Welcome to HNGN's weekly top picks, where we recommend the best and brightest releases in music, fashion, beauty, tech and pop culture. This week, we kick things off with a special roundup of Thanksgiving must-haves. Come back each week for more of-the-moment goodness from Coveted.
THANKSGIVING MUST-HAVES
Vintage Turkey Centerpiece (1-800-FLOWERS)
This vintage-style turkey centerpiece will help you wow guests and promote festive holiday spirit. Check out the reusable woven planter shaped like a turkey that comes filled with fresh evergreens, fall-colored leaves and faux acorns and topped with a pillar candle to set the mood.
Turkey Fruit Platter
When you are preparing a big Thanksgiving feast, the last thing you want to serve is hardy appetizers that will wind up spoiling you guests' appetites for the main course. That's why we love this brilliantly designed do-it-yourself fruit platter. Fruit is a refreshing, sweet treat to snack on before the big meal and your guests will surely never forget your creative presentation.
Montoya Pinot Noir Wine
Most people know that pinot noir pairs perfectly with succulent turkey, white or dark meat, but Montoya is great all by itself or with appetizers. It's a gentle light-bodied wine with hints of fruit, spice and cedar that culminate in a crisp finish.
Professional Nonstick Turkey Roaster (Sur La Table)
This turkey roaster is a Thanksgiving must-have: the rack holds the poultry away from the messy drippings and its design also makes it easier to keep cooking temoeratures consistent across the whole of the bird. It's also nonstick, so after-dinner cleanup will be less of a chore!
Wüsthof Classic Straight Carving Set (Williams-Sonoma)
This German-made carving set is perfect for making precision cuts of Thanksgiving turkey but you'll find yourself using it throughout the year. The knife has a high-carbon steel blade to cut slices professionally – no tearing – while the fork holds the turkey in place securely. The sets grips are made of polypropylene, making less slippery and comfortable to hold.
Smart Thermometer (Williams-Sonoma)
Williams-Sonoma brings Thanksgiving dinner preparations into the 21st century with this WiFi-enabled leave-in probe thermometer. It can be connected to your Apple device of choice to notify you when your turkey is fully cooked. Get it and skip the guesswork.
MUSIC
Coldplay
Ghost Stories Live 2014 (Parlophone/ Atlantic)
Coldplay took a fresh approach to the old concept of the live concert film and performed its then-upcoming album "Ghost Stories" to a small group of fans in March at a custom-built amphitheater at Los Angeles' Sony Studios. Combining innovation with intimacy, the group also used 360-degree and overhead camera shoots.
She & Him
Classics (Columbia Records)
Following the success of their albums "Volume One," "Volume 2" and "A Very She & Him Christmas," Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward – She & Him – return with "Classics," a new album of old songs like "Time After Time," originally sung by Frank Sinatra and Shirley Bassey. "Classics" isn't released until Dec. 2, but you can watch She & Him's video for "Stay Awhile," originally by Dusty Springfield, here:
Public Enemy
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back (Deluxe Edition) (Def Jam)
In 1988, Public Enemy set out to release the rap equivalent of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," and they succeeded, elevating the music of the streets to important social commentary.
This newly released deluxe edition includes a second CD with 13 bonus mixes, instrumental versions of three songs, the soundtrack version of "Fight The Power" from the Spike Lee film "Do the Right Thing" and a DVD of "Fight The Power...Live," originally released on VHS in 1989.
Antemasque
Antemasque (Nadie Sound)
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala are on the proverbial Mount Rushmore of recent rock experimentalism thanks to their work in former outfits At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta that combined elements of punk, noise, heavy metal and progressive rock. Following the dissolution of TMV, the longtime musical partners started yet another project, Antemasque, which recently released its self-titled debut album featuring Flea, bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
TECH
Gibson Memory Cable
Gibson's latest guitar and keyboard cable includes a built-in Tascam recorder that records up to 13 hours of your playing to Micro SD cards. The renowned guitar company says the recorder captures "CD-quality 44.1kHz/16-bit resolution ... ideal for transferring data to computer-based, multi-track recording programs."
Tile for iOS
Tile for iOS is available now as a new tool that helps you locate anything you've misplaced. Stick Tile to your keys or other important objects and your iPhone will track the Tile's Bluetooth signal. The accompanying app will automatically record the last spot your phone "saw" the Tile. Get the 1-pack Tile now at Amazon or other retailers for $25. The lightweight device also comes in packs of four, eight and 12.
Jaybird Reign Fitness Band
The Jaybird Reign activity tracker is available now for fitness fanatics. The device comes with several additional bands, a charging cord and a strap that lets you put the tracker on your chest. The rubbery band's features include a sensor for tracking heart rate and a battery that lasts up to five days. A major focus of this wearable is identifying the "Go Zone" – your state of optimal performance. The Jaybird Reign is available for $199.99 now on the Jaybird website, and gym rats can get the Jaybird app now on iTunes. The app will be available via Google Play next year.
