STYLE OF SPORT: September 2012

Friday, September 28, 2012

SHOP NYC: THE SPORTIEST STORES IN TOWN

While New York City is synonymous with great shopping, sporting goods are not usually the first thing that comes to mind, but there are an incredible number of sport stores in every neighborhood of the city. Fall is a great time of year for outdoor activ-ites and with the mixed weather weekend ahead its the perfect opportunity to go shop for some new gear.

With that I give you another regular STYLE OF SPORT feature... The Best Sports Stores review. While these all have the goods, they also have the style. So whether you're into sports and just want to look like you are, here are five stores you must check out.

NIKE RUNNING

156 Fifth Ave.

Located in the Flatiron district, this spacious new Nike Running store carries shoes, gear and apparel for that one sport only. The goal, I was told, is to remind people that's how Nike began. The store has every running shoe Nike makes, from super hi-tech flats like the Nike Flyknit for elite runners, to reissued vintage Air Max models for the "sneakerheads". For the recreational runner in between, the store offers gait analysis and group runs where new gear can be tested.

The design of the store features that same juxtaposition of old and new. There is recycled gymnasium flooring, industrial lighting and a giant flat screen heat map highlighing the functionality of the gps sportwatches. One of the design highlights is a wall covered in sketches of the Nike Free Run drawn on the spot by the designer of the shoe, Mark Minor.

THE LONGBOARD LOFT

132 Allen St.

Down in the lower east side is the mecca for longboard skateboarders called The Longboard Loft. Longboarding is the hot new subculture of skateboarding and has taken hold with skateboarders looking for a smoother ride and an alternative to the bicycle as a way to get around town.

The store feels like a skateboard gallery with wheels in every color and decks featuring the hottest graphics covering the walls,. They stock everything from the most basic cruisers to the most advanced and technical downhill race boards. You can buy the boards as is or customize as you like. Combine that inventory with a knowledgeable and friendly staff of skaters and all your longboard needs are covered.

BERGINO BASEBALL CLUBHOUSE
67 East 11 St.

Part clubhouse, part art gallery, part memorablia and souvenir shop, for you baseball fans this is one cool spot. Located off Union Square in the landmark Cast Iron Building, they sell both vintage and replica t-shirts, baseball hats, baseballs as well as specialty items like ballpark cufflinks made from old seats and vintage baseballs, and game-used uniform wallets.

SOCCER SPORT SUPPLY CO.

1745 First Ave.

Located on the upper upper east side, on one of the less attractive blocks of town, this insider soccer store is worth the trek. Family run and open since 1933, it is the recognized go to spot for all your soccer needs. And for all you soccer fans out there, this place has all your favorite team jerseys from Mancester United to Nike Barcelona.

HUB CYCLES

139 Charles St.

When I stumbled upon this store in the West Village, I wasn't sure if it was a flea market, art installation, junkyard or crazy bicycle store. Turns out it's a bit of it all but mostly the latter. HUB Cycles, which stands for Hudson Urban Bicycles, sells and rents virtually every bike you can imagine, new and vintage, with an emphasis on the hipster European touring bikes that are so popular right now.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

SNACK ALERT: KIND BARS

I must admit I am a snacker. I'm a NYC woman on the go and always on the lookout for a healthy nutrition bar that I don't have to search high and low to find when I'm hungry. My new favorite snack that fits the bill are these delicious fruit, nut, yogurt and chocolate combinations from KIND. They're available at most markets and delis. I happen to love dried fruit nut clusters and thats what these are in a pre-packaged bar. The ingredients are basically what your eye sees.

My favorite is the Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate. It has 200 calories you can easily burn, 1 serving of protein to keep you full (7g) and is relatively low-carb (17g). There are lots of tasty combinations to choose from and right in line with the dietary obsession of the moment, all Gluten free!

Sunday, September 23, 2012

SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES: SPORT FLICKS PART DEUX

Welcome to another installment of Sunday Night Sports Flicks. For those of you who are new to SPORTOLOGY, I did my first round-up back on August 12 and reviewed 6 classics. Click here if you missed it. Tonight I give you 5 more sport movies favorites inspired by the fall season, back to school and the great outdoors. Click the images/movie titles for previews (ignore cheesy voiceovers).

VISION QUEST (1985)

Vision Quest is a coming of age drama about a high school wrestler named Louden Swain, played by Matthew Modine, who embarks on a mission to wrestle and beat a menacing undefeated 3-time state champion, and he must drop two weight classes to do so. All changes with the arrival of a boarder, played by Linda Fiorentino in the role that made her famous, who moves into his family's house. A love story follows and his committment is tested. For Madonna fans, the true movie highlight is her cameo as a club singer performing "Crazy For You" in her first screen roll.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (2004)

This is the story of the Permian Panthers, a high-school football team in Texas, and their coach who strives to propel them to greatness through economic, racial, and emotional hardships. The film is based on the book by H.G. Bissinger and dramatizes the single minded focus of a town on the success of its high school football team and the toll that takes on its players. Billy Bob Thornton as the coach, Tim McGraw as an abusive alcoholic father, and Derek Luke as the star running back whose season takes a heartbreaking turn, are just some of the great performances in this movie.

