Angel Rodriguez

New York

Freelance Journalist at Freelance

@nyctalking podcast. Air Force Veteran. Tech. Bronx. Nuyorican. Old BJJ white belt. Writer. Gamer. Zumba. Seen on Huffpo, Natgeo, Hot97, MTV, FOX, CNN

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Articles

Returning to BJJ: My Journey Back to the Mats and Lessons Learned

1 month ago | nyctalking.com | Angel Rodriguez |Ángel Rodríguez

So I’ve been back in BJJ at Ronin Athletics for over a month now. Specifically, I’m in the sports jujitsu program called Master Cycle. Here, we actually roll, and it feels more like a “traditional” BJJ school as opposed to the Gracie Combatives program, which is geared more towards street and self-defense with no live rolling. One thing I noticed right away is that I’m somewhat out of practice. But the more I train, the more I’m getting my hips and mobility back.
Episode 114 - Gameday Men’s Health with Dr Hal and Tyler Wozny

1 month ago | nyctalking.com | Angel Rodriguez |Ángel Rodríguez

On this episode I am joined by two owners of the Gameday Men’s health franchise. Tune in to learn how they are trying to revolutionize the space of men’s health. Are you on TRT? Considering it? This podcast episode is a good place to start. VIDEOJust a life long New Yorker sharing the journey through my lens. Please take note of a post’s date. The views I express here are subject to change and evolving as I grow and learn.
Dust by Josh Plasse - First impressions

1 month ago | nyctalking.com | Angel Rodriguez |Ángel Rodríguez

I judge a book by whether or not it can grasp my interest and attention right from the start. I know some books or shows start slowly, but I’m extremely particular about my time when it comes to reading. If a book doesn’t hook me from the beginning, I’m usually not going to continue or finish it. Whatever the emotion, a book has to evoke something deep and primal for me. “Dust” accomplished this right from the start. The emotion it evoked? Hatred.
Why I teach Zumba

1 month ago | nyctalking.com | Angel Rodriguez |Ángel Rodríguez

Teaching Zumba makes me happy. Even when I walk in feeling sad, it always lifts my spirit. It’s therapy for me. I used to teach other formats too, but I gave up most of my other classes. I only kept two of my Zumba classes. One at each gym that I love to teach. One of them was my first ever Zumba class that I started up with a brand new gym. The other one is my local gym where I have regularly trained for decades.
Episode 113 - Reality TV Star, Singer SongWriter Gracie Lou Hyland

1 month ago | nyctalking.com | Angel Rodriguez |Ángel Rodríguez

You ever talk to a person and think to yourself, this person is as sweet as sugar. That’s the feeling I got when I chatted with Gracie Lou Hyland. Her energy was soothing, her voice was soft, and her words were comfort. Meet Gracie Lou, a singer songwriter who was recently on the Hulu show “Claim to fame.” Join us as we chat about her music, figure skating and more of her work. VIDEOJust a life long New Yorker sharing the journey through my lens. Please take note of a post’s date.
Book Review: Wrecker by Carl Hiaasen - A Fun Read for All Ages

1 month ago | nyctalking.com | Angel Rodriguez |Ángel Rodríguez

I started this book a while ago. Most of my reading happens while riding the train. Since I don’t ride the train as often as I once did, my reading has suffered. However, I’ve recently been making an effort to read more at home, and I’ve also been riding the train a bit more. Wrecker follows a young man living in Florida who, like many of Carl Hiaasen’s protagonists, loves his home state and wants to protect it from evildoers.
Acts of Kindness: A 98-Year-Old’s Birthday Celebration Twice Over

1 month ago | nyctalking.com | Angel Rodriguez |Ángel Rodríguez

I went to the Upper East Side today to visit my mother-in-law as she recovers in the hospital. Before seeing her, my wife and her uncle met up for brunch at a diner. As we sat and ate, we overheard a woman talking about her birthday. She was turning 98 years old. A gentleman arrived for his brunch, and she mentioned that she had missed him at her birthday party. Upon hearing this, he decided to do something special—he ordered a cake and gathered the entire staff to sing “Happy Birthday” to her again.
A Ride Home from Rikers

2 months ago | nyctalking.com | Angel Rodriguez |Ángel Rodríguez

I was in the bodega with Peppa, grabbing some snacks, when a young guy who had just gotten out of lockup asked the store clerk if he could use the phone. The clerk told him he couldn’t. I went over to the guy and offered to let him make a call from my cell phone. He called his girlfriend, and we helped him get an Uber home. While I was helping him out, another guy walked in and asked the same question, getting the same answer from the clerk. He had just gotten out of Rikers Island.
Back in Action Film thoughts

2 months ago | nyctalking.com | Angel Rodriguez |Ángel Rodríguez

Back in Action” was entertaining for what it was, but overall, it kind of let me down. I didn’t expect it to feel so much like a cheesy, cliché, family-style film. I went in hoping for more action, higher stakes, and a bit more intensity, but instead, it leaned heavily into lighthearted comedy and predictable moments. That’s not to say it was bad—it’s a fun film, and if you’re in the mood for something easy and mindless, it works.
American Primeval Thoughts

2 months ago | nyctalking.com | Angel Rodriguez |Ángel Rodríguez

This limited series caught my wife’s attention, and we started watching it fairly recently. We flew through it over the last day or two. From the very beginning, the show captures the untamed brutality of early America. You had the army, outlaws, Native Americans, Mormons, and even French settlers—each group with both good and evil people. The story follows a woman, Sara, and her son as they try to make their way west from the East Coast.