2018 Holiday Tech Accessories

These holiday tech accessories are perfect for gifting yourself or your loved ones! iHome's iBTB2 Aquio Removable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker, $59.99, is easily detachable from the bottom half, so you can enjoy music on the go. It's great for road trips, BBQs, and outdoor workouts. This fashionable water bottle has a built-in carry loop, is BPA free, double wall insulated, and keeps your beverages cold up to 24 hours or hot up to 14 hours. It's available in four colors - Merlot, Blush, Seafoam, and Midnight.

Mophie Charge Stream Powerstation Wireless, $79.95

No more worries about plugging in your phone to charge up with this 6,040mAh powerstation! All you need to do is set your phone on top of it!You can also charge wired devices using the USB-A port. 

Mopie Charge Stream Pad+, $59.95

A universal wireless charging pad for Qi-enabled smartphones, this will charge your Apple or Samsung super fast. This is perfect for the home or the office and easy to use - just set your phone down on it and let it charge up!

Western Digital My Passport™ SSD, $89.99 - $399, 

Who is guilty of not backing up their laptop? You'll have no worries with My Passport™SSD, as this has automatic backup to keep all your files safe! It's also got password protection with hardware encryption, and super fast file transfers with speeds up to 540 MB/s. I love the mini, lightweight, sleek design, making it easy for travel, too. My Passport™SSD comes in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB capactiy.

- Kim Weling

Favorite Holiday Gifts at the Newly Renovated Macy's Downtown Brooklyn

Last month while touring Macy's Downtown Brooklyn grand reopening at 422 Fulton Street, I chose my favorite holiday items from each department (Home, Cosmetics, Men's, Women's and Home) and wanted to share my gift picks with you!

The Lower Level houses a breathtaking Furniture and Home Store including mattresses and festive top of table favorites. 

While shopping, in the Home department, this was one of those times where I didn't know what I was looking for until I found it! I found the perfect lightweight luggage: the Delsey Helium Shadow Hardside Spinner Suitcase in Black Cherry ($280), which happens to have a front laptop pocket! I didn't see any other carry-on at Macy's that had one! I don't like to check my bag if I don't have to, and it's always an extra step to unzip my bag and then take out my laptop while going through security at the airport. So I can't wait to use this for my next trip in January to Vegas! This gift to myself is also to inspire me to travel more next year, even if it's just for a long weekend getaway. My second favorite item from the Home department is the Sharper Image Calming Comfort 15lb Weighted Blanket ($260). Problem is that I may never get out of bed if I get this!

The Cosmetics department was expanded to 18,000 square-feet and now features brands like Dio, BObby Brown, Kiehl's Urban Decay, NYDX, Philosophy, IT Cosmetics, Smashbox, Tarte, Anastasia, Tweezer Man, Juicy Couture, Bare Minerals, and Benefit Cosmetics. 

In the Cosmetics department, there are so many cute gift sets but the one that caught my eye is a 20-Pc The Chubettes lip set by Clinique ($49.50). It's a gift I can share, since I can break down the set and use as stocking stuffers. I also love that they are mini-size so for on-the-go, travel or the office. 

The second floor Men's department has been improved with brand additions including Superdry, G-Star, Armani Exchange, DKNY, Michael Kors, Lacoste, Hudson, and Reason. Men will also enjoy a newly added Big and Tall shop. 

At the Men's department, I decided to go with a tech accessory, as it's the easiest gift when you don't want to worry about choosing the right size or style for someone. I chose the Tzumi Electronics Deco Series Speaker ($80) in Beige, which has a modern design and a powerful sound!

On the third floor, Women's Ready-to-Wear and Juniors have received brand additions including DKNY, Rachel Rachel Roy, Guess, Dickies, Juicy Couture, Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, BCBGMAXAZRIA and plus size brand, City Chic. Suit Separates, Petites, and Swim categories have also been added. 

In Women's Ready-to-Wear and Juniors I immediately found my way toward the cashmere section and chose the Charter Club Pure Cashmere Oversized Scarf in Blush Heather Combo ($169). Winter is my least favorite season, but what I do love about it is being able to wear cashmere. The throw-on works as a layering piece to your outfit, but also to keep you warm and cozy at home or at the office. 

