2018 Holiday Gift Ideas!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, yes, the holiday season. Time to eat, drink, enjoy some wonderful family time and buy holiday gifts for your loved ones, or yourself. Here are few unique recommendations from us

A CUSTOM TAILORED SUIT by MOHAN CUSTOM TAILORS: You have to agree that any man looks great in a well fitting suit. Now a custom tailored is not a luxury item only for the riches. With Mohan’s Custom Tailors, you can get a custom tailored suit starting at just few hundred dollars. And they have some amazing holiday special deals as well. This will be a gift to last for years!

SKATEBOARDS by BEASTIE BOARDS: You may not be feeling the urge to spend a few hundred dollars and may not need a suit. How about a skateboard? Even if you are not a skateboarding enthusiasts, these beautiful skateboards adored by beautiful art, will make a great and unique decoration piece for any wall. A unique gift for that unique person in your life!

• Designer Glasses and Mugs by ROOT7: We all need and use mugs and glasses, but why not get something really unique and special? They have many cool things but her are 2 specific suggestions that I loved.

  • Shots of Himalayan salt. Yes, you can do your shots in shot glasses made of Himalayan salt.

  • Root 7 Geo Glasses are unique geometrical shapes and great quality. Forget about boring round glasses, try something geometric and unique!

  • Your morning cup of coffee will feel even better with a colorful Ombre Mug. It also feels really good to hold, seriously!

While we are talking about mugs, this cute color changing UNICORN mug is just adorable. For kids or for yourself!

• Theater tickets for kids and family: If you’re in NYC, why not take your kids and family to a kid-friendly theater show, in Manhattan. The NEW VICTORY THEATER is a perfect place for that.

Keep an eye here for more gift suggestions to be coming in upcoming days/weeks.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

"You are strong", "You R brave", "U R fearless" - UR Bath & Body!

In 2010, Tracy Gunn, a former animal pharmaceutical sales rep, started UR Bath & Body in her kitchen. After a devastating layoff, a single mom with 2 kids, she invested $32 into making soaps to support her family and turned that into a seven-figure business. All the of products are handmade by those transitioning out of crisis. The company offers a place of employment that empowers and promotes women's independence from challenging family and abusive circumstances. The mission is too help uplift, reshape and rebuild the lives of those looking to regain their independence. 

The Bronx isn’t just the birth place of hip hop – It’s the inspiration behind the UR Bath & Body brand. While visiting a women’s homeless shelter in New York City, Tracy noticed the director greeted each woman that walked through the door with a “UR” affirmation. "You are strong", "You are brave", "You are fearless", that inspired Tracy to create products to inspire a sense of self, naming each product after an uplifting attribute. UR Bath and Body products can be found online www.URbathco.com

We had a chat with Tracy, here are the excerpts.

• What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?

In 2010, I was laid off from my job as a sales rep and I needed to provide financial stability for my children but also needed to be mom first. Being an entrepreneur was the only option to be able to control my time as well as my financial independence.  

• What do you like about being in health and beauty business?

Growing up, my grandmother made soap and I developed my passion for making soaps from her. Producing products that people can identify with and gain some fulfillment is one of the things I enjoy most about being in this business. I make It a point of emphasis to interact with our customers as much as possible, and hearing how much they value our products and our mission drives me to keep going and pushing further. 

• Why is it important for you to focus on women empowerment, through your business?

Women have far been overlooked for many years. Women are very capable of accomplishing so much more than most women realize. Single mothers left to manage children and life often feel the options are few. I want women to know what they are capable of. If I can accomplish success from soap they can do it too in whatever outlets they choose to pursue. Many of our employees come from different backgrounds but strength is something they can all identify with. Every women is strong and capable of achieving, and we are all shining examples of that.

• Any products for men? Any upcoming exciting products, news etc? 

We are planning a men's line coming in the near future along with a children's line. 

• What's your most favorite and least favorite thing about NYC?

