Living
Matador Meggings will be your new obsession
Are you ready for the latest innovation in men’s sportswear and athleisure fashion?

Are you ready for the latest innovation in men’s sportswear and athleisure fashion? Today we got to catch up with Valentine Aseyo, the founder of Matador Meggings – the latest men’s fashion sensation. Valentine set out to conquer one problem – the battle of the bulge in men’s tights and sportswear – and he’s delivered magnificently. Curious about his contribution to humanity? Keep reading!
Matador Meggings? Say what?
Fitness enthusiasts (gym goers, Crossfitters, runners, yogis) have been wearing compression tights for years now. They have so many benefits from improving your performance and endurance to muscle recovery. However, most men wear this piece of garment under their flappy shorts. For a good reason; actually two! Firstly, all men’s leggings on the market are designed as an undergarment rather than a standalone piece. They don’t come with cool designs or practical pockets. Secondly, they’re not designed for the male anatomy; they either give you a flat groin (the scientific term is a mangina) or they totally expose the dick print.
But let’s not ignore the elephant in the room; or the eggplant in this case. Most guys who aren’t being paid to perform on the track are scared to bare it all in a pair of leggings because they’re not up for public consumption. No one should have to sacrifice their workout just to stay neat and socially acceptable. Layers are baggy and impractical. They hamper you while concentrating on your workout. They chafe and irritate. And let’s face it, they look atrocious.
Valentine Aseyo saw a problem and he fixed it! Time for No-VPL Technology (visible penis line) and total confidence for guys! Meggings is a cute portmanteau of men’s leggings. It’s playful and rolls off the tongue well. Though some may perceive this naming as fragile masculinity, they actually have a solid stance against it. They’re just having fun with the name; so should you!
The Company
Why Matador? What springs to mind when you think of the Spanish bullfighters? They’re sexy, powerful sportsmen, but they’re also elegant and well-dressed. They ooze masculinity, but with emotion, grace, and power. They’re performers who like what they see in the mirror. And they need the best gear to support them.
That’s the spirit behind Matador Meggings. Comfortable and practical, work hard and play hard, and look great all the way- the perfect gear to help you find your true matador within.
The Solution
With Matador Meggings, your family jewels are nearly placed in a slim, socially acceptable modesty cup that any superhero would be proud of. Enough to strut your stuff, not enough to leave you bluffing. Not only have they especially shaped and designed the men’s legging with the male anatomy in mind, but they’ve also included a soft pad so you have full discretion when you want to be discreet and rather not show off what your mama gave you. Hoisted, packed, and ready to roll. Now add in the very latest compression technology for maximum sports performance, and you have a match made in heaven. Did we mention the fun with fashion, too?
The Man
Who is the mind behind the Matador? Valentine Aseyo describes himself as a “first-time entrepreneur. Executive coach. Ex-Facebooker. 200-hour certified yoga teacher. Burner. Spanish & Turkish. And of course, a meggings aficionado.” That’s a hell of an introduction.
Taking the bull by the horns, this entrepreneur leverages his experience from roles at Facebook, IBM, and Colgate-Palmolive, as well as the SVP of product at Bandsintown. Being used to wearing all the hats in a company, he now runs Matador Meggings full time, yet still manages to teach and practice yoga, too!
Why try Meggings?
So, there’s a product that makes your butt and legs look great, keeps your package under control so you can focus on your biceps, not your bulge, and allows you to have fun too? What more do you need? Let’s take a look!
Reason #1 – No VPL.
So, Matador Meggings have solved the battle of the bulge once and for all. What more could you ask for? These pants will give you a perfectly-rounded superhero crotch. No matter what size or shape your pocket rocket is, it will look super juicy and generous.
Reason #2 – Clever Design
Men’s tights don’t need to be impractical. Think smart pockets, some zipped, some unzipped, so all the modern tech goodies can work out with you. A towel/shirt loop to keep it out the way while you work without getting lost. A no-slip waistband and an inner drawstring allow you to fit them to your waist perfectly, making sure you have no more fear of plumber’s crack when your in a deep squat. Smart design through and through.
Reason #3 – Athletic Performance
But design isn’t always enough to give you that extra boost to your workout. Sweat-wicking fabric keeps odor at bay no matter how hard you go, while compression sports technology helps boost blood flow, warm your muscles, and provide extra support so you can be your best. Plus the special design is robust and flexible, moving with you like a second skin.
