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Events Featured Fitness Health

Union Square Sweat Fest is Back for 2019!

The Union Square Partnership has announced the line-up for its 2019 Union Square Sweat Fest. Now in its fifth year, the wildly popular series will feature a schedule of new classes and programs with Union Square’s top health and fitness businesses, presenting a unique opportunity for the public to experience the best of the neighborhood’s wellness scene. The event – which will kick off on February 7th and run through February 12th – will feature more than 50 participating gyms, retailers and studios, offering over five Sweat Fest Experiences, four Gyms of the Day, and three Retailer Classes.

paragon

“Over the last five years, Union Square Sweat Fest has grown into a wonderful celebration of our neighborhood’s health and fitness scene with the more than 100 local wellness businesses that contribute to our vibrant economy,” said Jennifer E. Falk, Executive Director of the Union Square Partnership. “Our fifth annual series features an array of exciting new programs, and we are proud to introduce New Yorkers to the abundance of studios, healthy eateries and athleisure retailers that call Union Square home.”

Fitness enthusiasts can workout at any Union Square studio, show proof of purchase, and redeem a Sweat Fest Swag Bag from the Partnership. Participants can also workout for free at top athletic retailers with in-store classes including Paragon Sports, Athleta and JackRabbit, as well as select gyms.

sweat fest

This year the week-long series will present its first-ever Sweat Fest Signature Experiences. As part of the program, class-goers can experience five unique classes and studios throughout the week and receive signature swag:

 

  • SWEATacular with Andia Winslow on Thursday, February 7th at 6:30 – 9:00 PM at W New York – Union Square ($30)

Guests can kick off the 5th Annual Union Square Sweat Fest with Andia Winslow, a professional golfer, sports performance coach and founder of The Fit Cycle. Winslow created a fitness routine exclusively for Sweat Fest that combines cardio, conditioning and stretching with group training. Participants can also enjoy snacks, wellness activations with Innisfree and Ling Skincare, and beats spun by DJ Commish. The ticket includes an official Union Square Sweat Fest shirt.

 

  • CorePower Yoga Sculpt on Friday, February 8th, at 7:00 – 9:00 PM at 32 West 18th Street ($30)

Sweat Fest goers can take a private Yoga Sculpt class, and get powered post-class with refreshments. The ticket also includes a Union Square yoga mat and a free consecutive week of CorePower Yoga classes.

sweat fest 2019

  • Five Iron Golf Beginner’s Brunch, February 10th at 12:00 – 2:30 PM at 138 Fifth Avenue  ($30)

Join the Sweat Fest Beginner’s Brunch with two golf simulators, three golf pros, and enjoy a brunch with bottomless mimosas, wine, beer and soft drinks. Those who purchase tickets will also receive a Union Square sweatband.

 

  • Throwdown NYC Monday Punch Out, February 11th, 7:15 PM class and 8:15 PM class at 3 East 17th Street ($25)

Participants will join Boxing Fit class, where they can learn boxing fundamentals while incorporating body-weight high intensity interval exercises. The event will offer pre-class shopping at Everything But Water, and participants will get fueled after class by Dig Inn. The ticket will include a Union Square beanie and a free class at Throwdown NYC.

 

SWITCH Playground incorporates cutting-edge fitness technology with state-of-the-art facilities. An instructor will lead the HIIT class, along with a team of highly skilled trainers, through a labyrinth of 20 playground activities. A live DJ will fuel the energy during this one-of-a-kind playing field that is transformed into a theater of fitness and wellness. The party will continue after class with food and beverages from CAVA, evian and more, as well as mini-manicures by Côte. The ticket will include an official Sweat Fest duffle bag, sweatband, and a free class at SWITCH Playground.

switch playground

The Partnership also produces a Health + Fitness Map as part of the program detailing the over 100 wellness focused businesses in the neighborhood. New spots to explore in 2019 are studios CorePower Yoga, Five Iron Golf, The Shala Yoga House, Throwdown NYC, retailers and eateries Everything But Water, Champion Coffee, Panorama Middle Eastern Grill, Rescue Spa, Teazzi and Tender Greens.