Also on the third floor is MyStylist @ Macy's, a personalized, complimentary shopping service dedicated to finding the perfect fashions for every customer. MyStylist @ Macy's guides shoppers in selecting the best gifts for all occasions for friends and family. 

When I asked Heather Clark, Fashion Stylist and Corporate Sales Executive what the 'It List' pieces are this holiday season, her response was "anything fuzzy, sparkly or leathery."

Macy's has a ton of holiday sales going on right now, including additional discounts so check them out at Macy's.com or at the renovated 278,000 square-foot Macy's Downtown Brooklyn location! 

- Kim Weling

Lenovo Yoga 730 13" Laptop Review

I've been a fan of the Lenovo Yoga laptop for years, having reviewed the Ideapad Yoga 11S, Yoga Tablet 8, Yoga 2 Pro, and Yoga Tablet 2 in the past. So I just had to test out the Lenovo Yoga 730 13" laptop, especially since I haven't had a Lenovo product in my possession for a few years now. 

My favorite features of this laptop are definitely its versatility to change from laptop to tablet mode, touch screen capability, and a screen with picture perfect high-definition. It also has 360° sound, which you really experience when you put your headphones on. 

Since I'm always on my laptop if I'm home, that also means I don't have a laptop to watch Netflix on or catch up on favorite shows online. This is why I love having the Lenovo Yoga 730 around. It's great for binge watching shows (I binge watched the Syfy 12 Monkeys series all over again and caught up on Grey's Anatomy episodes). 

With the amazing audio and screen clarity, I find it hard to want to watch shows or movies on any other laptop. I love this laptop for the same reasons I always have, but these features seem more enhanced. 

The Lenovo Yoga 730 also has a fast start up, long lasting battery and charges up pretty quickly. Another feature that is new to me since I've used a Lenovo Yoga laptop is Cortana as a voice-activated digital assistant to help you work faster by opening apps, setting reminders or answering your questions. 

Along with the versatility of the 360° design of the four different modes - laptop, stand, tablet, and tent, I love the sleek design of the laptop itself, and the fact that it's thin, lightweight (2.74 lbs) and easy to travel with. I took it to San Francisco a few weeks ago and also brought it out with me locally to the park and my favorite cafe. The Iron Grey color is just my style, as I've always preferred my tech products in Silver or Grey.

If I could put one product on my wishlist this holiday season, the Lenovo Yoga 730 13" laptop would be at the top of my list!

I'm also excited about my new Vionic Shoes! The Whitney Ankle Boot is made of suede and neoprene for a comfortable fit and has a 3.1" heel height so it's not too high. It's perfect to wear out and about on the weekends or a full day at the office. I have several pairs of ankle booties in brown and black, and what I really needed was a pair in grey and I love this charcoal shade!

Sweater: Marc by Marc Jacobs

Jeans: American Eagle

Shoes: Vionic Shoes

Sunglasses: Quay Australia

Necklace: Deepa Gurnani

American Eagle Outfitters / Aerie Post-Holiday Sales

The holiday collection at American Eagle Outfitters and Aerie is always my favorite of seasons to shop. I often find myself shopping for gifts online and in-store (and for me) before the holidays and then right after Christmas for the end-of-the-year sales / clearance. This holiday season's selection is so good, I have products in my cart as I'm blogging about this. 

Some things that I have already picked up this season include the dark grey pom-tastic snood and matching beanie, both with removable poms, cozy fleece jumper, and plush joggers which I have in both charcoal and dark heather. I also plan on getting some necklaces, a velvet cami, mesh crop top, boyshorts (available online only), and extra poms so I can switch out the colors on my snood and beanie. The Aerie pieces are so plush and cozy, you'll want to wear loungewear all winter long. 

Aside from what I'm getting, this season you'll also find camo, plaid, tunic hoodies, sweatshirts, velvet pajamas and pom throw blankets on sale. The most impressive selection to me is the denim, as I get all my jeans at American Eagle as the fit and distressed detailing is above quality. The fit is consistent, and I love how they have a short length available so I don't have to get my jeans hemmed. 

The Atelier & Repairs x AE pieces aren't on sale but you'll definitely want to check out these denim jackets, overshirts, skirts and jeans. These special pieces are made with repurposed American Eagle fabric and clothing, with distressed rips and repairs. They are personalized and finished by hand with one-of-a-kind treatments, making them unique. 

- Kim Weling