Are Meggings Just Sportswear?
While Valentine has designed his leggings to support the needs of men in sport, that’s not the only venue to wear them! While you can take them anywhere from yoga class to gym to hiking trails and even scuba diving, you can also toss on your favorite duds and strut your stuff. These leggings will take you from the weight rack to Burning Man, no fuss, no problem.
Our favorite meggings
Honestly, with such a broad, fun range to pick from, you can find something to make you sparkle, whether you like sleek and elegant or avante-garde. If you’re looking to start your men’s compression leggings collection off with a bang, however, why not try our top two picks? As Valentine says: “Name one superhero who doesn’t wear spandex. I’ll wait.”
Black Thunder Meggings
C’mon, one look at these bad boys and you’ll be in love! There’s just enough cockiness (pun kinda intended) to attract attention, but not too much to overwhelm. The color is practical, the style whimsical, and they make your lower body look great.
Sky Meggings
As a cool contrast, try this softly hypnotic pair of bright blue meggings. They’re fun, without sacrificing cohesion or appeal. Brighten up a summer workout, or take them snorkeling. They’ll go anywhere, and bring a bit of sunshine along.
Looking for a fun athleisure range with sparkle and personality? One that will banish your VPL, enhance your performance, and keep your legs (and butt) looking great all the way? Try Matador Meggings today, you won’t be sorry.

Did you melt like the Wicked Witch of the West this week?
As summer temperatures rise, keeping your home or apartment cool during a heat wave can become both a comfort issue and a financial challenge. One of the most effective ways to keep a home cool is to prevent heat from entering in the first place. Sunlight streaming through windows can significantly raise indoor temperatures. Consider the following solutions:
• Close blinds or curtains during the hottest parts of the day. Blackout curtains or thermal drapes can reduce heat gain by up to 30%.
• Install reflective window films to block UV rays and reduce solar heat without sacrificing natural light.
• Use outdoor shading solutions such as awnings (yes, the ones you removed because they were “dated”) and shutters to limit direct sunlight.
Fans are a cost-effective way to circulate air and create a wind-chill effect that makes rooms feel cooler.
• Ceiling fans should rotate counterclockwise in the summer to push cool air down.
• Box fans or oscillating fans can be placed near windows to pull in cooler evening air or push hot air out.
• Create a cross-breeze by opening windows on opposite sides of your home and positioning fans to direct airflow through the space.
• For an extra cooling effect, place a bowl of ice or a frozen water bottle in front of a fan to circulate chilled air.
To optimize natural ventilation, open windows early in the morning or late in the evening when outdoor temperatures drop. This allows cooler air to flow in and helps ventilate heat that built up during the day.
Appliances and electronics generate a surprising amount of heat. To reduce indoor temperatures:
• Avoid using the oven or stove during the day; opt for no-cook meals, microwave cooking, or grilling outside.
• Run heat-producing appliances like dishwashers and clothes dryers in the early morning or late evening.
• Unplug electronics when not in use, as even standby power can add heat to your space.
• Switching to energy-efficient LED lightbulbs can also reduce ambient heat compared to incandescent lighting.
If you do use an air conditioner, maximize its effectiveness by:
• Setting it to a reasonable temperature—around 76–78°F when you’re home and higher when you’re away.
• Cleaning or replacing filters regularly to maintain airflow and efficiency.
• Sealing gaps around doors and windows to prevent cool air from escaping. (Didn’t we all have a parent who said, “Close the door. You’re letting all the cool out?”)
• Using a programmable thermostat to optimize cooling schedules and reduce energy use.
If it is not cost-prohibitive, adding insulation in attics and walls can greatly reduce heat transfer. Solar panels that reflect heat can also help, as well as offset the cost of their installation. Adding weatherstripping around doors and windows, sealing cracks, and using door sweeps can make a significant difference in keeping heat out and cool air in.
Natural and eco-conscious methods can also help cool your home.
• Snake plants, ferns, or rubber trees can improve air quality and slightly cool the air through transpiration.
• White or reflective roof paint can reduce roof temperatures significantly.
• Cooling mats or bedding can make sleeping more comfortable without cranking up the A/C.