New York City is where my heart is. It is true that if you can make it there you can make it anywhere. There isn't one thing that I dislike about NYC. My absolute favorite thing about NYC is how it helped me create a business with a mission. Susan's place in the Bronx gave me the vision for my company's core values. The city as a whole possess a unique energy, I love the pace, people and the opportunity that being in a melting pot such as NYC can present. If not for NYC, I would not be where I am today!

Jamie Foxx bringing “shade” in Manhattan, with Privé Revaux Eyewear

I was strolling in Manhattan and minding my own business, and I ran right into a sly Foxx!

Academy Award-winning and all over “good guy” Jamie Foxx stepped into the eyewear industry, teaming up with Privé Revaux Eyewear a company that’s describe as being “built on a shared passion for style and quality with the goal of making it accessible in ways never seen until now. “

Mr. Foxx, one of the company’s brand partners stopped by the mid-town Manhattan location, which has a subway car prop in the rear, and the party started.  He “literally” entered to the sounds of salsa music being played by a popular Bronx band. Sporting a Louis Vuitton backpack that just might be a custom design, the gifted funny, funny, funny Foxx flirted as he moved through the crowd.

Foxx was loaded with jokes but when it came to talking about the frames on his handsome face, he was all about the business.  

“Every one of the Privé Revaux sunglasses is just $29.95. That’s like nothing, you can lose...like three, and come back and buy three more,” Foxx joked. “Here’s the thing, I mean, you don’t have to spend a billion dollars to look great. Right?  I thought what if we do an affordable eyewear under $30? Even though it’s inexpensive, we’ll make sure we don’t spare any cost when it comes to making the product.”

He continued:  "Anything I wear and I post on Instagram, people automatically think it's high end.  That gave me an idea. I picked up the phone. I made 'that call' and bam affordable hotness."

The connection that Foxx was referring to was with “serial” entrepreneur David Schottenstein whose idea is to simply “disrupt” the eyewear market. To do that, and to ensure the brand’s success he turned to Foxx, as well as Hailee Steinfeld and Ashley Benson, who are all style ambassadors. 

There are over 100 handcrafted and polarized designer frames (each costing $29.95) and it’s about the Privé Revaux Eyewear quality.   Each of the 100+ Privé styles is named to evoke a persona, from The Artist and The Socialite to The Boss and The Godfather, all to show that everyone can be anyone when you reframe yourself with Privé Revaux.

“What I love, what I really love,” said Foxx as he danced through the crowd, “is giving people quality and style. Style and quality. Quality…and style…and at a price that won’t lean on their wallets and that’s Privé Revaux Eyewear."

UNIQUE HOLIDAY GIFT CHOICES, with STYLE!

Here are a few ideas to shake up the coming holiday season.

Stocking stuffers suggestions:  Just Zip It (www.just-zipit.com).  They have googly-eyes but these pouches from ZIPIT rock.  Made from 100% polyester, with large, “grip” teeth, the pouch can hold up to 30 pencils, collectibles, change and more. It’s machine-washable and comes in four different colors: black, blue, pink and purple.

Decal for the Day is new rub-on decals from OMY (omy-maison.com). There are different themes, like Paris, NYC, and even letters. Over 120 designs transfer easily. There’s no commitment because these decals wear away naturally and wash off clothes, too!

Finger Friends (landofnod.com) This cool fingernail kit comes with 25 animal stickers that are perfectly sized for little digits. Tigers, pandas, monkeys and more!

Made By us and For Us. Send the right message to the kids in your life. 

