So every first Saturday of the month in NYC, myself along with  @Rahim_theDream, @TheKidSkoob, and@iGoByDWats throw a nice event. This month we are turning it up for Cinco De Mayo! Check out the information below, and be sure to follow our Tumblr to keep up with our events! Check it out below and BE THERE!

FIRST SATURDAYS are back with the CINCO de MAYO edition at FREECANDY. If you joined us last month you already know what it is, but if you missed out, we hope to see you this time as we continue the movement dedicated to bringing the fun back to Saturday nights.

This month’s edition will feature a $25 OPEN BAR (11pm-1am) along with TWO FOR ONE TEQUILA SHOTS ALL NIGHT!!!

DJ SPYNFO of Hot 97 & The Big Dawg Pitbulls will provide the Soundtrack!

After the Brooklyn Museum, FREECANDY is where you’ll want to be.

FREECANDY is a free creative arts space located at 905 Atlantic Avenue between Grand Ave and St. James Place (A/C Train, Clinton-Washington Ave stop).

StreetZ

Loving this song and this video. So NYC! Nas album drops July 17th!

StreetZ

ALL! I treat working out like a career, and sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. I may not have the energy to attack the challenges of the day. The stresses of the daily grind could disinterest me from heading to the gym for an hour of muscle ripping weight training. Maybe I just want to chill and veg out in front of the TV and attempt to beat Mass Effect 3 (which I haven’t played in weeks, smh). As much as I want to throw my hands in the sky and say fuck this shit I’m done, I know that won’t help me reach my goals. Sometimes you need motivation to get out of bed and hit the gym. Here are a few things I do to keep my spirits high and my focus on fitness sharp:

FIND A MUSE

I subscribe to Men’s Health and peruse different health and fitness sites. I always look at the different men and women fitness models in order to find those individuals that have the bodies that I want. I’m very realistic, and I’m not one of those people who’s looking for the jacked steroids build. These muses help me to visualize my best body and remind myself that blowing off gym sessions after work and eating junk day in and out won’t get me there. If you can’t picture yourself with a healthy lean body, then who’s to say that you will obtain that body? There have been numerous studies on the effect of visualization on performance. Basketball players will shoot free throws and imagine the ball going into the hoop. This builds confidence, rhythm, and makes their goal tangible. Now, of course practice makes perfect, but positive thinking goes a long way. So find that person with your ideal body type, or even your fit friends that you admire, and use them as fitness muses so that you can stand amongst them too.

 GOAL SETTING

I set goals for everything in life. Maybe it’s my neurotic nature, but it helps me keep focus. I have my goals hanging in my room and read them every day. I set realistic goals, and track my progress. I track the exercises I do, the food I eat, and my measurements weekly. When you can see results from your hard work, it will motivate you to #KEEPGOING! It also helps you to remain accountable. If you know that you have a goal weight or body fat percentage in mind, then you know the consequences of deviating from your fitness and nutrition plan. You will have to think twice before you stray. I get upset at myself if I have a setback of any kind, and it pushes me to be better than my best. I want to exceed my goals and be successful. Goals keep this all in perspective.

FEAR OF FAILURE

I hate to lose. I can be a sore loser, but I try to remain gracious. I never want to fail in any of my endeavours. This fear of losing motivates me greatly to succeed. Especially since I write about fitness all the time. I always get comments like “you better be a greek god the way you always talk about working out!” Well, I’m DEFINITELYnot that, lol, but I am healthy. My yearly physical exams reveal an excellent cholesterol level, no hypertension, and the overall levels are great! Now I’m working on the outside. My body is good, where I want it to be great. The last thing I want is for anyone to point at me and say I couldn’t succeed. So I take fitness seriously so that the lifelong dividends pay off in the end.

A GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM

I remember reading somewhere that you are most likely to resemble and reflect the friends that you most associate with. translation: you hang out with bums, you’re liable to be a bum. You hang out with successful individuals, and you will most likely be driven to succeed. I make sure to converse with my friends who are into fitness regularly to keep my motivation high. I see their progress and want to achieve it too. I have friends who are personal trainers (Like Barrington B-Better) who assist me in my fitness progress with great tips and advice. Although I do go to the gym alone most of the time, we all are working towards our goals together.

These are some of my motivational tactics. What are yours?

StreetZ

ADMIN NOTE: Check out my newest post on SBM:  Secret Service: Why Men Always Pay For Sex fb.me/LqTrZ02R

From Nick

This is the most intimate, emotional episode of the NCredible Health Hustle to date. It’s important to me that I’m as candid as possible, and though sometimes it hurts to watch, I hope my experience has managed to help those that may need encouragement or support. The latest episode is below, and I can’t stress enough how important it is for you all to share my story with anyone who may need motivation.

