SkyMall Monday: Anniversary Gift Card Giveaway

by Mike Barish on

Get the champagne on ice, don your finest party hat and put out a cheese plate, because today we are celebrating the ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF SKYMALL MONDAY! On October 13, 2008, Gadling charged me with delivering to you, our dear readers, one SkyMall product review per week. Did I want that responsibility? Yes. Do I enjoy doing it? Of course. Should I be celebrated for it? Absolutely. But you know who else should reap the benefits of our weekly SkyMall dalliances? You! So, to celebrate the first anniversary of SkyMall Monday, we’re giving away a $100 gift card to…SKYMALL!

First things first. Let’s take a walk down memory lane and look at some of the best products featured in SkyMall Monday over the past 12 months. From massive travel pillows to motorized coolers to umbrellas built for two, I’ve reviewed plenty of amazing gear that you most certainly now own. And to make things interesting, we have a poll to decide which SkyMall Monday was your favorite.

After the jump, a look back at some of our favorites and your chance to win that $100 SkyMall gift card.

  • SkyRest Travel Pillow – Do you like sleeping on planes and being an asshole? Then why not block everyone sitting next to you from using the restroom while you sleep on a giant wedge of cheese balanced on your lap.
  • Baseball Bat Pepper Grinder – You love baseball. You love seasoning. You feel insecure about the size of your penis. You own this.
  • Wine Glass Holder Necklace – As the old saying goes, “Keep your friends close and your functional alcoholism closer.”
  • The Double Umbrella – One of the first SkyMall Mondays remains one of my favorites. What better way to avoid the rain and show everyone from your old high school that you’re not Most Likely to Die Alone? (Note: It appears that SkyMall no longer sells the Double Umbrella. This is a travesty!)
  • Cruzin Cooler – If your cooler had sex with a go-kart and gave birth after the typical ice chest gestation period of four months, the doctor would slap this bad boy on the ass, fill it with Schlitz and ride it down to Daytona Beach.

Now for the fun stuff. Vote for your favorite SkyMall Monday in our poll below and leave us a comment letting us know how you voted. Read the legal muckety muck for more details, but one very lucky commenter will be picked at random to receive a $100 SkyMall gift card!

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To enter the contest for the chance to win the $100 SkyMall gift card:

  • Simply leave a comment below telling us which SkyMall Monday you voted for.
  • The comment must be left before Friday, October 16, 2009 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
  • You may enter only once.
  • One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
  • This random winner will receive a SkyMall gift card worth $100.
  • Click here for complete Official Rules.
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, including the District of Columbia who are 18 and older.

Special thanks to Joey O’Donnell and all the folks at SkyMall for the gift card and for having a sense of humor.

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

SkyMall Monday: Travel Writer Favorites

by Mike Barish on

Gadling’s “SkyMall Monday” feature recently turned one year old. That means it’s finally eating solid foods, sporting a luxurious head of hair and wetting itself constantly. It’s been a heck of a year for SkyMall Monday, and I’ve met a lot of great people along the way (including one very special friend). Sharing my love of SkyMall with others and hearing about their experiences with every traveler’s guilty pleasure has kept me laughing during many long layovers.

In that spirit, to kick off Gadling’s month-long celebration of SkyMall Monday, I asked several travel writers to write about their favorite SkyMall products. The hard part wasn’t getting them to participate. No, it was getting them to select just one product about which to gush. Who knew people loved SkyMall so much? Well, you and I did. Duh! So, below you will find the SkyMall wish list of some of the best travel writers around. And in italics you will find my review of their selections. Hey, I still run this joint.
Robert Reid (Lonely Planet US Travel Editor & blogger) – I’m charmed by the King Tut Life-Sized Cabinet (pictured above) for a variety of reasons. One, knowledge comes from prying open the past, some say, and this case it’s literal. But also for its description, which begins, “Measuring taller than most men (6 1/4 feet).” This is wonderful — for its unusual use of fraction, but also because SkyMall simply understands that when I buy $850 furnishings I make my considerations solely in how they compare… with men. Robert also demands that he sit in that throne everywhere he travels.

David Farley (Author of An Irreverent Curiosity and freelancer) – I don’t have a truck–or even a car–to properly display the Truck Antlers, but if I ever do, I would totally buy these. I love the idea of turning my automobile into an antlered animal. I’d just make sure I don’t drive through states with loose gun laws or anywhere near Dick Cheney’s house. I’d don’t love the idea of being hunted by some gun-toting nut. Oddly, David’s failure to own a truck has not prevented him from owning multiple Animated Hitch Critters.

