Shoe-Inn 13th Annual Warehouse Sale

The 13th Annual Shoe-Inn sale is back, featuring over 10,000 pairs of women's designer shoe and boots by Tory Burch, Cole Haan, Ugg Australia, Kids UGGs, Via Spiga, Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs, Chloe, Celine, Donald J. Pliner, Michael Kors, Kors, Stella McCartney, Velvet Angels, Converse, Frye, Stuart Weitzman, Kate Spade, Pedro Garcia, Zalo, Roberto del Carlo, Ralph Lauren, Cynthia Rowley, Calvin Klein, Converse, Lilly Pulitzer, D&G, Charles David, Aquatalia, Moschino, Steve Madden, Fontini, Baker, Andre Assous Minnetonka, Jack Rodgers, Diane von Furstenberg, Elizabeth and James, Sam Edelman, Fitflops, 1000 pair of waterproof boots, and many others.

All boots are $39.99-$199.99 and all shoes are $19.99-$99.99. New merchandise is added daily.

Event Begins:
1/2/2011
Event Ends:
1/6/2011
Event Times:
Sun 10am-5pm

Mon-Thu 9am-7pm
Location:
1356 Broadway Gotham Hall (at 36th & Broadway), New York, NY 10018
Payment Types:
Cash/MC/VISA/AMEX/DIS

Last-Minute Fashionable + Practical Stocking Stuffers

Here are some last-minute stocking stuffers and great gifts for yourself!

The Finders Key Purse, $6.95, has made it so easy to reach for my keys in my purse! All you do is attach your keys to the clasp and slip the Finders Key Purse® over the edge of your purse. No more fidgeting for my keys!


It is amazing how isABelt really works. This elastic strap accessory is discreet and comfortable, invisible underneath your tops, when even a thin belt won't work with your outfit (belt bulge is the worst!). This belt is ultra thin, lightweight and adjustable. It also keeps your pants from slipping and reduces back-gap. It reminds me of a clear bra strap, but also comes in black. I only have the clear one but would love to try the black one! The isABelt Original comes in small, medium, large and plus sizes and retails for $16.95.


Absolutely Audrey shoe clips instantly dresses up your shoes or clutch.

Right: Peacock feathers, $25
Left: Colette - Champagne, $20

Instant Button® is a removable and reusable button that allows you to add or reduce your pants size instantly for that tailored fit, without a belt or alteration. This is also perfect for eliminating that gap in the back or making up for a missing button.

Clear CZECH Rhinestone on Silver Plate (left) and Gold Plate (right), $13 each.

- Kim Weling

USB Flash Drive Stocking Stuffers

If you are looking for some last minute stocking stuffers, consider picking up a few USB flash drives. I rely on USB drives to regularly transfer images, files and folders. Here are some of my favorite ones.

You'll find different designer USB flash drives on mimico.com - Star Wars, Hello Kitty, Domo, toikdoki and more.

Pink Meletta by tokidoki, $34.95 and Star Wars C-3PO MIMOBOT®, $39.95.



The Verbatim 2GB - Tuff-'n'-Tiny™ USB Drive, $22 is penny-thin, travel-tough and water-impermeable. It fits in all standard USB ports, resists dust, water and static discharges and offers password security for Windows users. It comes with a convenient lanyard to attach to your key ring.


This HP c335w Flash Drive - 8 GB, $19.99 (on sale at buy.com for $20.37, includes shipping) is super thin and has a crystal accent.


Swarovski-CRYSTALLIZED USB-Stick™, $58


For all you baseball fans, check out the Centon Electronics MLB USB Flash Drive Keychain - 4 GB, $29.99


- Kim Weling

Great Last Minute Gifts - Case-mate iPhone 4 and iPad Cases

I have been researching on iPhone 4 and iPad leather cases for awhile and Case-mate cases are at the top of my list. Case-mate has partnered with Nordstrom on an exclusive fall/winter collection, available in 114 Nordstrom stores across the country, at Nordstrom.com and case-mate.com.

The Barely There Leather iPhone 4 Case in embossed leather also comes with growing medium and seeds for your own desktop garden!

Barely There Leather Case, $38.00
The textured leather Venture iPad Case converts into a convenient stand when flipped open and has a snap closure. I love the contrast pink trim! This iPad case matches nicely with the Barely There Leather Case.



Venture iPad Case, $88.00
Above images courtesy of Case-mate

The Flip Wallet iPhone 4 Case is my favorite! It has a magnetic-closure flap with space for ID and two credit cards. Also great to put business cards in! The case comes with growing medium and seeds to grow your own desktop garden. It is considered a men's case, but I think it can be unisex. I would definitely use it - if only I had an iPhone 4!


Flip Wallet iPhone 4 Case, $49.99
Photo credit: Nordstrom.com

Here are some pictures I took of my brother's iPhone 4 in the flip wallet case.

- Kim Weling

mophie juice pack air™- The Perfect Gift for iPhone Users

If the person you are buying a gift for owns an iPhone, then the mophie juice pack air™ would be the perfect gift for them!

The juice pack air™ is a case and a rechargeable Smart Battery. If you find your cell phone battery is running low, you can just flip the power switch and your phone will immediately begin charging while you are using it. Once your phone is fully charged, you can switch it back to standby mode (in red).

I first tested the 3G/3GS charger out during the Thanksgiving holiday, when I had to travel to San Francisco. I have been using it everyday since then and can't imagine living without it! I can't wait to use this during fashion week when my iPhone battery always seems to be low!

I love the ergonomic design of the hard shell case. It does a great job of protecting the iPhone from damage (I have accidentally dropped my iPhone in the case and not a scratch in sight)! It comes in different colors too - black, red and white for the iPhone 4 (juice pack plus™ for iphone 4 coming soon, in different colors) and black, purple, red and white for the iPhone 3G/3GS.

