La Dolce Vita

If you're in Michigan in the Metro Detroit area, La Dolce Vita may be a great Tuesday spot for you. I went for the first time yesterday and I must admit, it was a lot better than expected.
Located at 6 Mile and Woodward, you pull up to valet on the side of the building. I was greeted by very nice workers and was taken care of quickly for only a $5 charge. La Dolce Vita is an outdoor lounge and indoor Italian restaurant decorated with interesting art. As you walk in the doors, well gates (no cover), to the outer area, the only lighting you'll have will be strategically placed lights around trees, the bar and the occasional security light on the neighboring grass-covered building. Oh, and I can't forget the bright ass green light post in the middle of the floor. I saw a band there and they had a mix of House, Pop and Salsa music throughout the night. I ordered one drink, which was a little pricey at $9, but definitely worth it alcohol content-wise. Our waitress was really nice and chatty and I saw an ample amount of staff working.
There was an extremely mixed crowd. From old to young..er, casual to classy, groups to date to the occasional perv...I mean what bar doesn't? It seems as if no one could go there and feel like they don't belong.
From a frequent attendee, I heard, "Italian food is all the same, you know, chicken parmesan. And how many ways can you make pasta?? But the food here is really good." I don't know about you but I'd take his drunken word for it. Not sure how this place is any other day of the week, but if you've got nothing better to do on a Tuesday I'd make plans to grab a few friends and head down there.

Xbox One Vs PS4

All my gamers out there, which do you prefer, Playstation or Xbox? Because the newest consoles have been announced and are right around the corner for gamers to indulge in. Although Xbox One was unveiled back in May, the PS4 had its first launch today and the public will be learning more over the next few days.
With a surprising turn in the launch, Sony did not actually reveal the new look of the PlayStation 4, only the new and improved Dualshock 4 controller. With all new features like a highly sensitive 6-axis sensor, touch pad, share button and 4-colored LED light bar this new controller is designed to offer gamers new ways to ineract with each other and the game. It has a built-in speaker and headphone jack to make chatting easier. The new ergonomic shape improves comfort and improved analog sticks create a more precise control, as well as enhanced vibration. With the cosign of multiple developers, Sony explained that the new PS4 was created to ensure that game creators can develop the best games for the system to the best of their imaginations. As with the PS3, it will not be backwards compatible. It will now have Cloud features that allow you to play as you download and easy uploading to YouTube. The last piece of information on the new system is good news for you PS Vita owners because it will be upgraded too. The Vita will soon be a second screen experience for PS4 owners.

The all-in-one entertainment system where the experience is custom tailored to you, the new Xbox has a surprisingly big focus on your entertainment needs, rather than strictly gaming. Although Xbox One developers seemed to have trouble sending a consistent message about the system and its gaming abilities, there is no confusion in what else it is capable of. You can quickly switch from TV to movies to music or to a game just with the sound of your voice by using the included Kinect. Which seems to be a slight problem for some future Xbox One users as the Kinect will always be on on this system. Xbox One also includes DVR features and a home screen that will personalize itself as it gets to know you. Although the unveiling had less of a focus on gaming as Sony, we know that Xbox One will also not be backwards compatible. It was given a new gamepad with a new sleek look along with 40-plus improvements. Some of which includes the battery case no longer protruding from the back and a design driven from precision, comfort and making gaming more realistic than ever. This new controller is programmed with four separate motors to better differentiate the experience of revving a car engine to gunning down enemies and so on.
I'm a much bigger fan of PlayStation than I am of Xbox so I know who I'll be siding with, but who do you think will have the better console? Who will sell more, create better games, have better pricing? There's so much more to learn as the unveiling continues over the next few days.

5 Things You HATE At Work

5 things everyone hates hearing while at work. Don't worry, 25 Below feels your pain.

1. Any customer who has ever tried to tell you how to do your job. How would you feel if I came into your place of employment that I've never worked at trying to tell you what to do for me and how? Doesn't make sense, huh?

2. Customer walks up to you and says he just can't find what he's looking for although he's looked everywhere. You tell him which aisle to go to, and he tells you you're wrong  because he didn't see it down there. You walk him down there and what do you know, his product is there. God gave me eyes just like you, go figure.

3. "How are you today?" Customer: I don't know.....well, my mother-in-law's best friend's brother's hamster died so now I have to go shopping for her but I'm tired because of my long work day and blah, blah, blah I didn't ask all that.

4.  Managers who try to watch over you like a hawk and ask what you're doing about every little thing you do. They are often the ones who bother you SO much about what you're doing they actually hinder you from doing your job. And they frenzy about productivity? Hah.

5. Ever work fast food? Don't you just love when its freezing outside and EVERY customer who comes to the window wants to talk about how cold it is, how cold you must be and how hard it must be for you? Stop talking to me, jack ass and 2 problems will be solved.

Rittz - Like I Am/Walking On Air

No explanation needed, my boy Rittz' flow tells it all; a mix of smooth, laidback, soulful, southern-type flow. Titled, "Like I Am" off of his debut album, The Life and Times of Johnny Valiant (his alias), Rittz did nothing less than shock and awe. Tech N9ne is a smart man for signing him to Strange Music, which has proved to be a great fit for Rittz. If you need to know why I praise this man's talent so highly, I suggest you go through 25 Below's archives and check out my post on his earlier days. White Jesus. Enjoy.

Know what, since I like you guys AND Rittz so much, one video just won't do. Here's another 

from his last mixtape, White Jesus Revival. "Walking On Air", great verses, trippy video. Enjoy.

Johnny Rain, ft. LaShaun Ellis - Superstition

A little while back a friend told me to check out Johnny Rain. I just recently did so and I am liking what I'm hearing. With a comparison to the likes of The Weeknd and Frank Ocean, which I don't totally agree with (beside the point), he does have a different sound than the less than average R&B you hear nowadays. Rain has 1 album that you can stream and download on DJBooth.net, with quite a few good tracks. This interesting track with a surprisingly good feature from unknown Lashaun Ellis, titled "Superstition", is featured on L.O.M. (Lullaby of Machine).

Retro Su$h! - Stayin True

Just a random song from a group called Retro Su$h!, consisting of Retro and Jace Ceej. This song, "Stayin True", features Key!. This is a track off of their debut mixtape Kung Fu In Japan, which you can listen to and download here if you like what you hear. Enjoy.

Summer Fun Ideas

With summer approaching, and approaching fast, there's going to be a much bigger need of things to do. And if you're anything like me, doing the same old just won't cut it like it once did. So here's a list of simple, general ideas you can try out that should be available in most places:

• Museums
• Dance lessons
• Find new parks to explore
• Try those little "Mom & Pop" restaurants you've always wondered about
• Research a new hobby and grab some friends to try it out with you
• Plan a trip to somewhere dark and go star gazing
• Go for a walk somewhere new and take in the scenery
• Wake up early to find the best spot to watch the sun rise
• Go to a carnival
• Research different festivals in the area and go enjoy with some friends

Keep an open mind, grab some friends who do the same and start your summer off right with some new fun!