For renters or those who can’t make permanent modifications, there are still plenty of ways to keep cool.
• Use portable fans and A/C units instead of built-in systems, making sure they are the correct size for your space.
• Removable window film or static cling tinting can reflect heat without violating your lease.
• Install tension rod curtains or temporary blackout panels instead of hardware-mounted window coverings.
• Add draft blockers and weatherstripping tape that can be applied and removed without damage.
• Cover floors with light-colored rugs to reflect heat rather than absorb it.
• If allowed, use temporary adhesive hooks to hang reflective materials or light-filtering fabrics over windows.
Even if your space is warm, you can still take steps to help your body stay cool.
• Wear light, breathable fabrics like cotton or linen.
• Stay hydrated and avoid caffeine or alcohol during peak heat hours.
• Take cool showers or use damp cloths on your neck and wrists to bring your body temperature down.
Keeping your home or apartment cool in the summer doesn’t have to be expensive or energy-intensive. With a few adjustments such as blocking sunlight, optimizing airflow, using fans effectively, and making renter-friendly upgrades, you can create a more comfortable indoor environment while keeping energy bills in check.
Valerie M. Blake is a licensed Associate Broker in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia with RLAH @properties. Call or text her at 202-246-8602, email her at DCHomeQuest.com, or follow her on Facebook at TheRealst8ofAffairs.
Real Estate
The world’s on fire and D.C. is on sale (sort of)
Prices are up, but then again, nothing makes sense anymore

ICE is disappearing people, revered government agencies are shuttering, and who knows if we’ll be in World War III next week? But can you believe prices in D.C. are actually still up 6.3% since last year? It doesn’t make sense, and perhaps that does make sense, because nothing seems to make any sense any more.
That said, there are some parts of our market that are truly suffering. The interest rates, which have been up, up, up for about four years now, are the ongoing rain on our market’s military parade. Combine that with 75,000 federal employees taking a buyout nationwide, and DOGE cuts eliminating around 40,000 federal jobs in the District (per estimates by the D.C. CFO), not to mention thousands of other job losses in non-governmental organizations due to funding and program cuts, and you’ve got a case of uncertainty, and downright unaffordability in the pool of otherwise would-be buyers.
This has had a marked impact on properties that starter-home buyers and low- to mid-level employees would otherwise buy, most notably condominium and cooperative apartment units. These properties have already slowed in our market thanks to the profound impact that higher interest rates have had on their monthly carrying costs—pair that with job insecurity, and a lot of condos are proving to be very difficult to sell indeed.
So how is the average sale price up in our market?
The increase is almost entirely due to the resounding strength of the single-family home market, especially in upper Northwest D.C., where it is still quite common to see bidding wars, even on properties pushing past the $3M mark. It seems that buyers in that echelon are less impacted by a few percentage points in the interest rate, and less concerned about their job security. Notably, those buyers are often married with children and have an absolute need for more space, must stay in the area due to one spouse’s job, or the kid’s friend group, regardless of whether the cost of owning is thousands of dollars more per month than it would have been in 2020 or 2021. The continued appreciation in these neighborhoods defies imagination.
So, what to do if you are not one of those lucky enough to be shopping for a $3M home? The short answer: wait. If you want more space, rent your current place out and learn the joys of being a landlord while someone else pays your mortgage. Need the equity from your current home to buy your next place? Get a home equity line of credit, or loan, and pull the equity out of your current place to buy the next one. Or—and I have never recommended this before in 21 years of being a Realtor—rent for a few years. Sure, I’d love to list and sell your condo so you can climb the real estate ladder, but it might just be a waste of time, money or both if you could just ride out this storm and sell in a DOGE-less future.
All this said, there are some condos that seem to be immune from this recent negative news. Anecdotally, it feels like it’s the truly special ones that do just fine no matter the market. Our recent listing in Capitol Hill had a view from every one of its 15 windows of the Supreme Court. Sold in five days with six offers. Another condo was on the top two floors of a townhouse and had the coolest black wood floors that gleamed like a grand piano. Sold in four days at full price.
So, all is not for naught if you have a condo or home in an area that people want to be in, with nice space, light, amenities and a certain je ne sais quois. And, as long as we have a democracy in a few years, my experience says our market will be back, stronger than ever, really soon.
