Ms Fit Feature: Jenny Johnson

 

Jenny Johnson, Emmy Award Winning Boston Television Personality, Producer and Host of NESN’s Dining Playbook and Host of Comcast Newsmakers.

WHAT IS KEEPING YOU BUSY THESE DAYS?

My show, Dining Playbook is in its second season – I’m focused on furthering this program to be the must-see dining guide for everyone in New England.

I have an entrepreneurial spirit and so I’m dipping into the world of SPIRITS! I’m in the process of creating a sparkling wine from Sonoma County. I love bubbles! There is a void for affordable sparkling wine. You can get a $45 bottle of champagne or a $10 Prosecco, but there is nothing in the middle! My business partner Dave Gordon and I are launching a sparkling wine this summer. My goal is to market this brand to women who strive to do it all and deserve a satisfying glass of sparkling wine. This sparkling wine pays tribute to all women – the working woman, the mom, wife, athlete, yogi, etc. It applauds them all and of course should be enjoyed by the men in our lives as well. We all deserve a tasty glass of bubbles when we can.

I’ve partnered with my friend and Nantucket social media guru Holly Finigan. Our new venture City + Sand Escapes, combines two of our favorite pastimes, food and travel. Our aim is to serve as modern day travel agents, showing our viewers and followers the absolute best in luxury travel escapes.

I’m currently enrolled in the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. After this year long program, I will be a certified Health Coach. I hope to bring my love of health and wellness to others, offering an opportunity to gain positivity and balance.

WHAT ARE YOU LOVING IN FITNESS AND FASHION RIGHT NOW?

Exercise keeps me sane and helps balance my energy. I like to diversify as much as possible. I’m a big barre fan, the recent opening of FlyBarre has me hooked. It’s the greatest barre workout I’ve experienced yet. I combine barre with cardio through FlyWheel and Barry’s Bootcamp. I also love rock climbing – Brooklyn Boulders is my go-to and last fall, I tried outdoor rock climbing for the first time in NH – one of the most intense and thrilling experiences I’ve had to date.

HOW CAN WE KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOU?

Instagram jenny_johnson3
Twitter jennyj33
FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jenny-Johnson/113487141995743

www.jennyjohnson.me
Www.nesn.com/diningplaybook

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN TELEVISION?

I worked for a company called XYTV when I graduated from college and got my hands in a little bit of everything. I was writing, producing, hosting and editing. Then an associate producer job opened up at NECN for TV Diner, a couple years later, I was the Executive Producer and then became the co-host.  I’ve been working with Billy Costa in food television ever since.

TELL US A LITTE ABOUT YOUR SHOW, DINING PLAYBOOK?

 

Dining Playbook’s Billy Costa and Jenny Johnson

Dining Playbook is New England’s premier food and dining show on NESN Saturdays at 9Am. We do restaurant reviews, cooking demonstrations and celebrity chef interviews. Our show airs on NESN, so of course there is the sports component, which has us cooking with our revered New England athletes and a segment offering some fitness options, after we fill our viewers tummies with plenty to eat!

You can catch Jenny on NESN, Saturdays at 9:00 a.m., Sundays at 9:00 p.m., and Thursdays at 11:30 p.m.

Spring Fashion Fit Pieces We Love

Gone are the days of limited options to choose from when getting ready to hit the gym. Today there are many great choices in workout lines that span from the traditional sports stores like Nike and Reebok, all the way to top designers like Chanel. Workout wear has really blazed its own space in the fashion industry in the past two years, even coining its own sub-categories like barrewear, FitFashion, Sports Couture, Luxletic and Athlesire, just to name a few. Celebrities like Kate Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Heidi Klum, Beyonce, Jillian Michaels, Rhianna, Brooke Burke and Rita Ora have also either created their own lines or aligned  themselves with activewear brands.