HOOP DREAMS (1994)

This documentary follows the story of William Gates and Arthur Agee, two African-American inner city teens who dream of one day playing in the NBA. They are recruited by a predominantly white high school with an outstanding basketball program, St. Joseph High School, in Westchester, Illinois, from which NBA legend Isaiah Thomas graduated. Both face different struggles adjusting to the demands of the program and acclimatising to a new socio-economic environment. Originally intended to be a 30-minute short produced for PBS, the movie was filmed over a five year period and documents the lives of two young men, their families and communities from recruitment through to their college freshman year.

AMERICAN FLYERS (1985)

While some may argue that Breaking Away is the best cycling movie, my favorite is an 80's classic called American Flyers starring a mustached Kevin Costner and Rae Dawn Chong. Directed by John Badham (Saturday Night Fever), the film is about two brothers training to compete in a grueling bicycle race across the Rocky Mountains called "The Hell of the West". There is a family history of illness and the plot takes a twist when we see which brother is actually affilicted. Set in The Rockies and filmed during the Coors Classic, a now-defunct stage race that was one of the world's leading cycling events at the time, the movie features breathtaking scenery and action packed race photography.

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT (1992)

While one might not consider this a sports movie, Brad Pitt fly fishing is a major qualification for me. The film is the story of two sons of a Presbyterian minister growing up under the watchful eye of their father. One is a straitlaced scholar played by Craig Sheffer and the other a rebellious gambler played by Brad Pitt. The film chronicles their intertwining and often conflicting lives, and looks at the fierce ties that unite and divide families. It is the three mens' love of fly fishing for trout in Montana's rivers that ultimately brings and bonds them together. Directed by Robert Redford, the film won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

TICK TOCK: SPORTY WATCHES FOR ATHLETES AND SPECTATORS ALIKE

Whether you are training for a marathon, checking for surf, scubadiving or just looking for a sporty timepiece to stay on time, there are so many cool watches to choose from. I'm loving these in white and silver, so super chic
there is no need to change watches when the workout is done.

NIKE+ SPORTWATCH LIMITED EDITON $169

Equipped with GPS technology, this beautiful limited edition tracks your location, pace, time and distance. USB contacts are built into the watch strap and plugs in to your computer to upload data and keep track of all your runs. This edition was created for the US Olympic Team athletes, but theirs came with real gold on the trim.

CHANEL J12 CHRONOGRAPH $7850
This watch is a major fashion statement, but if you plan on wearing it for its functional capabilities it does feature self-winding mechanical chronograph movement, 42-hour power reserve, date and chronograph (12-hour, 30-minute, 60-seconds counters), unidirectional rotating bezel and is water-resistant up to 200 meters.

FREESTYLE HAMMERHEAD LDS $135
The Hammerhead LDS gives a little fashion edge to the classic dive style and the result is a sporty timepiece that looks great surfing or just hanging on the beach.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE?

"GIT IT BALLROOM GIRL" with Witney & Twitch (click to watch)

Last night was the finale of "So You Think You Can Dance" and the winners were crowned. I love this show because unlike most reality televison where people are rewarded for behaving badly, this one is nothing but positive. The program highlights incredibly talented and dedicated dancers competing in all different genres and showcases the top choreographers in the business.

My favorite routine of the season was performed by latin ballroom dancer Witney and "all-star" hip-hop dancer Twitch, season 4 runner-up. The juxtapostion of these two was priceless and to see this nice Mormon girl gettin' her freak on was quite the unexpected surprise.

As the choreographer of the piece Luther Brown said, "Git it ballroom girl!"... oh and she did.

Monday, September 17, 2012

STREET STYLE / SLOPE STYLE

AS SEEN IN VOGUE...

TO BE SEEN ON THE SLOPES...

Looks like the arts and crafts movement is not limited to fashion only. While the september issue of Vogue highlighted the Bauhaus inspired graphic patterns and color combinations for fall by designers such as Celine (above), Miu Miu, Narciso Rodriguez and Balenciaga, outdoor apparel designers were clearly on the same wavelength as shown by these jackets by Marmot and North Face.

So whether skiing or snowboarding, see you lookin' stylish on the slopes!

"THE CLAUDIATOR" ON THE GREAT SOUTH BAY
PHOTOGRAPH BY SUZANNE DONALDSON

A few friends have recently suggested that my posts be a bit more personal and that I share some things about myself to give more credibility to what I have to say. They know me as a lifelong athlete; Conde Nast Photography and Visual Director; former personal trainer at Radu Physical Culture; author of a book on extreme sports called Stoked: The Evolution of Action Sports; two time NYC marathon finisher; and most recently the Creative Director of a posh photography archive called Trunk Archive.

But I'm not really one to talk about myself.

One friend said I needed to brag a little, but that’s not my style. My feeling has been that the posts, with their beautifully curated selection of images and merchandise would do the talking, and that my expertise and excellent taste would be obvious.

So I am going to continue as I have been doing, letting the pictures do the talking, and with that I thought I’d share this one of the blogger herself, affectionately known as “The Claudiator”, wearing Catherine Malandrino on her Laird/Bark stand-up paddle raceboard exemplifying what Sportology is all about… the Style of Sport!

Finally... I have an excuse to post this picture! What else do you want to know?

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER: @STYLEOFSPORT

Saturday, September 15, 2012

SPRING 2013: PRET-A-SPORTER!

Another action packed New York Fashion Week wrapped on Friday. There were lots of chic and playful looks that strut down the runways, their inspiration clearly drawn from various sporting arenas. I now present the "Style Of Sport" highlights for spring 2013.