David Bediz is a Realtor and mortgage loan broker for the Bediz Group LLC and Home Starts Here, LLC. Reach him at [email protected].

In this corner, there’s the Genesis QV70, newly updated and full of glitzy gizmos. And in the opposing corner, there’s the Lexus NX, a fan fave known for comfort and reliability.
Both are strong contenders. Both have proven to be equally adept at bobbing and weaving through traffic. And both can go toe to toe with pricier competitors.
And yet, what would happen when they sparred against each other? Here’s your ringside seat to find out.
GENESIS QV70

$50,000
MPG: 22 city/28 highway
0 to 60 mph: 5.9 seconds
Cargo space: 28.9 cu. ft.
PROS: Stylish. Good value. Lots of standard amenities.
CONS: So-so fuel economy. Quirky dash controls.
IN A NUTSHELL: When it comes to speed, the Genesis QV70 is faster on its feet than the Lexus NX. Neither of these crossover SUVs is a lightweight, but the QV70 offers more potent powerplants—including an all-electric version that zips from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds. In other words, Porsche Macan S territory.
The two gas-powered options—a four-cylinder turbo and twin-turbo V6—also got my blood pumping. So did the velvetlike suspension mixed with deft handling and stop-on-a-dime braking. But this adrenaline rush comes at a cost: sacrificing fuel economy.
As for the automaker’s design philosophy—“athletic elegance”—it’s on full display here: an oversized grille inspired by the Genesis emblem, the dramatically arcing silhouette, and those distinct quad headlights and taillights. It’s not easy to stand out when 25% of all vehicles sold in the U.S. are compact crossovers, so kudos to the QV70 for being such a head-turner.
The mod-yet-minimalist styling carries over to the cabin, with its high-quality materials: real-wood accents, soft-touch plastics and a tasteful glass shift knob. New this year is a sweeping 27-inch dashboard monitor, which houses the gauge cluster and infotainment touchscreen. Alas, this display is positioned a bit far from the driver (though I must admit reaching for it did help stretch a few tight back muscles).
Instead of being a costly extra, this gigantic monitor comes standard. So do synthetic leathers seats, nine-speaker stereo, smartphone/wireless connectivity, hands-free liftgate, tons of safety gear and more. Options include a panoramic sunroof, three-zone climate control, 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio, synthetic suede headliner, sound-reducing rear windows, automated parking and other goodies.
What’s the score so far? Despite some minor quibbles, the Genesis QV70 is a worthy challenger that pulls no punches.
LEXUS NX

$43,000
MPG: 26 city/33 highway
0 to 60 mph: 8.2 seconds
Cargo space: 22.7 cu. ft.
PROS: Fuel efficient. Comfy seats. Rock-solid reliability.
CONS: Pokey base model. Limited rear storage.
IN A NUTSHELL: Sure, the Lexus NX isn’t as speedy as the Genesis QV70. But, as with the tortoise and the hare, sometimes slow and steady wins the race. And really, it’s only the entry-level NX that feels sluggish, such as when trying to quickly merge into freeway traffic.
Other trim levels, including two hybrid options, are just fine. And no matter the engine choice, the counterpunch here is that these vehicles get better gas mileage: 20% higher fuel economy than in either the four-cylinder or V6 in the Genesis. The two NX hybrids are even more green, with the high-end plug-in version able to travel up to 37 miles on electric power alone. One downside: There is no all-electric NX—well, at least not yet.
As with parent-company Toyota, Lexus offers stellar vehicle reliability—often ranked No. 1 in dependability and crash-test surveys year after year. Lexus vehicles generally hold their value better than Genesis, because this newer brand has a shorter history. Lexus also has a larger dealer network, though the number of Genesis dealerships is growing.
But when it comes to cargo space, the NX is about two inches shorter and narrower than the QV70, which has more stowage area. And Genesis handling is sportier, though the Lexus feels sure and well-grounded.
Luxe interior amenities are basically the same in both vehicles. But interior styling in the QV70 is trendy, while the NX is more understated. In other words, a choice between sassy and classy.
This is a very competitive vehicle segment, with Euro models like the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC also duking it out in what seems like a clash of the titans.
But as for the Genesis QX70 or Lexus NX, which is the winner? For me, both are real knockouts—so I’d call it a draw.
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