GoPro Hero 4 Camera
GoPro's Hero 4 Camera is available now in both silver ($399.99) and black ($499.99) on Amazon.com and at other retail stores. Features include built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection, a built-in touch display that lets you play back what you've captured and a button that lets you access camera settings quickly. You will also be able to capture high-quality photos at speeds of up to 30 fps. The GoPro Hero 4 is available in several bundles, including Extreme, Gift Card, Memory Card, Starter and Surf.
MOVIES
Horrible Bosses 2 (Warner Bros.)
Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day return with a new business of their own. After an unscrupulous investor throws a wrench in their plans, the trio finds themselves headed down a familiar path: crime. This time they undertake a hilarious kidnapping-for-ransom scheme to take back their company.
Watch the trailer HERE: https://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/horriblebosses2/
The Imitation Game (Weinstein Company)
Alan Turing, an English mathematician and logician, helps the Allies crack the Enigma code during the height of World War II. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the brilliant Turing in this true story of how the programming pioneer and his team of code-breakers helped shift the tide of the war by deciphering Germany's communications.
Watch the trailer HERE: https://trailers.apple.com/trailers/weinstein/theimitationgame/
Penguins of Madagascar (Dreamworks)
Dr. Octavius Brine is bent on destroying the world and only Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private can stop him. The four penguins join a top-secret spy organization to thwart Dr. Brine's plans in this children's animated 3D comedy.
Watch the trailer HERE: https://trailers.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/thepenguinsofmadagascar/
The Babadook (IFC Films)
Still haunted by the violent death of her husband, a single mother must confront her son's fear of a monster hiding in their home. Soon, she discovers there might truly be something evil lurking there.
Watch the trailer HERE:
FASHION & BEAUTY
Floral Print Dress (Mango, $59.99)
Picking out the perfect Thanksgiving outfit is nearly impossible if you want to look good and hide the after-feast food baby. That’s why we love this retro Mango ’60s-inspired floral print dress. It's flowy – which means it's nonrestricting – and chic and sports a fun design and keyhole detail in the back.
Chic Snow Boots
With snowy conditions forecasted for the winter this year, it’s wise to get youself on a trendy new pair of snow boots. These Nordstrom Conquest Carly boots will keep you looking your best even while maneuvering piles of the slippery stuff. Pair them with leather leggings or skinny jeans and you’ll be good to go!
Suede
Most people incorporate eye-catching colors and patterns to spice up their look, but what we really love is playing with different fabric textures. Suede looks best when used as an accent. Pair a suede jacket over a casual-jeans-and-T-shirt look, or try matching a suede skirt with tights and booties.
Hand Jewelry
Hand jewelry – also referred to as Harlem bracelets – are a part of the Mara Hoffman Spring and Summer 2015 collections and we're in love with them. One of our favorites is Free People’s Sentry Handpiece - a piece that drapes across your hand from the wrist to the ring on your middle finger. Terrific Tip: hand jewelry is most eye-catching when paired with gold nail polish.
Staple Black Booties
Black booties are an essential fashion staple, especially during the fall. Black booties can be paired with almost anything you own and are super flattering on nearly any leg shape. We have our eyes on Call It Spring’s Kaluwa boot which sports a stacked heel that's perfect for tackling the daily grind in style.
DVDs/BLU-RAY RELEASES
A Madea Christmas (Lionsgate)
Kick off the holiday season with Madea in the latest Tyler Perry flick "A Madea Christmas." The elderly woman (played by Perry) accompanies her good friend to the country to make a surprise visit to her daughter as she preps for the annual Christmas Carnival.
Special features on the Blu-Ray/DVD include bloopers, a making-of-the-movie featurette and cast interviews.
The Giver (Anchor Bay)
After 20 years, Jeff Bridges achieved his goal of adapting the Lois Lowry novel to the big screen. The dystopian story follows a young boy who is chosen by an elderly man, known as The Giver, to learn the history of the "real world."
Special features on the Blu-Ray/DVD include cast and crew interviews and a behind-the-scenes featurette.
The Expendables 3 (Lionsgate)
Sylvester Stallone recruits an even more impressive cast of action stars in his third "Expendables" film. Barney (Stallone) gathers his team up once again to take down his co-founder Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), an arms dealer determined to take out every one of the Expendables team.
Special features on the Blu-Ray/DVD include a gag reel, an extended scene, interviews with cast and behind-the-scenes featurettes.
A Merry Friggin' Christmas (Peace Arch Trinity)
Joel McHale and Robin Williams star in this holiday film – one of Williams' last movies before his untimely death in August. The two play estranged father and son, Mitch and Boyd Mitchler, who must make an eight-hour road trip on Christmas Eve to retrieve the gifts for Boyd's son that he mistakenly left at home.
Other Movies and TV Shows Available on Blu-Ray and DVD include:
- November Man (Twentieth Century Fox)
- What If (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
- Beyond the Edge (MPI Home Video)
(Reporting by Amanda Bernocco, Michael Lello, John Nassivera, Jordan Webb and Emily Morgan. Editing by Michael Lello. Want to be considered for Coveted? Send your product information, with photos, to m.bullerdick@hngn.com or send product samples to Michael Q. Bullerdick HNGN/33 Universal, 33 Whitehall Street - 7th Floor, New York, NY 10004.)
