Andrew Cotto

NEW YORK — Miami-raised and Fordham-educated, Ally Love is the in-arena host of the Brooklyn Nets, an Adidas global ambassador, a Peloton instructor, an Alvin Ailey-trained dancer, a certified health coach and the founder of Love Squad, a company that empowers young women through panel discussions and group workouts. “Sunday is my favorite day of the week,” said Love, who lives in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. “It’s just really nice to be in places that aren’t too overwhelmed. I’m always running, on the go, the city is always busy, so to feel the city when it’s less busy means a lot to me.”

TEA, NEWS AND PREP: When I wake up at 7, the city is quiet. You almost feel like the only one up, and I like that feeling. I am not a breakfast person, so I’ll have a cup of tea and catch up on news, engage with the social media community; I’ll go over my Nets scripts to prepare for games that week.

GET PUMPED: I go to the 9:30 service at Redeemer Downtown on 14th Street, and I love hearing the sermon. It grounds me, reminds me how great God has been to me, my family and friends, and I leave more knowledgeable. Timothy Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer in Manhattan, is a well-known author, so I knew I wanted to check out his teaching when I came to New York. I found Redeemer and fell in love with the Bible-based teaching. That’s a priority to me. We can all preach on feelings, but teaching on truth is what I live for, and learn from.

SPIRIT AND BODY: Right after church, I walk to 23rd Street and teach a 12:45 class at Peloton. It’s a live class that is broadcast to all bikes and app members. It’s literally my “Feel Good Ride” — the name of the class — as it allows me to bridge the gap of how great I feel from church and being on the bike, working out with thousands of riders at the same time, inspiring them through uplifting and encouraging language. I love Peloton because of its community. It’s not only the leader in the hybrid of technology and fitness, but we are able to build social relationships that are magnified both on the bike, which uses a leader board that syncs with other riders, and off the bike, through real friendships across the country.

A LITTLE BUSINESS: I’ll get off my bike around 1:30 and meet with Faye Farrales, who helps me run Love Squad. It’s really informal on Sundays, but we’re a small business, so it’s important to work in those off-peak hours and get ahead of the game so we know what we’re doing and build a strategy for the upcoming week.

HANG: I meet my friends around 2:30 or 3 for afternoon brunch. My favorite place is Joseph Leonard on Waverly Place in the West Village. There’s usually a wait, so we have some drinks at the bar before sitting down. And it really depends on how much fun we’re having, but brunch can end anywhere between 5:30 and 6:30. When it’s over, I’ll go home to change and meet my boyfriend, Andrew.

THE BOYFRIEND: Andrew and I see each other every day. I start my mornings with him, and sometimes on Sundays he joins for church, and he often comes to class, as well, but we always meet up for comedy and dinner. At 8 we go to the stand-up show at the Village Underground on Third Street. We love to laugh, so comedy is perfect — we thoroughly enjoy and respect those who can get up, live, and make people laugh. Making people laugh on the spot is real talent. Anyone can tell one good joke, but very few people can thread jokes together to tell a story, be impactful, and just make it super funny. My favorite comics include Hasan Minhaj, Stephen Colbert, Kevin James. After the show, we always go around the corner to Mint Masala on Macdougal Street for amazing Indian food. We love the curry chicken and lamb rogan josh.

BEDTIME SWEET: After dinner, it’s about 11 or 11:30, and I’m so ready to go back home where I like to have a small piece of chocolate before I wash my face, brush my teeth, and pray before I hop into bed.

This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/08/nyregion/ally-love-brooklyn-nets.html" id="c22effc4-6d05-3402-a7ce-c6f66a33a68b">The New York Times</a>.

(Sunday Routine)

How Ally Love, Brooklyn Nets Host, Spends Her Sundays

NEW YORK — Although Julia Lindon, a writer, performer and producer, just moved to Fort Greene, Brooklyn, she still visits her old place in the West Village, Manhattan.

“I actually still have a key because my girlfriend moved in with my best friend and former roommate — it’s not a movie; it’s my life,” said Lindon, 28.