Even though it doesn’t quite feel like spring in New England, just yet, here are few fashionable-fit pieces to help motivate you on your final sprint to bikini season:

The Upside Yoga Pant in Charcoal

 

Vie Active Lori Sports Bra at Carbon38

 

Monreal Mesh Tank at Carbon38

 

Michi Stardust Crop Pant

 

Lulu Lemon Light Speed Vest

 

H&M Workout Top

 

Body Language Amber Top

 

VPL Consignment Breaker Tank at
ID 10 X DEKA

 

Crane&Lion Long Sleeve Tee

 

Nike Flyknit Lunar 3

 

Out Incorporated TEASE in Courage light grey

 

Adidas Ultraboost Sneaker

 

Splits59 Ashby Tank in Aster

 

Out Incorporated Gold Sports Bra

 

Lucas Hugh Leadlight print Legging at ID X DEKA

 

Varley Python Crop Top

 

Gwenyth Modern Classic in Ballet Pink

 

Victoria Secret Knockout Capri

 

The Upside Cropped Hoodie

 

Yoga Bag from H&M

 

 

Ms Fit Feature on the Co-Founders of SOAK

We are excited to introduce you to a new company, Soak,  and its fabulous and fashionable co-founders. The first thing we thought of when we learned about this new product was, oh yeah, this is what I have been missing in my wardrobe, for about, EVER! A shoe that is practical enough to be worn everywhere- land, sea and sandbox, and chic enough to not ruin your well-thought out outfit. This is stylish-comfort-wear that takes you from point A to point B, without having to wear your  six inch heels any longer than need be (oh yes, you can slide these babies right in your clutch). And, just think how much money you can save on those 4 block Uber rides that you would just walk if you weren’t wearing those heels!! We like the endless possibilities of sparing our feet in Soak, but also because we love the design that has that make-your-feet-look-pretty shape…Meet Soak:

 

Michelle Vale & Elena Corsano of Soak

 

Meet the Co-Founders of Soak, Michelle Vale and Elena Corsano… Also known Michelena 😉

What is keeping you busy these days?

Campaigning for Kickstarter… We launched 13 days ago and it’s like a full on election!  Every day connecting with our base… socially conscious, fashionable women who are in the know and on the go!

We are also moms so we can’t negate our second job… running to hockey, gymanstics, soccer and don’t forget those dreaded birthday parties… hehe

What are you loving in fitness and fashion right now?

For fitness: Elena loves Barre class at Physique 57… Michelle is a little more hardcore and prefers to get in the ring… boxing or nothing for me. For spring fashion, Elena has all things denim on the brain… For Michelle she is dreaming of army green Soaks..and anything to go with them… Unfortunately, she will have to wait as those won’t ship until resort!  Boo hoo!

How can we keep in touch with you?

Learn more about Soak and our Kickstarter Campaign here!

www.instagram.com/definesoak

www.pinterest.com/SoakUSA
www.facebook.com/definitionofsoak
www.twitter.com/definesoak

About Soak:

 

We were tired of schlepping around in our finest wears, with rubber flip flops that totally kill the look and quite frankly, are bad for your feet. We want a little lift, some arch support and something chic enough to wear to and from work, around town and heck, even after the Met Gala! We needed something to just slip on and go.  Let’s face it, after a few hours in heels, we walk a little less confident.  There is nothing sophisticated about suffering.  The world takes notice of a woman in pain from her tortured stilettos.

After months of waking up in the am, dreaming we could open our closets and pull out  a favorite slide… we turned to each other one day and said… let’s create it! We need this item in our wardrobe!  And so, Soak was born!  A shoe that has it all… comfort and style, vegan, eco-friendly and socially responsible. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect! Michelle had just finished producing the documentary she had been working on “Make it in America.”

What came out of the film was that most Americans can’t afford American made because the price points are just too high. I was already pondering how to create a product, in America, that could be produced at high volume at a price that was affordable. We felt passionate about keeping production here in the US and researched for weeks until we came across a factory in Maine.