 

Union Square Sweat Fest is produced in partnership with fitness and wellness event company, FIT+LOVE.

Sweat Fest classes have a limited capacity and are made available on a first come, first serve basis. Class registration opens on Tuesday, January 29th. Select classes are complimentary and some require advance purchase. For additional information on the week’s line-up and to register for classes, please visit http://www.unionsquaresweatfest.nyc, and follow @UnionSquareNY and #USQSweatFest on social media.

 

 

Categories
Culture Living

Citi Summer in the Square Wraps Up

Summer is slowly but officially coming to an end. Labor Day is just a week away and earlier this month, The Union Square Partnership wrapped up its annual Citi Summer in the Square series.

Over the course of the summer, the series presented New Yorkers with more than 135 free programs filled with entertainment, fitness and music in Union Square park every Thursday.

This year’s Citi Summer in the Square offered a sweat-inducing mix of fitness classes each Thursday morning and evening, a rotating, live interactive performance for children, new dueling performance shows featuring beat boxers, DJs, dancers and more, live jazz performances by students from The New School, and two “Throwback Thursday” movie nights in August — “The Karate Kid” on August 3rd, and “Back to the Future” a week later.

The program was presented by Union Square Partnership and had a lot of great sponsors including of course Citibank, as well as Con Edison, Paragon Sports and NYU, to name a few. Check out the full list here.

We can’t wait to see what they come up with next year!

Photos courtesy of The Union Square Partnership

Categories
Business Fashion

Search and State co-founder Daniel Golden talks to Downtown

search-and-state
Beyond being the only luxury performance and apparel for cycling made right here in New York, Search and State makes high-end technical cycling apparel. Every piece has been — and continues to be — made in one factory, produced in the same room as items from Zac Posen. The award-winning brand has been worn by many notable people, including Patrick Dempsey.

Downtown caught up with co-founder Daniel Golden to learn more about Search and State. Daniel co-founded the company with Devin O’Brien in 2010, launching with a single black jacket and a single black jersey. More on Search and State can be found at www.searchandstate.com; the brand can also be followed on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

 

Photo courtesy of Search and State
Photo courtesy of Search and State

Before getting into the fashion world, you raced motorcycles. Where did the idea to attend FIT come from?

Daniel Golden: The gear was always a major part of my racing career. Pretty early on I realized I cared as much about what I was wearing as I did about winning. And I cared a lot about winning. If I wasn’t going to win I was going to make sure I was the best dressed loser out there. I was special ordering gear and finding customs things when I was just 12 or 13 years old. When the racing ended, my love for clothing and technical gear was still there so it felt right to start looking at design schools.

The funny part is back then you would go to Borders Bookstore and buy this giant book that listed every college and how to apply. I still remember finding the few fashion schools that were in that thing and bookmarking the page for FIT. I also still remember receiving the acceptance letter in the mail. Pretty sure I am dating myself here.

When did the idea for Search and State come to you? Was it related to not seeing the products that you wanted already being made?

DG: Definitely. I was already a pretty established designer in New York and I had money to spend and I just wanted very clean, black, non-logo gear that was tailored, fit perfectly and functioned. That just didn’t exist at the time. Some good gear existed but I am particular and it all just wasn’t right for me. Anytime you see that void in a market, I think you are right to go after it. That’s what I did and designed one black jacket and one black jersey and was off and running.

What do you feel makes Search and State different from other brands within the cycling world?

DG: There are so many brands out there now, it is crazy. When we started, I think there were only a handful of players really doing it. Now there seems to be tons. But I really work with my head down and don’t look around too much. I don’t think that ever helps me when I am really in a creative space trying to tap into something that is individual. I do know that we offer more than just product, and we’re not a great marketing company trying to fool anyone. I do fully believe we make some of the best cycling gear in the world, and we offer a real platform as a company for people to believe in and partner with and have real life experiences with us. We are constantly talking about bigger and better initiatives and how we can meet more people and do more things.

