By Nicole Berrie

“IT’S ALL ABOUT MAINTAINING A BALANCE,” said Nick Moshkovich (AKA NVM) over a freshly brewed cup of Smith’s Peppermint tea in the West Village. “I work five to six nights out of the week but I’m mindful about what I do during the day.” For the 31-year-old DJ, that routine includes drinking fresh fruit juice and eating raw vegetables in the morning, abstaining from large meals during the day and avoiding caffeine when not headlining nightclubs in New York, Paris and London. (When he’s on the clock, he prefers red wine and club soda.) “Growing up in Russia, our diet definitely differed from the average American kid’s,” explained Moshkovich who currently has residencies at Marquee and Provocateur in New York. Moshkovich, who is also one half of the production duo Public School Party, was born in Moldova and moved to the States in 1995. “The first time I even saw a hamburger, I was 13,” he recalled. So what did he grow up eating if not macaroni and cheese or Snackables? “Our typical diet usually consisted of a lot of produce, farm-raised meat and high-quality grains like kasha, which is buckwheat and is really good for you,” he described. “I didn’t even know what processed food was until I came to America.” Here, bonberi caught up with the Manhattan resident on how he balances his nightlife schedule with keeping healthy.

The secret to keeping healthy as a DJ is I rarely eat heavy food before 5pm. Instead, I try to stick to fruit and liquids like water and fresh juices. It feels like I mildly clean out my system by doing that. I also try not to eat unless I’m really hungry.

On an average day, I wake up and work on my computer while snacking on baby carrots, apples and bananas. Lunch is something light and dinner is usually a big salad followed by protein like fish or chicken. I always try to eat a salad before a meal. It allows me to eat less and it helps with the digestive process. If I’m ordering in, Mexicana Mama for the ensalata verde with honey mustard dressing, fish tacos and grilled corn elote. I always order two of the corn because it’s so good.

My favorite juice bar is Liquiteria. I get the Grasshopper pressed juice or the Berry Powerful shake for a lunch. I recently discovered they opened a new location on the West Side, which I’m very happy about.

For lunch I always order from Frankies Sputino on Hudson Street. I usually order their Caeser salad and grilled octopus and their kale and mushroom crostinis are amazing. I think they soak the kale in olive oil for a long time because it made me like it for the first time.

In Miami, I make it a point to visit the Russian Bath House at Castle Beach on Collins Ave. It’s no-frills. You get a Russian hat at entry and the authenticity does not disappoint. It brings me back to my childhood of getting whipped by a platz and for some reason loving it.

When I travel, I always drink lots of water. Recently I discovered that eating very light meals on the plane leaves me with a lot more energy when I land. I was accidentally given a vegan meal on Virgin Atlantic and it was probably one of the best in-flight meals I’ve ever had.

Every couple months I go to Juvenex spa on 32nd street between Fifth and Broadway for a body scrub. It clears my mind and you feel like a newborn baby afterwards.

Cooking is not my thing but I’m a grill master and summer is my time to shine. I always start off with vegetables. I’ve learned that just about anyone can grill meat but it takes dedication and patience to properly prepare vegetables.

My favorite snack are bags of frozen fruit. I can eat a whole bag of frozen peaches, raspberries, blueberries or strawberries in one sitting.

When I’m in a foreign country, my favorite thing to do is buy local seasonings and herbs that are not typically available in the States. Our pantry is full of interesting things like olive oil from Puglia, sea salt from Ibiza and hot chili peppers from Tulum.

I ride my bike to eighty percent of my meetings and gigs in Manhattan. It’s a quick way to get your heart rate up. I also enjoy gardening. It involves lots of digging and lifting so it’s a great upper body workout that always leaves me sore. Once in a while I take a hot yoga class at Prana Power Yoga. I love that it’s not insanely hot but it really allows me to clear my thoughts and enjoy the stretches without complaining.

My favorite healthy restaurant is Hangawi in Koreatown. It’s vegan and healthy without tasting so “natural”. It’s the best meatless place I’ve ever been to. I get the Vermicelli Delight, which are sautéed glass yam noodles with vegetables. It comes in a paper bag and they cut the top open. The bimbimbap and the gluten-free kale pancakes are also not to miss.

I try not to eat late, but when those nights happen, my top late-night joint would have to be the Diner on 14th street and Ninth Ave. The best thing on the menu is the turkey burger. I sub the fries for the Caeser salad.

I avoid drinking Red Bull at all costs. I avoid it like the Black Plague. Instead, I’ve discovered an all natural energy drink called Guru. It sounds like a scam but it’s really only made of gingko biloba and is sweetened with stevia. It actually tastes good and works.

As a DJ, my hands get a lot of use so every two weeks I get acupuncture. It helps release tension in my temples and stimulates my muscles and joints. It’s especially amazing to get acupuncture on my arms and hands. Every DJ should try it.