There is a 4-light LED status indicator on the back of the case, indicating the charging mode and status of the battery life. To check your juice pack battery status, just press the button on the lower back of the case. One LED means it's almost empty and all 4 LED lights lit up means it's fully charged.

A USB cable is also included, and can be plugged into your computer or iphone friendly power source.

The mophie juice pack air™ is so easy to use! I must admit, I don't have much time or patience to read directions so I started using it immediately and perused the instructions later.

If you already have an iphone case, you can always switch the case out when you need to charge your phone or you can bring the juice pack with you as a back up!

The mophie juice pack air™ is available for the iPhone 4 ($79.95), 3G/3GS ($49.95) and iPod touch 2G ($59.95) at mophie.com.

- Kim Weling

All images courtesy of mophie.com

Robert Verdi's Cool Ideas For Hot Holiday Entertaining

Last Thursday, Robert Verdi shared some cool ideas for hot holiday entertaining, presented by Coca-Cola. Media attendees tweeted along while Robert shared his stylish tips, and guests were able to join in by watching the live video stream and tweeting their questions and ideas to the twitterfeed using #RVTIPS.

You can tweet your favorite Robert Verdi tip from the event to win all of his picks! Go to thervtips.com for more details.

Here are some of my favorite tips from Robert Verdi this holiday season:

Pack shaved ice into snowballs as a festive winter-inspired way to serve Coca-Cola exclusive bottles and keep them cold!

Fill different size glass jars with your favorite red candies.Add little bags for guests to fill up with their favorites to enjoy.

Take guests' photo with an instant camera & use as a placetag at the table! The Fujifilm Instax Mini 7S Instant Film Camera is one of my favorite gifts this holiday season!

Mix n' Match antique dessert plates, found at antique stores or flea markets. Set them upon traditional white dinner plates to draw everything together.


PLACE MATS THAT PLEASE; Stylish way to keep kids at the holiday table! Fill vases with the colorful crayons!

Give each guest a gift (like this Williams-Sonoma Hot Chocolate) to take home wrap in a brown paper bag and wrap with a festive ribbon. Cut the top with pinking shears.

How to create candle holders: core apples and insert a taper candle for an organic feel to your tablescape!

Stylish decor: pomegranates in glass bowls are a chic center piece! Garnish your salad or soup with pomegranate seeds!

For dessert serve mini cupcakes-to decorate! Bring festive sprinkles and frosting to the table and let kids decorate their own!


Use cookies as ornaments! hung on mini trees. Bake cookies put in cellophane, attach ornament hook. I loved these cookies baked by Tasty Morsels! They looked great as ornaments!

Here are some more images from holiday entertaining event.

Tasty Morsels did a great job on this Robert Verdi cookie!

Love the Williams-Sonoma Hot Chocolate - the perfect drink for a cold night!

All photos courtesy of Robert Verdi

Robert Verdi's Cool Ideas for Hot Holiday Entertaining presented by Coca-Cola from Robert Verdi on Vimeo.

- Kim Weling

San Francisco / Sonoma Trip - November 2010

I feel like I am so behind on blog posts - I hope to catch up during my holiday vacation, in between holiday shopping and wrapping gifts. I'll be sure to continue posting on launches, openings and new products.

I took a hiatus from posts (except for sample sale alerts) during the Thanksgiving holiday, as I was spending my Thanksgiving in San Francisco. I just wanted to share some of my favorite activities, in case you find yourself in the area.

One of my favorite events is the Holiday Open House in Sonoma Valley, held the two days after Thanksgiving. The weekend in wine country includes free tastings and food pairings to 20+ Heart of Sonoma Valley wineries for $40 per ticket. Two of my favorite wineries is Ledson Winery & Vineyards and Chateau St. Jean. This year I made it through 8 wineries in 2 hours!

If you make your way to wine country, save some time to shop at Napa Premium Outlets. Some of my favorite outlet stores are there, including Barney's New York, J. Crew and BCBG MaxAzria.


Make sure you make your way to the Ferry Building Marketplace, located along the Embarcadero at the foot of Market Street. I love stopping over at Ferry Plaza Seafood for some oysters. The clam chowder is great too! My favorite chocolate in San Francisco is Recchiuti Confections - I always make sure I make it over there! I also love shopping at Sur La Table. You'll also find other shops that specialize in cheese, teas, olive oil, seafood and more!


My ultimate favorite Sushi restaurant is Sushi Ran in Sausolito. The rolls taste so fresh! I always make sure I order the salmon citrus roll, which is topped off with lime. The short ribs just melt in your mouth, but unfortunately it wasn't on the menu when we went, although they said it would eventually be rotated back into the menu. They discontinued my favorite dessert, the custard trio, but be sure to order the dessert sampler. There were 5 dessert samples, including chocolate bombe, almond-brown butter cake, bread pudding, sorbet and a butter milk panna cotta. I devoured it so quickly I didn't even get to take a picture of it!

The Japanese Tea Garden is another favorite place of mine to stroll through, relax, and have some tea.

Lands End Trail has some amazing views, from easy to moderate hiking trails. First off was lunch at Louis' diner (now closed for renovations over the next four months) overlooking the Sutro Baths. The Cliff House also has other dining options, including Zinc Bar, Bistro and Sutros. Next was a walk through the Sutro Baths and upwards onto the other trails.

You'll get quite the workout if you go to Point Reyes and take the stairs all the way down to the lighthouse. 300+ stairs down and then back up 300+ stairs! There was actually a sign that said climbing these stairs is equivalent to a 30-story building. There are great views, with possible whale sightings.

Have any places to share? Let me know! I'm always looking for new places to check out!

- Kim Weling