How To Be Outside, Inside: Featuring Haron Hargrave of Ballin4Peace

For Queens native Haron Hargrave, New York is a city of movement and opportunity. The former professional basketball player and founder of H2O Basketball keeps his days centered on family, purpose, and giving back—on and off the court. Ahead of his next Charity Basketball Game (June 14, mark your calendar), Hargrave shares his go-to spots in the city.

When you want to be “outside” without really being outside, where do you go in NYC?

When I wanna be outside, but not really, the only place to go for me is The Victoria Theater Restaurant in Harlem. That’s my new spot that I really like to go to.

Where do you go when you want to be around people, but not overwhelmed by people?

The spot I enjoy going to when I want to be around people but not overwhelmed by people I go to SoHo Grande in Lower Manhattan. It’s a nice lowkey spot that gives good energy.

What does your perfect NYC day look like, from morning to night?

My perfect NYC day starts with love, peace, and purpose.

I wake up and hug my baby boy, give him a kiss, and say a prayer to center myself. Then it’s straight into the morning routine shower, stretch, and head to the gym to get my body and mind right. The workout isn’t complete without a session in the sauna, steam room, and a few laps in the pool.

After that, I grab a fresh juice to recharge, dive into my emails, make the necessary calls, and lock in for the day. I’ll usually have interviews lined up to promote my events, followed by strategic planning sessions to keep pushing the mission forward.

Later, I hit up Lifetime Fitness for a cold plunge and a deep stretch to recover. I wind down with a solid dinner, something that hits the spot, and reflect on the day. That’s a perfect NYC flow: movement, mission, and meaningful moments with the ones I love.