Fashion Police Red Carpet Poses

With the Golden Globes tonight and Oscars next month, I thought I'd share these Fashion Police red carpet poses. In September, I had attended a fashion week wrap party at the Benefit Cosmetics Soho boutique at 454 W Broadway, with Joan Rivers, Kimora Lee Simmons and George Kotsiopoulos.

- Kim Weling

CES Unveiled and Digital Experience! Favorites at International CES

Since International CES took place this week, I've been absent from posting! It was our first trip to International CES in Las Vegas, from January 8th-11th, with kickoff events that started with CES Unveiled on January 6th, and Pepcom's Digital Experience! and International CES Press Day that both took place on January 7th.

International CES is hosted by the Consumer Electronics Association, highlighting new and upcoming products. I was specifically looking at accessories compatible with the new iPad and iPhone 5 including external battery chargers and cases while checking out the latest headphones and portable speakers. 

Here's a look at what we saw at CES Unveiled and Digital Experience!

CES Unveiled

Rohan Marley at the House of Marley booth

House of Marley collection includes new headphones, portble audio and home audio products with Bluetooth integration and exclusive upcycled RE.WIND fabric, composed of reclaimed hemp and organic cotton, combined with the fibers of recycled water bottles (rPET) and finished using water-based dyes and biodegradable TPU coating.

SOUL Electronics new athletic line featuring the Tim Tebow SL300 Signature Headphones

Matrix Audio Qube Portable Speakers

myCharge Jolt Series - charges two devices at once

  

This custom-built 3M table is perfect for meetings, presentations and storyboarding. Glide and share files instantly across the table

iHome iDL100G Triple Charging FM Clock Radio with Two Lightning Docks and USB Charge/play for iPad/iPhone/iPod

dexim Power Skin for iPhone 5

kubxlab ampjacket iPhone 5 amplifier case

Digital Experience!

Magellan SmartGPS - integrates social, local and mobile content, including Yelp and Foursquare, through Magellan's clod-enabled Smart Ecosystem

HyperJuice external batteries

Moshi Versacover iPad mini cases

Moshi iPhone 5 cases

Speck CandyShell GRIP iPhone 5 case

Jabra Solemate portable speakers

Jabra Revo and Jabra Revo Wireless headphones

Monster Diamond Tears headphones - can't wait for it to launch in rose gold!

- Kim Weling

Mauricio Hair Studio Privato

Last Friday, I visited Mauricio Hair Studio Privato for a conditioning treatment, haircut and blow out. The three-chair salon is located at 210 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1102, between 25th and 26th Streets. The Flatiron studio opened  a year ago, and also offers nail services and makeup application. 

The salon uses 100%  all-natural organic hair care including products from Intelligent Nutrients PureLuxe, Harmonic and Certified Organic collections and rahua. The atmosphere is intimate and zen-like and the experience feels really personalized since all the attention is on you. There are no distractions, no stress - just time to relax and get your hair cut and styled without feeling rushed.

Wendy shampooed my hair with Intelligent Ingredients PureLuxe harmonic shampoo, which had a minty aromatherapy scent. Even hours later my hair still smelled and felt minty fresh. I think I'm hooked on this shampoo! rahua conditioner was used on my hair as a leave-in, deep conditioning treatment for 15 minutes under the dryer. Mauricio gave me a fabulous cut and style, adding in some layers for volume and shape. 

Mauricio Cifuentes has been a fashion and editorial hairstylist for over 10 years and has successfully created Mauricio Hair Studio Privato as an alternative to your everyday, commercial salon. Mauricio also makes jewelry in his spare time and sells the gorgeous pieces at his studio, sourcing emeralds from Colombia, and other stones from South America and Asia.

Learn more about the salon and services at mauriciohair.com. 

A fabulous blow out by Mauricio Cifuentes

Mauricio's jewelry creations

- Kim Weling

Start off the New Year with H2O Plus Skincare

Happy New Year! I love starting the new year by adding new skincare added to my regimen, including products from H2O Plus.  

1. Sea Moss Replenishing Body Lotion Spray ($19.50) - sprays on light as water but deeply hydrates and nourishes the skin with Irish Moss, Water Lily and Provitamin B.
2. Blue Fragrance Collection ($29.70, originally $49.50) - set includes eau de toilette and body lotion, inspired by the infinite beauty of the sea, featuring the subtle and refreshing Blue fragrance with notes of water peony, rosewood, nectarine and bergamot.
3. Aqualibrium Cleansing Face Wipes ($19) - oil-free cleansing wipes removes makeup and refreshes the skin with anti-oxidant marine algae, lavender extract and Provitamin B. Love this scent!
4. eye Oasis Instant Hydrating Stick ($26) - deeply hydrating stick instantly cools, refreshes and nourishes delicate undereyes with Caffeine, Hydrating Marine Blend and Hydrolyzed Pea Peptides
5. Sea Moss Black Sand Bath Bar ($12) - cleanses and exfoliates with a fresh scent
6. total Source Night Cream ($95) - anti-aging marine infusion. The oil-free formula helps reduce wrinkles, firms, brightens, nourishes and protects with Pearl Extract, Yarrow Extract, Chestnut Rose and Rooibos.