 

Photo courtesy of Search and State
Photo courtesy of Search and State

Who was the first celebrity to wear your brand? Patrick Dempsey?

DG: Talk about working with my head down. I really couldn’t answer this one. I have seen photos of him wearing our stuff which is great. We had some high-profile professional cyclists as early adopters and believers in our gear as well. There were a few photos floating around of our jacket being worn in the Giro D’Italia a few years ago. That’s crazy, to be honest.

And what was the first retailer in New York to sell your products? Any recollection?

DG: Paragon Sports and NYC Velo were the first two. They were two of our first retailers ever, and we still sell to them today. They have been great partners. We actually ask them before we even talk to other dealers in the area. It’s an old-school arrangement, but I think that is still a fair way to work. They take care of us and vice-versa.

Do you have a favorite item from the Search and State brand?

DG: They say you always remember your first, and the S1J jacket is still our flagship piece. I have looked at it a few times over the years and thought about what I would change and I never touch it. I think it was everything I wanted a jacket to be when I made it, and I just made sure it was right from the start. That has become a beloved piece for me and a lot of other people.

Not every motorcyclist is an avid cyclist. Where did you passion for cycling come from?

DG: I stopped racing motorcycles because the injuries were getting more serious as I was getting older. The faster you go the harder you hit the ground when you come unglued. You can’t change that. By the time I was 18 and going to national events to race as a pro, a lot of people around me were really getting banged up and some close friends were paralyzed. That was a reality of the sport you had to be ready to deal with.

But I still loved going fast and being outdoors and that feeling of being on the edge even just a little bit isn’t something you can suppress after you’ve had a taste of it and been doing it for most of your life. We sold all the motorcycles and a few days later, I had my first road bike and was out there trying to go fast. It helped me transition away from that level of racing and soon enough I was in love with the bikes as well. I have never stopped riding since.

 

Photo courtesy of Search and State
Photo courtesy of Search and State

Manhattan is not the easiest place to cycle. Do you have places that you enjoy cycling most?

DG: You are right about that. I love open roads and going fast and finding a rhythm and midtown can severly impede all of those things. I have done my share of loops in Central Park and Prospect [Park], but I still do 9W and go out and explore. New Jersey actually has some great riding as well. I think it’s underrated. But travel is where it’s at when you can swing it. I am grateful for every trip I go on and remember them all.

I understand that your company is based in the Garment District. Are there any cycling-related companies in your neighborhood?

DG: I am sure there might be, but I do believe we are the only ones manufacturing high-end technical cycling apparel exclusively in Midtown. Every piece we make comes out of the same sewing room.

Recent collection aside, what is coming up for Search and State? Any Search Brigade events in the New York area?

DG: Search Brigade New York sounds great. The next one is in L.A. and is a beast. It should be spectacular. On the product side, we are expanding our sportswear assortment and looking at some transitional pieces that will have more on and off the bike function.

When not busy with Search and State, how do you like to spend your free time?

DG: Free time is a limited resource these days but aside from anything cycling or company related I make art and paint and I am trying to get my two-person blues band with with my four-year old daughter up and running. She can lock down a mean beat already.

Do you have a favorite restaurant in New York?

DG: Great question. I am definitely a New York restaurant guy and have been to many. Sadly, some of my favorites have disappeared. To be honest, my new approach to New York dining has been to walk around and pop into new places that look appealing from the sidewalk. I love that element of surprise and spontaneity lately. There are some great places out there that I never knew about when I used to just go to all the heavy-hitter joints. So many chefs make great food now. It’s everywhere. It’s not just in the top places anymore.

Finally, Daniel, any last words for the kids?

DG: Nope. I’m in a transitional state. No longer young…but not quite old and wise yet. Try me again in a few years.