I’ve heard and seen Nick go through his health issues and I’m rooting for him! Good to see he is focused and ready to rock!

StreetZ

Another Monday! Time to get that money!

Last week was a mini holiday for me (translation: didn’t work out as much as I would have liked). So it’s time to regain focus and make the continuous push towards the summer goal. Of course you want to stay fit around the clock, but we also want to look good for the beaches right? Anything to keep your eyes on the prize in my opinion. Here are my 3 goals for the week.

1) Daily Cardio 

I had this goal of doing a month of cardio straight. Whether it was high intensity, moderate, sports, or just walking, I want to do something every day. From 4/30 – 5/31, I’m going #ALLIn! I recently picked up Spinning (which is the truth), and I’m looking to spin 3x a week in addition to other forms of cardio. I’m including yoga in this as well, since you burn major calories doing it too.

2) 1/2 Gallon of water a day 

I don’t drink juice like that, but I’ll forget to eat/drink anything if I’m busy or working. I have to get into the habit of drinking water daily. It’s necessary for health and fitness purposes, and I must remain hydrated with all this physical activity I will perform going forward.

3) More Veggies

I love my brown rice, wraps, breads, and fruits like everyone else, but to accelerate my fat loss for this intense 6-8 week workout period, I want to restrict my carb intake and replace it with vegetables. So I will make sure that I eat veggies with my dinner and lunch. I’m not going to go crazy like people who won’t eat a carb for the rest of their lives, because I definitely will. I want to make sure I’m eating healthy and supplementing my workout well.

Good Luck with your week and train well!

StreetZ

4 years since I decided to start this blog. Wow. To think that I was a dude who in school HATED to write. Well, hated to write for school purposes. I used to write short stories, raps, and anything else that came to mind. I got into other hobbies and left the craft alone. I started using Photoshop and became nice with the flyer game. Who from my Hofstra days remembers Streetzwise Graphics?! LOL!

My about page tells the story, so I won’t regurgitate. I just wanted to salute everyone who’s ever read anything I wrote. I want to salute those who told me to start a blog. I want to salute every blog that saw my work and gave me a voice on their platform. This site wouldn’t be in existence without you.

What should you expect from the site going forward? More updates on my physical fitness as we push each other to get in the best shape possible. More exclusive writing for the site. No restrictions, deadlines, or expectations. Just letting my mind wander and giving you a front row seat to the madness.

Going Forward, the post may not be daily, but they will be interesting. New writers will bless you with their perspective. It’s an exciting time, for real.

Thank You once again. Onward and Upward to another blog year!

StreetZ

P.S. Amar’e Put Tyrus Thomas on That Youtube Screen! Go Knicks!

click HERE if you cant view

If you are a guy like me, you love to be entertained. In this world of iniquity and despair, you need recreational activities in your life. Entertainment breaks up the monotony of the weekly grind, and brings us relief from our daily struggles. One form of entertainment that I enjoy is the strip club. I enjoy the talent on display, the music played, the feats of aerial supremacy that only rival the Flying Graysons, and the ambience of the moment. Nothing soothes the savage beast more than a titty and a cup of the finest libations. There is a particular etiquette that is associated with these fine establishments. I sat back and thought about the different rules of engagement that exist as part of the Gentlemen’s Club experience, and I realized that some rules are just common sense.  If sense was common, however, everyone would have it, right? Well, for rookies and seasoned veterans alike, these rules apply to you equally:

Do Not Take “Used Money” For Personal Gain

In Ancient Times, before indoor plumbing, humans would rely on rain as a source of nourishment. If there was a drought, and they didn’t live by a body or water, they were sh*t out of luck until the gods blessed them with precipitation. There is no reason to tap into your inner Mayan and pick up money already distributed inside the hallowed halls of a strip club. It’s a classless move, reserved only for the cheapest of individuals. Those girls are working hard for their money, and for you to snatch that money back shows a disrespect to the system. You only touch that money on the floor to conveniently give to the strippers, either by throwing it in their money pile, or back in their vicinity so they know where it’s located. If it’s THAT serious, you should be working OT at the plantation and stacking bread, instead of faking in the club.

Do Not Look Directly Into A Stripper’s Eyes. This NEVER Ends Well!

This has been a recurring warning that I’ve given to dudes when engaging in gratuitous banter with these women. While you envision rap video-esque vignettes, in which your fake bedroom eyes fixate upon those vixens and enhance the moment, they see a toddler ready to get rocked to sleep. Strippers are trained assassins, who utilize the art of seduction to make the most out of these close encounters. They are similar to the mythical sirens, who draw you close with a look that ignites a symphony of attraction within your mind, only to lead you to financial peril. This is their profession and have played this game before.

