Gold attend the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Alex Lundqvist prepares backstage during the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Downtown: How did you get involved with the Blue Jacket Show?
AL: You know, my grandfather passed away from prostate cancer, and when I heard about the show and then was asked to be a part of it, it was not even a question – to help out with this, spreading the word for people to go and get tested if that can save a few lives, I’m blessed to be a part of it.
Downtown: Why do you think men hesitate to get tested?
AL: It’s life or death! Just go get tested. If you’re up towards 40 years-old, get checked. There are different ways to get tested, you don’t have to go for the standard traditional testing. So go get tested, it’s the difference between life and death
Downtown: How was it out there hanging with the guys tonight on the runway?
AL: Oh, its such great fun with the guys, so much fun, always a good time, this is my third year and I can’t wait until next year!
Buster Skrine attends the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Downtown: What did you think about walking in this show?
BS: It was awesome, it was my second time. Just to be with these people, getting awareness out there on social media, just getting the word out about prostate cancer.
Downtown: If you could tell anyone something about prostate cancer, what would it be?
BS: Go get checked.
Nigel Barker, model, tv personality, and photographer
Nigel Barker (center) prepares backstage during the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Downtown: What about this show made you want to get involved with Blue Jacket Fashion event?
NB: I love it when the fashion community comes together for an important cause, and prostate cancer is a major killer of men, so it was an honor to put my best foot forward, quite literally!
Downtown: What did you think about this year’s designer brands and models?
NB: Fabulous, from my eye-catching blue suit from Brooks Brothers to a skirt suit in plaid by Thom Browne, the other men and their outfits were as diverse as the population of men affected by Prostate Cancer.
Downtown: What message would you like to share with our readers about prostate cancer prevention?
NB: Men are notoriously bad at going to visit the doctor and often think they can beat the pain or simply don’t want to fuss but trust me, the manly thing to do is GET TESTED.
Downtown: What was is like to be back on the runway?
NB: I only wish we had a proper walk off…Blue Steel in full force for the Blue Jacket Fashion Show!
Marcel Floruss walks the runway at the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Moti Ankari walks the runway during The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Billy Porter attends the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Dr. Mikhail Varshavski (L) and Ryan Eggold prepare backstage during the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Kenneth Ferrer prepares backstage during the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Simon Doonan walks the runway during The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Ryan Eggold attends the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Dr. Mikhail Varshavski walks the runway during The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Mario Cantone (L) and Dominic Fumusa prepare backstage during the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Billy Porter walks the runway during The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Dr. Mikhail Varshavski attends the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Harry Lennix walks the runway during The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Leo Chan walks the runway during The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Sonja Morgan prepares backstage during the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Drake Bell walks the runway during The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Sean Michael Frazier walks the runway during The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Edwin Hodge walks the runway during The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Luann de Lesseps (L) and Sonja Morgan walk the runway during The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Jeremy Carver prepares backstage during the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Desmin Borges attends the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Young Paris attends the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Luann de Lesseps prepares backstage during the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
Nigel Barker (L) and Drake Bell prepare backstage during the The 3rd Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show Benefitting The Prostate Cancer Foundation at Pier 59 Studios on February 7, 2019 in New York City, NY. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for Blue Jacket)
On Monday, Nov. 6, Downtown Magazine hosted its cover launch party for the special art issue. Held at the beautiful World Trade Gallery, which also hosts some of the artists covered in the latest issue, the setting for the magnificent night couldn’t have been a better fit.
On the night of the launch, Downtown Magazine could finally unveil the cover and present the cover stars, who were all present to show their support; Kirk Myers of the DogPound, Olympian fencer Miles Chamley-Watson, award-winning actress and singer Cynthia Erivo, ABT ballerina Katie Boren, and model Anne De Paula were all joined by photographer Nigel Barker, who shot this issue’s cover.
“Life itself can be a form of art,” said Nigel Barker as Downtown’s Publisher & CEO Grace A. Capobianco handed him the microphone to introduce the thoughts behind the feature. And life indeed can. In this issue, Downtown focused on the many ways art is created, because art does come in many shapes and forms. And for all the cover stars, their bodies are what allow them to create, compete and perform at peak.
The launch party held a very special surprise in the form of an auction #DenimForArt, in which Downtown Magazine had paired with Saks Downtown to benefit the organization Girl Be Heard. The cover stars along with three of the incredibly talented artists also covered in the issue, WhIsBe, Chinon Maria and Layer Cake, had each designed jean jackets for the auction. See all the stunning designs and place your bid right here.
The jackets were presented in the most amazing fashion in a Girl Be Heard performance with spoken word and a rap that had the gallery buzzing with empowerment.
The gallery was packed with the who’s who of Downtown Manhattan and over the course of the night, guests marveled at the artwork while enjoying delicious hors d’ouvres from Madison & Park Hospitality Group and wine provided by Barrymore Wines and Liquor Lab.
Another star beverage of the night was served by iPic‘s own Adam Seger, whose feature in this issue holds a special DOWNTOWNER cocktail recipe that he’s created solely for Downtown Magazine. The cocktail consists of tequila infused with grilled pineapple, Fresno chilies and FiDi honey, and was a sure hit at the party.
This cocktail will now be available at the Tuck Room in the Fulton Market Building in the Seaport District, or grab an issue of the magazine and duplicate it at home.
We couldn’t be more excited to present this new issue of Downtown Magazine as we step into what we truly believe to be a new era for the magazine and for the Downtown area as a whole.