- Kim Weling

Celebrate the New Year with Crown Royal Maple Finished Whisky

Kickoff the new year with the newly launched Crown Royal Maple Finished Whisky! I'm not much of a whisky drinker but I knew I would love it since I'm a big maple flavor fan. I recently attended the launch of Crown Royal Maple Finished and got to try Maple on the Rocks, Maple Old Fashioned and my favorite, the Manitoba (Crown Royal Maple Whisky, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup and Ginger Beer). 

It is incredibly smooth, with the perfect blend of the signature caramel and vanilla nose of Crown Royal with aromas of light, fresh maple for a warm and woody touch. 

Crown Royal Maple Finished is available in 1.75 liter, 1 liter, 750mL and 50mL sizes nationwide. Learn more at crownroyal.com.

Here are some recipes to help you celebrate the new year!

CROWN ROYAL MAPLE CIDER

- 1.5 Ounces of Crown Royal Maple Whisky

- 2 Ounces of Apple Cider

Dry shake all ingredients and pour into a coffee mug. Top with hot water. Garnish with a pat of butter and cinnamon stick 

MAPLE OLD FASHIONED

- 3/4 oz. Bulleit Rye

- 1 Tsp Demerara Syrup

- 3/4 oz. Crown Royal Maple Whisky

- 2 Dash Angostura Bitters

- 1 Dash Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters

Stir & strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with lemon & orange twist

Images courtesy of Crown Royal

- Kim Weling

Columbia Sportswear Winter 2012

I am so not a fan of cold weather, but Columbia Sportswear has made my past two winters more bearable with my Snowfall Thermo boots. This winter season I'm excited about complimenting my footwear with the Powerfly Down Jacket ($220), Extreme Fleece Long Sleeve 1/2 Zip ($80) and Mountain Monster Gloves ($150), all made with Omni-Heat® Thermal Reflective technology.

The Omni-Heat® Thermal Reflective silver dot lining keeps you 20% warmer by reflecting back the heat your body generates, while regulating body temperature by allowing excess heat and moisture to escape. The Powerfly Down Jacket is keeps me super warm with the combination of Omni-Heat® Thermal Reflective lining and 800 fill power goose down insulation. The jacket is also made with Omni-Shield® advanced repellancy, designed to resist light rain and stains.

It's been tough finding a down jacket that fits me, but this one in XS fits just right, especially the sleeve length, additional fitted feature at the cuff and and inside adjustable drawcord at the hem for a better fit. The jacket is also lightweight and compresses into a packable pouch. It's great for travel or for running around the city.

The Extreme Fleece is also made with Omni-Wick® advanced evaporation, keeps you dry and comfortable by dispersing sweat away from the body for quick evaporation. It is perfect to wear for jogging in cold weather, keeping you warm and dry at the same time. It can also be worn as a layering piece, underneath the Powerfly 

 Down Jacket for extra warmth.

The Mountain Monster Gloves will come in handy when a snowstorm comes along. I'll definitely be wearing them the next time I have to shovel my car out. They are ultra-breathable and durable, made with OutDry® waterproof technology. These are the ultimate snow gloves featuring knuckle expansion pleats, soft leather palm and a precision fit.

You can check these items out at columbia.com.

Columbia Sportswear Powerfly Jacket in Light Grape and Extreme Fleece Long Sleeve 1/2 Zip in Blue Vapor

 - Kim Weling

Acer Iconia B1 $99 Tablet Launching in 2013

Acer, the Taiwanese PC giant, is ready to set the gadget world on its ears with a new $99 tablet set to compete in the emerging low cost market against, Amazon, Google, and Barnes & Noble. This is big news as Acer is already the manufacturer behind Google's Nexus 7 devices which have been a huge success for the company at the $199 price point.

Acer is planning to launch the Iconia B1, a $99 tablet that runs the Google Android operating system, early in the first quarter of 2013, a source close to the project has disclosed to the Wall Street Journal. The $99 tablet is set to feature a 7 inch display much like the Nexus 7, with a pixel resolution of 1024 x 600, and a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor.

Acer's plan for the $99 tablet would beat its competitors in the low cost tablet market, many of whom rushed to bring their tablets to consumers this past year, with aggressively priced options in the $150-200 range. Amazon offers a 7-inch Kindle Fire which is priced at $159 for an 8GB model and also boasts a Kindle Fire HD in their lineup which starts at $199. Barnes & Noble on the other hand offers the Nook Color HD, also 7 inches, at $199 for a 8GB Model. The iPad Mini, which measures 7.9 inches starts at $329 for the 16GB Model.

For those looking for a cheap starter tablet the Acer is a great option, but there is one hiccup that could present itself. The $99 Acer tablet is aimed at emerging markets and although the device has been submitted to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for clearance, there is no confirmation on whether it will be sold in the United States at this time.

Acer also could open the door for competition at this $99 price point. Google is ready to go even lower on their margins than the $199 Nexus 7 and could be pushing a tablet as low as $99 in the very near future. However, this tablet might not be $99 from launch, as it has been rumored to start in the $129 or $149 range and work its way down.

Either way you draw it up, Acer is going to be great for the consumer as it will undoubtedly bring competition into the tablet market, and force other manufacturers to bring low-cost tablets and gadgets into the marketplace for consumers.

- Sam Victor