Kimberly Jesika’s network and doll empire must be seen to be believed. She’s the savvy CEO behind the KidPire TV NETWORK (English and Spanish). Her Kimy fashion dolls with their cool bun— signature hairdo are popular! Jesika also cartoons on the Kidpire TV network. and books available on Amazon. @kidpiretvnetwork @dollfaceanimatedfilms @kimyfashiondoll

https://www.amazon.com/Kimberly-J.-Bowles/e/B008EEU0M2

The joy of reading can be achieved in this fast, mobile society.  

iTunes offers Donna Beasley’s KaZoom Kids Books.  Created and illustrated by creatives of color, the library of interactive, multicultural books are designed to inspire children ages 3-8 to love reading. These are fun stories, featuring diverse characters, beautifully illustrated and with read-along narration. Designed so kids can use independently. Get 2 books free, and then subscribe to access all titles. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kazoom-kids-books/id1267330218?mt=8

Coding is more than fun, it's essential education.  Kids with basic coding fundamentals give an edge to students.  Finding the right way to motivate your child can make all the difference, so here are selections are broken down by age group.

Ages 5 – 8:  Ozobot robot does not use a smartphone or remote control, children draw lines with different colored markers to ‘program’ Evo. It can also be controlled with a phone or tablet, and it supports a drag and drop programming language, but the tactile sensation of ‘coloring’ with markers is a fantastic way to relate logic problems to children.

Wonder Workshop’s Cue will get a lot more mileage out of Cue’s personalities than preteens and teens, but it’s still a premium quality robot toy for any age. Kids can learn programming skills and create routines for their robot complete with sounds and lights.

Ages 8 – 12: Kamigami: Insect-like robots that kids assemble by folding plastic together. These fully-functional robots teach kids several STEM skills – and if you get a couple of these robots together they interact. These are fine for smaller kids too.

Code: Board games from ThinkFun don’t require any apps or screens to play. They come in several options and are popular with educators who want to introduce the fundamentals of code to children. Hour of Code website lists hundreds of educational games and activities. 

Beauty Products make great gifts and Hollywood Pro Makeup Artist, Daurisa Tessier (daurisatessier.com) recommended these choices for the Holiday season.

Fenty Beauty by Rihana Gloss and the Kiawatt Freestyle Highlighter Duo.  From MAC the paint pots eyeshadow primers and the Nude lipstick Razzledazzler. From Hourglass the Veil Mineral Primer,  Ambient® Lighting Palette and the Hourglass. Vanish™ Seamless Finish Foundation Stick. From Marc Jacob its the Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara and for full coverage you can’t get better than Marc Jacobs Re (Marc)able Foundations. 

5 Amazing Holiday gifts for 2017!

Holiday season is time for celebrations, joy, fun and gifts! Giving gifts to your family & friends, and sometimes just yourself is just essential. But picking a good gift can be challenging in the times like these. There's just too many options out there. So here are some unique and amazing holiday gift suggestions from us.

• Do you love music? Do you like to hear every beat and sound crystal clear? Are you an audiophile? Then the usual earphones that your phone came with, or even the ones you buy online for $20-$30, is just not going to cut it. You know that. But if you are ready to spend just little more money, there are these amazing headphones from ECHOBOX. I tried both Finder and Traveller, and they are AMAZING. I'm nothing to give you a lot of technical jargon, you can go to their site and check the details. But I'll tell you that they sound amazing. And they DO NOT TANGLE. That's big for me. I have had $200 earphones, that tangled. These are just amazing. Sound is just superb. And right now, you can grab these on some amazing discount this holiday season. Checkout more on their site.

• Candles have become the easiest and most common gift to give these days. But it's not really easy to find some exceptional candles. The market is filled with all sort of products, and finding something good can be very very hard. Hence we recommend candles from ToBeCalm Frangrences. There collection is amazing, and you'll definitely find something you love. Just give them a try. They even have holiday special candles! Checkout their fragrances, essential oils and other products as well.

• It's getting cold outside, and your feet probably feel that cold. There's a beautiful and super comfortable way to keep your feet warm - TIME Slippers. I tried my first pair last year, and I have been a fan since. They make everything from slippers to boots, for both men and women. Available in several colors and designs, you will definitely find something that you and your feet would love. Get them for yourself, or the special one around you. Check them out now!