“I moved out, put down new roots in Brooklyn partly to be close to my girlfriend, but then she got a job in the West Village and found a great spot to live near work ... it just happened to be my old apartment, in my old room, with my best friend.”

Her latest project, “Lady Liberty,” a comedy inspired by life experiences like this, had its premiere at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.

LOFTY THOUGHTS: I go out on Saturday nights and live my best life until it hits midnight, and then I’m like, “Gotta go home.” I wake up around 9 in my studio’s loft, in what has been deemed “the mezz.” My girlfriend came up with it, and my mom laughed when she heard it, so it’s become this joke among the three of us.

I rise from the mezz and make a little breakfast for myself. I’m not great at stocking the kitchen, but I do like to treat myself to some nice bread, so if I have any left from the week, I’ll slice a piece and toast it up, put on some butter, and I’m very happy. I take my warm buttery toast to my desk to squeeze in a little work before I start my adventure day.

A LEADER REFLECTS: I hop on my single-speed bike, which is bad for my knees but so good for my brand. I cut through Fort Greene Park, and stop to watch the people play tennis. I was MVP of my high school tennis team, but my coach made it very clear to me, and the entire assembly where it was presented, that it was not for my tennis skills but for my leadership skills. So, I like to watch people play and, you know, remember that.

NOSTALGIA TRIP: I ride over the Manhattan Bridge, toward the West Village, and as I’m biking I usually listen to that week’s episode of my podcast called “Happy Campers.” It’s basically the ultimate summer camp-themed podcast that I co-host with my camp friend Sammy Moskowitz.

I went to a tiny all-girls camp in Denmark, Maine, called Camp Walden. My mom went there, too, and my sister. It’s a really special spot. It’s where I learned to embrace my goof.

CROISSANT FIX: I spent five years living in the West Village, and it’s a magical place. I’m always happy to be back. I pop into Patisserie Claude on West 4th Street because that’s my spot. It’s right across the street from my old apartment, and I went there, like, every day. They know my order but not my name, and I’m totally fine with that. Kind of. Claude’s has given me the gift of stability and an addiction to croissants.

BALLERS: After that, I like to go with Natalie — my BFF/former roommate/camp friend — to the West 4th Street basketball courts. It’s where the best players go to show off their skills. We really enjoy dressing up in our little basketball gear and hitting the courts as two vaguely athletic Jewish girls, who toss the ball back and forth as we gab about our moms.

FASHION BLISS: I like to stop by my favorite clothing store on Bleecker Street called Marine Layer. Their clothes are so damn soft. I found this place right when I moved to the Village because everyone in there was so chatty and fun, and I just wanted to be their friend and wear their clothes. Over the years, a couple of those people have become close friends.

I pop in there and I mix and match a couple items from the gals’ side and the guys’ side. That’s my fashion bliss.

TECATE TIME: I head to Cubbyhole on West 12th Street with my girlfriend, Mimmi; we make a big statement when we walk in because she’s 6-foot-1 and Swedish, and I’m me. We usually meet a couple of friends there.

Cubbyhole is kind of like a New York gay gals clubhouse; it’s a tiny bar with a bunch of crazy ornaments hanging from the ceiling. I also like a good Tecate with lime; yes to the salt.

GET READY FOR CAMP: I’ll ride back to Fort Greene. I’ll order a bunch of Chinese food for myself, get cozy on the couch, and watch “Saturday Night Live” from the night before. Comedy plus beef plus broccoli equals happiness. In order to not get Sunday Scaries, or SNS — Sunday Night Syndrome — as my sister and I deemed it as little kids, I go right to bed so I can feel excited and rested for the week ahead.

I want to feel good for my Monday gig at Camp, a family experience store where I get paid to be a counselor. It’s the closest I can get to camp in New York City.

This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/23/nyregion/julia-lindon-lady-liberty.html" id="ba445a20-6c50-3a80-a4f0-b5bc55516e80">The New York Times</a>.

Her Life May as Well Be a Rom-Com

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Andrew Cotto

Articles written by the author

How Ally Love, Brooklyn Nets Host, Spends Her Sundays

Her Life May as Well Be a Rom-Com