Jen Leo (Lead blogger for the Los Angeles Times Travel Blog) – The Noise Canceling Safety Earmuffs are my dream gift. Not to cancel out the noise from the screaming kid next to me on the plane-ahem, mine-but to shut out the flight attendant screaming “Please stay seated – the fasten seat belt light is on!” as I race past her to change the poopy diaper of my tot which is clearly causing more turbulence in our aisle than the pilot’s fine driving. How intense are your child’s bowel movements that your diaper situations require industrial-strength noise cancellation? Does Gerber make three-bean chili tacos now?


Spud Hilton (Travel Editor for the San Francisco Chronicle) – It was a tough choice, but I finally went with the Shirtpocket Underwater Camera. Not only does it have 4X zoom and 115 minutes of continuous operation, but my shirtpocket keeps going underwater and I never have a video camera to capture those precious moments. Two things worth noting: this thing takes voice memos and Spud’s second choice was the Underwater Cell Phone System. Conclusion: Spud Hilton is a merman.

Nicole Lerner, Alexi Ueltzen, Amy Widdowson & Victoria Gutierrez (Staff at NileGuide) – The ladies of NileGuide want a Custom Inflatable Costume. Why? Because no one dresses up to travel anymore. Who wouldn’t want to sport an outfit like this? 7.5′ tall, inflatable and it comes with a built-in backpack power pack. That $2k price tag is just pennies compared to the joy of “familiarizing the public” with Yoplait…or NileGuide. We’re sporting one of these for next year’s Bay to Breakers. Reminds me of when I was a kid and my imaginary best friend was an anthropomorphic container of cottage cheese. I miss Curdis ever so much.

Jim Benning (Co-founder and editor of World Hum) – My dream product is the SlumberSleeve. We’ve all used our arms as pillows at one time or another, but SkyMall knows we can do better! One of the user comments really sells me on it: “Although I tend to be fairly capable when it comes to assembly, I am still trying to figure out how to stretch the fabric “wristband” over the support piece.” I wrote about the SlumberSleeve in December 2008. I guess Jim and I could have a slumber (sleeve) party and wear our PJs.

George Hobica (Founder of Airfarewatchdog and Gadling contributor) – The Shure Se530 Luxury Earphones block out noisy fellow passengers and the sound quality is superb. And they’re lightweight and easy to pack. Leave it to the guy that finds us the best deals in travel to actually pick a sane, useful and high-quality product from the SkyMall catalog. But I’m sure he meant to recommend these much more logical Pillow Speakers.

Alexander Basek (Best deals reporter at Travel + Leisure and freelancer) – I pick the Wine and Liquor Accelerator. Traditionally, it is my understanding that once you open wine, “aging” it turns into vinegar. Still, I hope they keep this magic machine hush hush from the folks at Macallan. Alex likes his wine like I like my women: young and tart. Hey-o!

Andrew Evans (Writer for National Geographic Intelligent Travel) – My dream SkyMall product is the authentic Indiana Jones Leather Bullwhip. Currently, my persona as a travel writer suffers from not having such a whip as part of my ensemble. This special edition SkyMall “gift” would come in handy from Patagonia to Berlin and as an added bonus, I would gain the attention of bored TSA agents who would unsuccessfully attempt to confiscate my new fashion accessory. Truth be told, Andrew’s persona as a travel writer suffers less for his lack of a whip and more for his insistence on wearing this heating pad at all times.

Great selections by these seasoned travelers. Not as good as the ones I find every week, but you don’t become a highly respected, sought-after expert in all things SkyMall overnight. Which writer do you think picked the best product? What tops your SkyMall wish list? Let us know in the comments.

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

SkyMall Monday: Travel Bidet

by Mike Barish on

Everyone experiences lulls at their job. Work is not always as rewarding as we want it to be. But, from time to time, something happens that reinvigorates us. Something that energizes and excites us about what we do for a living and makes us proud again. I’m experiencing such a resurgence this week. Why? Well, this week’s SkyMall Monday may be the most important ever. Because this week we’re featuring a product that every single person needs to own. A product that may very well solve all of our problems. A product that will cleanse us from the inside out. Yes, my friends, SkyMall once again will purify us and allow us to tackle any obstacle that life puts in our way. I love my job again, people, because I get to share this fantastic information with you. Information that will hit us with a blast of cool, refreshing and disinfecting energy. So, take a seat. Or, even better, squat. Because this week we’re taking a long hard look at the Sanicare Travel Bidet.
We all know how to wipe our own asses (at least I hope so because I shake a lot of hands everyday). But are we really getting clean? I mean, the French clean up using bidets and who are more well known for their hygiene than the French? But a large porcelain plumbing fixture is too cumbersome to take with you. So, how can you inject some water into your filthy backdoor when you’re out and about? Well, just take a look at that picture up there and I think you’ll realize that all of our problems have been solved.