I remember a dude who was in a strip club for the first time ever. He held about $15 in singles, and was focused on this one particular stripper. If looks could propose marriage, he would already be on his honeymoon! Shorty was dancing in front of him for like a song and a half, and he did NOT move. All he did was stand there, dollars in hand, with the same silly grin ( O_O) like a statue, staring into her eyes. She finished the dance, smiled back at him, and snatch all $15 of those singles out of his sweaty, trembling hands! He immediately broke out of his hypnotic state and was dumbfounded, as if he were compelled by a vampire. His friends and I all had a great laugh. Don’t let that become you. Enjoy any interaction you have with her, but if you don’t intend to throw money at her, make no eye contact whatsoever! Thank me later.

Do Not Use The Strip Club ATM! Bring Cash Before You Go

If you think that bank ATM fees are a swindle, you haven’t seen anything until you attempt to use a strip club ATM! I swear the fees are as bad or worse than casino fees! You get hit in the head something crazy, not to mention that using an ATM might compel you to take out more money than you want. I would suggest bringing a set amount of money to the club if the sole purpose is for precipitation. You can get drinks on your card (treat it like the club), just don’t get got with those fees!

Do Not Confuse Fantasy For Reality

The strip club experience is more mental than physical. It is an escape from the harsh realities of society. You go there to kick it with the homies, hear some good music, partake in mammorical glories, and blow off some steam. This is our modern-day version of ancient Rome and all its pleasures. The danger lies in accepting this fantasy as actual fact. No, the stripper does not want you to hit it if she asks for a ride home. She just wants a ride home. She doesn’t love you. Neither her mother, nor her father named her “Ecstasy”. You are not a rapper or celebrity with infinite money in your account. Don’t end up re-enacting scenes of Platoon with Charlie Sheen. Get a grip on reality and enjoy the mirage for what its worth.

Do Not Dress Like A Predicate Felon

Dudes shouldn’t wear sweatpants in the club. Only Quagmire wears them in a strip club – @DrJayJack

I’m not saying that you have to wear a three-piece suit, but don’t look like you just got out of bed, or just came home from federal incarceration. It creeps out the women, makes it hot with the bouncers and security, and just diminishes the ambiance of the overall experience. If you’re gonna dress hood, at least do it with class!

Do Not Ask To Play If You Aren’t Willing To Pay

Fellas, don’t treat the strip club like a swap meet or flea market. You shouldn’t be negotiating prices, period. The prices for lap dances are usually ironclad. If the young lady wants to offer you a free dance, or give you a deal because she likes you or she’s having fun, let it occur organically. Don’t be “that dude” who gets a lap dance and proclaims innocently “oh, I had to pay?!”

Do Not Treat The Strip Club As A Social Media Red Carpet Event

The revolution will not be televised, and this form of extracurricular activity shouldn’t be digitized! This isn’t the time or place to have an Instagram and PicStitch photo shoot! There’s a reason why strip clubs are adamant about having no pictures in their clubs. You Foursquare and Twitter addicts should chill on the updates when you are in the sweet spot also. Sending tweets with all of your crew @’d in them should only be done if you receive express written or oral consent from said parties. There’s no reason to make it hot to support your social media whoring. If you want to publicize yourself, go right ahead. Just don’t be “that guy” that doesn’t get invited back for future excursions.

Do Not Go Halfway On Bottle Service

Some people may say that this rule should read “don’t get bottle service in the strip club”, but in actuality this makes sense here. Many clubs will offer super cheap bottle specials if you arrive by a certain time, or on certain nights. I’ve seen $99 bottle specials in some spots, and if you know about that bottle service life, you know that’s a steal. If your crew decides to get bottles, and you agree in fact or appearance, then don’t be “that guy” who nickels and dimes your people. Don’t goto the bar and get drinks while bottles are at your table. Don’t drink the liquor, and be devoid of the couth and decency to chip in on the tab. I mean, you might be that kind of person and your friends might be cool with it, but class and courtesy go a long way.

Do Not Get Kicked Out And Expect The Night To Be Over For Your Crew

I have this rule when it comes to any type of public event. If you are the type of person who doesn’t know how to act outside of your own house, than you can’t roll with me anywhere. If you do happen to roll, you are responsible for yourself. Now, of course if you get jumped or it “isn’t your fault” then of course you’re judged case-by-case. Otherwise, once you violate the rules I have documented here, you are subject to rectify your own persecution. That’s your business not ours!

Do Not Underestimate The Value Of Going To The Strip Club With Women

Going to a strip club with your boys is cool. When you attend a strip club with a coed crew, the possibilities are endless. Strippers seem to go that extra mile to turn it up on women, and watching that unfold is an experience in itself. You won’t get as many problems at the door. Strippers will flock to women because its “safer” for them (a more inviting environment instead of the usual savages). Going to the strip club with cool chicks who will enjoy the experience and enhance it, will only make the night better.