• Either you wear them for sun, for vision or just for fun, glasses are always cool, all year round. My favorite place to get some amazing glasses happens to be CoastalDotCom. They have amazing selection, with some exclusive designs as well. The prices are great and so is the service. From prescription eyewear, to fashionable sunglasses, to a mix of both, this is s great place to get whatever eyewear you are looking for. With their holiday special, this would be a great time to collect some wonderful glasses for the entire year.

• You like computers and coding? Or do you want to get into computers and coding? And amazing gift for any youngling or even adults KANO. What's KANO? Kano is a DIY "computer kit designed to help people of all ages assemble a computer from scratch, and learn basic coding skills". They have something for people of all ages, and once you get into building these computer kits, there's no way you won't fall in love. Make sure you get a your hands on one this holiday season.

So this is our list of some unique holiday gift/shopping ideas. I have personally tried each of these products, and I'll say I'm in love. All of these are on my gift list, one quantities of more than one. You may want the same. Go, get them now!

We will bring you another list of stocking stuffers as well. Enjoy the holidays and have a wonderful time. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

TIME INC.’s ESSENCE AND INSTYLE REVEAL EXCLUSIVE OCTOBER ISSUE INTERVIEWS FEATURING THE OBAMAS

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InStyle Partners with Leading Designers to Release Limited-Edition Tote Bags Benefiting the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund

 Time Inc.’s Essence, the number one media company dedicated to African-American women, and InStyle, the world’s most successful fashion media brand, both debut October issue cover stories featuring the Obamas. Essence highlights both President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, and InStyle showcases a one-on-one interview with the First Lady.

After nearly eight years as Commander-in-Chief and First Lady, the First Couple talked candidly to Essence to reflect on their legacy, their favorite memories and what’s next after the White House. While weighing in on his most notable moments, the President states: “For me, things like My Brother’s Keeper…that’s something I’m confident we’ll be continuing after we leave…” Also, the First Lady weighs in on their impact: “I think when it comes to Black kids, it means some­thing for them to have spent most of their life seeing the family in the White House look like them. It matters...”

The October Issue of InStyle marks the first time the fashion media brand has ever featured a First Lady. In the final stretch of a polarizing election season, there’s one thing the American public can agree on: the power of Michelle Obama. She talks to InStyle about the importance of educating girls, the impact of social media and, of course, her personal style. On the influence of women globally, she states: “Girls are going to move our country and our world to a place where there’s more peace, more prosperity, more possibility, because women raise the next generations again and again and again.”

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In honor of the October cover subject, InStyle has partnered with select American designers to release a line of limited-edition designer tote bags to benefit the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund. Let Girls Learn is an initiative launched by the First Lady and President to help adolescent girls around the world go to school. Bringing the mission to life, each designer pays homage to one of the countries where the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund is creating real change: Carolina Herrera drew inspiration from Peru, Jason Wu from Senegal, Prabal Gurung from South Africa, Narcisco Rodriguez from Malawi, DVF from Moldova, DKNY from Jamaica, and more. The collection is available for pre-order at Shop.InStyle.com on October 13 (interested parties can enter their information to receive updates starting now), with prices starting at $52—and 100% of the profits benefiting the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund. 

“Both Essence and InStyle recognize the resounding influence that the First Couple has had on so many facets of our society. We are delighted that President and Mrs. Obama chose these two powerhouse brands to share their passions and engage with a diverse combined audience of nearly 50 million,” said Alan Murray, Chief Content Officer, Time Inc.

Essence and InStyle October issues will be available on newsstands and via tablet on Friday, September 16.

For details, visit Essence.com  and InStyle.com and follow both on social media:

• Twitter: @Essence and @InStyle
• Instagram: @Essence and @InStylemagazine
• Snapchat: @Essencemag and @InStyle
• www.essence.com