Once again I will rely solely on the product description. The clever plays on words, quotation mark usage and wealth of information will surely convince you that you need this product:

Enjoy the confidence of the fresh and clean feeling of a cleansing bidet wherever you “go”.

See what they did there? Yeah, I’m talking about putting the period outside of the quotation marks. Idiots.

Your Travel Bidet is ready to go, just open the box and install the included AA battery, then when you are ready to use it… “just add water”.

Do I really add water or are the quotation marks insinuating some sort of innuendo?

Traveling means a lot of compromising and unexpected changes from our daily routine. Changes in eating habits, fluid intake, schedules and personal hygiene all affect our comfort level, which can affect our performance and self-confidence in important business and social functions.

And perhaps no change is more unexpected than your new habit of keeping a travel bidet in your briefcase.

Finally, we can all have damp asses and awkward conversations with airport security. It’s about time we as a people cleaned up our acts. And now we can with dignity and pride.

So, if you want to love your job as much as I love mine, start taking a travel bidet with you to work everyday. It may just be the second best injection of liquid into your person you experience all day.

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

SkyMall Monday: Portable Microwave

by Mike Barish on

When I’m toiling away in the SkyMall Monday headquarters, I tend to cook a lot. From burritos to tacos to quesadillas, I enjoy preparing a wide array of ethnic foods. But when I travel, I often crave those tastes of home. Unfortunately, cooking on the road can pose a real challenge. At home I have all of my gadgets, like a freezer to hold my Hot Pockets and microwave to heat up said pockets to the appropriate hotness. Surely I cannot travel with a microwave. It’s not like I own a spaceship or K.I.T.T. The last thing I want to do when I travel is rely solely on roadside eateries, because, as you can tell from my cooking expertise, I treat my body like a temple. So, how can I whip up my favorite meals when I’m away from home? This sounds like a job for SkyMall! And, of course, our favorite catalog has the solution. My fellow connoisseurs of rapidly cooked cuisine, I present to you the Portable Microwave Oven!
Finally, I can enjoy chewy pizza, faux-buttered popcorn and off-colored vegetables in my boat, motel room, or even in my car! Now, normally I do my best to convince you how awesome these products are, but the Portable Microwave’s product description is so amazing, that I we’re going to get right to it.

Take it away, SkyMall:

The microwave plugs into a wall outlet, a car or boat’s DC outlet, or connects to a car battery (jumper cables provided), allowing you to make popcorn or reheat food at campsites, tailgate parties, or during boating excursions.

Jumper cables included? What could possibly go wrong by rigging a radiation device to jumper cables?

The 10″ wide by 7″ deep interior easily accommodates a salad plate or soup bowl, and the microwave has three preset buttons (pizza, coffee, and popcorn) or you can enter the cooking time in minutes and seconds.

Mmmm, microwaved coffee just like Juan Valdez used to make. And I am so thrilled that it accommodates salad bowls, as I love nothing more than some hot, wilted lettuce after a long day on the road. Hot salad is what got the first pioneers across the American West. Well, that and some cannibalism.

Campfires are for suckers and grills are so last century. I need my food now and I need it smoldering on the inside while cold on the outside.

So, if you like scalding your mouth (and nuking your testicles) while doing 75mph down Route 66, then stop using your hot pot in your El Camino and step up to the Portable Microwave Oven.

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

The Mojave Desert boneyard – where old planes go to slowly die

by Scott Carmichael on

I’m a sucker for photos of dying airplanes. There is something both disturbing, and peaceful about seeing the workhorses of the sky slowly fall apart in the desert sun.

Mental Floss has a fantastic lineup of photos showing an airplane boneyard in the Mojave Desert that I can highly recommend you check out. Be sure to take a look at the photo of an aircraft interior with the Skymall catalog still in the seat pocket. Those damn catalogs are just like planes – they too refuse to go down without a fight.

For full size versions of the photos, be sure to check out the site of the photographer, Ransom Riggs, his work is amazing, and I’m really grateful he took the time to finagle his way into the boneyard to take these photos.