Follow these rules you’ll have more bread to help donate to a young ladies college tuition. I’m sure there are plenty more rules I overlooked, but these 10 rules are key points to consider. Remember, don’t be “that guy” or “that gal”. Show the proper couth and decorum accordingly.

StreetZ

Another week, another push towards the summer and reaching goals! I want to switch things up a bit here. I’ll give you updates on my progress still, but I wanted to set weekly goals and track that too. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy or extreme, but when you have an achievement to reach, working towards it is the greatest fun! So here are my 3 goals for the week

1) Do yoga this week (I’ve been horrible with this and need to improve flexibility which will aid me in all facets of fitness)

2) Drink 1/2 gallon of water 5 days this week (and continue to restrict the juice I drink)

3) Do at least 2-3 reps of 225 bench press (haven’t touched this weight in a while)

These are great focus points for me. It will help me improve on my deficiencies, and just get better.

What are your 3 fitness goals for the week?

StreetZ

It’s Thursday and the weekend is in striking distance! Time to turn it up and get hype! I didn’t feel like working out today, so I needed some motivation and I always enjoy seeing this live performance of “Made You Look” One of Nas’s best songs ever! Fight me!

Peace,

StreetZ

ADMIN NOTE: My latest post on SBM is live today. Slim Jackson and I discuss why men are apprehensive about attending “singles” event. More importantly, events sponsored by sites like SBM. Check it HERE

When the new year hit, people were full of perspective and motivational quotes about a new start. The best thing I heard was from my dude Skoob, who said “for everyone complaining about their jobs, you have a fresh 12 months to do something about it!” This was one of the realist things I’ve read on twitter because it’s 100% on point. There are people who talk and people who act. Yes we all know that you hate your job, but what are you going to do about it? If you want to change your employment situation, you have to take the necessary steps to make it happen. I’m far from an HR guru, but in my career journey, I’ve found the following tips to help me along the way.

Resume and Cover Letter Building

Before you even attempt to start looking for a new job, you have to make sure your resume is on point. Depending on your field and level of experience, the format of your resume can vary. Your resume should be presentable, clear, error free, and should highlight your skills and experiences in the easiest way possible. Once you have a baseline resume, you can then tailor it to specific job descriptions. Certain skills you have may be more important to a potential employer, so you may want to remix your resume to highlight appropriately.

You should also have a cover letter on deck. I didn’t know how important cover letters were until I spoke to HR professionals. They informed me that a cover letter with a resume is expected and a plus even for positions that may say its optional. In a job search, you have to distinguish yourself from the competition. You are a unique individual and going that extra step will help set you apart from the rest. Besides, you have to assume that others will do the same.

Do Your Research and Practice

I come from the “pick up a job application at the company headquarters” era. That Monster.com era! That “fill out 1,000 forms to get working papers” era! In other words, applying for a job was way harder years ago than today. When applying for a job, make sure you know about the company, who’s interviewing you, and run through the job description so that you can speak eloquently on how your skills match. You also need to train yourself to be comfortable answering any and all questions. Practice in the mirror or with a friend. Go over your answers. You may not be able to answer everything, but you’ll gain the comfort to answer those types of questions in pressure situations.

Dress For Success

Whether you buy into the adage that “the clothes make the man”, you better believe a well dressed candidate will fare well. My advice would be to put the money and energy into your interview outfits like you would any other investment. Purchase new suits or tailor current ones if necessary. Make sure your shoes are fresh. Get a nice tie. Make sure you are well-groomed! This isn’t the time to rock a playoff beard. Make sure your hands are not looking decrepit. Lotion up lightly and don’t have your hands looking like you slap-boxed a chalkboard. To spend good money to be presentable on a job interview will mean the world when you land that job. Non-verbal communication is extremely powerful, and any way you can control the signals you project in your favor is a plus.

Use Your Resources

One of my fraternity brothers once told me that anyone in our organization should not go more than 90 days without employment. At first, I scoffed at this notion, but the more I thought about it he was right. The people who read this blog are mostly young professionals. Whether you are in a Greek Organization, Professional organization, or some sort of progressive conglomerate, you have worthwhile connections. At the most, you should know somebody who knows somebody. We may exude pride and might feel funny asking for connects with jobs, but you need to overcome that and use your resources. Think about how many friends you may have in Human Resources, who are in upper management, who may be in your field as well. These are the people you need to utilize in your job search!  Listen, in many fields you can find recruiters and head hunters who will BEAST for you to get hired! When money is on the line, you have to be smart, humble yourself, and exercise all possible options to maximize your professional success.

9 to 5 corporate grindin…

StreetZ