“No longer our grandfather’s or our father’s Wall Street, or the lost city after 9/11, Downtown Manhattan has come alive with artists, athletes, models, dancers, and entrepreneurs. It’s hot!” said our Chairman of the Advisory Board, Dara McQuillan Chief Marketing Officer Silverstein Properties And we couldn’t agree more.
It’s Friday and that means it’s time to pop open a bottle of wine and enjoy a glass or two. Invivo Wines, a popular New Zealand wine brand, is now available in the US and is a great pick for tonight — and any other night.
As the brainchild of Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron, Invivo Wines launched their first wine in 2008 and their wines have since taken home many medals. And finally, it can be found on New York City shelves.
Invivo Wine will be offering their three most sought after wines: Invivo Sauvignon Blanc, Invivo Pinot Noir and the Graham Norton’s Own Sauvignon Blanc, which is now one of the world’s fastest growing wines.
With this expansion into the US, Invivo Wines has named Nigel Barker its new “Glambassador”. Downtown sat down for a talk about Barker’s love of wine, what being a “Glambassador” means and his favorite way to enjoy a glass of delightful Invivo Wine.
When you tasted Invivo the first time, how was it different from other wines you’ve had?
Nigel Barker: Let me paint the picture… I was in New Zealand shooting America’s Next Top Model, one evening after filming we gathered at my cousin’s house and I had invited one our producers to join us for drinks. She brought with her a bottle of Invivo Pinot Noir and it was absolutely delicious. Our producer Rachel went on to explain that she was friends of the wine makers and she described their ideology behind the brand which I loved. Needless to say, great taste with a great idea, I wanted to know more and drink more. The rest is history!
You became friends with Invivo Wines’ founders afterwards, how did this happen?
NB: My curiosity got the best of me and personally I always seek out local wines wherever I am in the world. So I asked to be connected with the wine makers who were these two young men basically setting out to turn the wine business on it’s head by producing fabulous wine at a even better price without all the pomp and fanfare.
For 5 years you’ve had them send the wines over to the US, now that it’s available here, what are you most excited about?
NB: Having enough to share and not having to squirrel it away only to bring out and drink when I am alone! But seriously, I have had a fun time with our more clandestine method of smuggling the vino into the country but it’s going to be wonderful having it at my local wine store now.
When they asked you to be “Glambassador” for Invivo Wines, what were your first thoughts?
NB: “I need a glass of Invivo to think about this, or rather a case to mull it over, this is a big and glamorous decision after all!”
What does being a “Glambassador” entail?
NB: Well as the title suggests, I won’t be just the face of the brand but I am tasked with throwing glamorous parties, tastings and events all around the country.
Why do you think New Zealand wines are becoming so popular in the US?
NB: It’s not just the US but a global phenomenon. I believe it’s because you consistently get delicious wine from New Zealand and when the average person goes to their local wine merchant the choices can be quite daunting so if you know a certain wine from a specific country always hits the mark you are more likely to buy it again.
Where does your love of wine stem from?
NB: Growing up in England, my parents served wine every night with dinner and both lunch and dinner during the weekends. I believe I was offered my first glass at age 14. I don’t remember whether it was love at first sip but it was also a rite of passage, exciting and steeped in history. As I grew up and eventually starting traveling and working all over the world, one of my favorite things to do was and is to visit vineyards and taste the local wines. I am currently in the process of building a proper wine cellar in my home upstate New York.
Which one is your favorite Invivo Wine?
NB: I don’t have a favorite wine, just child and she’s too young to enjoy Invivo yet. However, it really depends on what I am eating, what the season is, what the temperature is etc. The great news is that there is a fab Invivo for every moment. Right now at the Barker household we are guzzling down the Sauvignon Blanc by the case. And why you ask, well simply put it’s delicious and easy to drink. But more specifically, I love citrusy zesty wines that are dry and crisp and my wife and I are both pescatarians.
What’s your preferred way to enjoy a glass of Invivo Wine?
NB: With my dog Memphis as he just likes to watch me drink.
Last night, the DogPound and Downtown hosted its second annual appreciation party. The instafamous gym, known for its celebrity clientele as well as their black-and-white theme and a dedication to “smash it”, has called 1 Renwick home for over a year.
The gym was filled with clients, family and close friends who joined the DogPound team to celebrate the special night. A night to thank everyone who make the DogPound happen and grow stronger, every. single. day.
“An overweight kid from Kansas is one of the hottest trainers in New York right now because of you guys. And three Dominican kids, that didn’t know what they were going to be, are trainers in New York, because people believed in them. I just want to say thank you and I’m super grateful for you,” said Brey “Beast” Pena, CSO and co-founder of the DogPound.
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For the night, the only sweat was caused by dancing and a packed house. Gone were post-workout shakes and recovery meals. Guests could however cool down with mixed cocktails by Moët Hennessey and recover with food catered by local Italian eatery, Adoro Lei.
DJ Tiff McFierce brought along a mean playlist of current hits and old school music, and had guests dancing until brought to a halt by a special surprise.
This night not only marked the DogPound having called 1 Renwick home for a year. It was also another key DogPound person’s birthday — Nigel Barker! The team brought out a cake in celebration as well as song and cheers.
To get the gym ready for early morning workouts, the party moved next door to Arlo SoHo for the afterparty.
“An overweight kid from Kansas is one of the hottest trainers in New York right now because of you guys. And three Dominican kids, that didn’t know what they were going to be, are trainers in New York, because people believed in them. I just want to say thank you and I’m super grateful for you,” said Brey “Beast” Pena, CSO and co-founder of the DogPound.