At present, all styles will be designed in New York and crafted in Kennebunk, Maine. New York is a place we adore but the chaos of city life beckons a retreat to nature… Maine soothes our soul.  We live for our down time in Maine. Portland with its art/food scene, and posh boutique shopping and Kennebunkport where many former Presidents choose to play. Our factory resides between these two wonderlands.

 We are ecstatic to have our hands involved in a project that will reinvigorate a once thriving shoe business. Serendipitously, the ball started moving fast and as chance would have it, we were introduced by a colleague to Elaine Sugimura, former president of Havaianas. Elaine immediately validated the need for this shoe in the market. Within weeks she signed onto the board and is now serving as an advisor. And that’s the story of SOAK…

We are so excited about this amazing new brand and hope you will be too.. Check out their Kickstarter campaign because your feet will thank you!

The MsFits Take Their Boys to See About Herb Ritts

In the time of Naomi, Christy, Stephanie and Cindy there was also a talented man by the name of Herb Ritts. At the height of the popularity of George, Mel, Elton, Elizabeth, Madonna, Tom and Ronald, Herb was the one to capture them in their simplest forms in black and white. He was a visionary beyond measure, he was an artistic genius that bounced from music video sets to Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and Vogue shoots, to publishing books to photographing top recording artists for their album covers.

Remember Madonna’s music video, “Cherish,” definitely one of the best music videos ever made? That was Ritts’ first directorial debut. Followed by videos for Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Chris Isaak, Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez. His eye for beauty and mastering the black and white genre while evoking a certain feeling from his viewers will never be forgotten.

The Museum of Fine Arts’ exhibit of Herb Ritts’ work is a testament to how simple, yet beautiful and elegant his work was. We couldn’t wait to see the works with our very own eyes and to share the experience with our four year old little men. I don’t think they really appreciated it as much as we did, but for us, it was really special to enjoy some quality time with our boys in such a beautiful space.

Jumping for joy in front of Ritts’ “Jump, Paradise Cove, 1987”

Make like Dizzy Gillespie

So much to see, so little time

For their first trip to the museum, Ritts was the perfect exhibit to see!

Some of the works on display….

My favorite photograph of all time: Stephanie, Cindy, Christy, Tatjana, Naomi, Hollywood, 1989

 

Nelson Mandela, Johannesburg, 1994

 

Dizzy Gillespie, Paris, 1989

Christy Turlington, Hollywood, 1988

Claudia Schiffer, Palmdale, 1992

Madonna, Tokyo, 1987

 

 

The exhibit is open now until November 8th, 2015.

Check out the exhibit information here.

Ms Fit Obsession: Flared Pants

Spring is right around the corner (I hope), and all the season’s biggest trends will be in full bloom before we know it. Gladiator sandals, floral prints, jeans jackets… but what I’m totally obsessing over this year is the comeback of the almighty flare!!

Take a back seat skinnies, because the flare jeans and pants have risen from the depths of the fashion doldrums and I cannot be more excited! Pair them with a high espadrille for a spring party or with a clog for a more casual look. One of my favorite looks is pairing a denim shirt with a pair of flared jeans… too much denim, you ask? That’s the whole point! For the office or something a bit more fancy, a pair of black flared trousers with a pair of black pointy-toe pumps will look oh-so-chic yet effortlessly put together.

These pants have been slowly trickling into the market so don’t be afraid to relive your flare jean memories all over again… and for now, here are some inspirations from our favorite fashionistas!

Miranda Kerr

Nina Garcia

Nicole Richie

Victoria Beckham

Caroline Issa

Carine Roitfeld

Street Style

Street Style

Street Style

Olivia Palermo

Heidi Klum

Karlie Kloss

Miroslava Duma

Leandra Medine

 

Now we just need spring to finally arrive so we can all go rock our flares in a big, big way!

 

Ms Fits Take on the Runways, Philanthropy and Fitness Fashion

March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb… and our March came in with Crane and Lion… with a full dose fun and action. The first week of March really kicked off with a bang in Boston …