(I had wanted to post this in November, but SOMEONE was too busy traveling to answer emails)

OCCUPATION: Litigation partner in New York city, specializing in white collar criminal defense, securities and civil litigation.

MILES FLOWN THIS YEAR: Somewhere around 97,000

LAST FLIGHT: Austrian Airlines – Vienna – JFK in business class.

DID YOU CHECK IT OR CARRY IT ON: THIS time I checked it, but I usually carry it on. Everything. I am one of those annoying people who has a slightly-too-big rollaboard, a backpack or messenger back with my plastic bag of toiletries, a laptop, and work, and a big purse. Yeah, I know it’s a little more than “one personal item and a carry-on.”

WINDOW OR AISLE? AISLE? Exit row if I’m in coach. And then when we fly over something cool, like ice fields in Greenland, if you are sleeping in the window seat, I will quietly lean over you, edge up the window shade, and try to peek without waking you up.

SOMETHING TO DRINK? Oh yes. Favorite nonalcoholic – lavender soda on Eos. If I need to sleep, booze me up and give me a bottle of water. If I am hungry, tomato juice or bloody mary mix because it tastes the most like “food.” Otherwise, water or cranberry juice.

(Now pretend for just a moment you’re traveling in first class) CHICKEN, BEEF OR PASTA? I’ll usually take the fish if it’s offered, pasta if it’s in a light (not creamy) sauce, and chicken if it doesn’t look too dry. Red meat is often too iffy for this girl, who likes her steaks moo-ing.

SO…WHAT EXACTLY IS IN YOUR CARRY ON BAG? MacBook Pro 17″; at least 2 “fun” books (currently, The Good German by Joseph Kanon and The Left Hander’s Syndrome by Stanley Coren); multiple chargers for phone, ipod, computer; plastic quart bag with toiletries; feminine products; work papers.

FAVORITE PACKING TIP/TRICK? 1. Stuff small items such as socks and underwear in shoes; 2. ROLL – not fold – all clothes except suit jackets. This is especially good to minimize wrinkles in pants. 3. Pack the bare minimum of toiletries – most hotels have shampoo you can survive on for a few days.

DESCRIBE YOUR TRAVELING ATTIRE. Comfortably stylish; business casual

BEST (or worse) SHOES TO WEAR THROUGH SECURITY? Best: clogs, sandals or other slip-ons. Worst: Snow boots, anything with laces

ANY AIRPORT ROUTINES? For international flights and layovers, stop in the lounge, have a drink, take a shower. Visit the duty free for gifts from the area for friends, coworkers and family. For domestic flights, check the board at the gate obsessively to see if my upgrade came through. Buy a healthy snack for the plane if I’m flying in coach. For night flights, brush my teeth and wash my face before boarding.

NICEST AIRPORT? I sort of like the new AA terminal at JFK… (sheepish grin); Incheon (Seoul) – GREAT stores; Zurich (clean, open and sleek)

FAVORITE AIRPORT RESTAURANT? There is a great Chinese dim sum place in Vancouver.

HOTEL AWAY FROM HOME? Some years ago, while working on a litigation in San Francisco I stayed at the Palace Hotel a few nights a week, every week, for 6 months. You know it’s bad when the room service guys know what you like for breakfast, and they welcome you by name no matter what time you arrive. The staff made the extended travel as welcoming as they could be, including upgrading us to a suite and giving us complimentary strawberries and champagne when I brought my husband along on a work trip after his post 9-11 tour of duty. Some rooms can be really small, but the upgraded rooms are quite comfortable. The Palace has also hosted my old dog, Boo, on a few occasions. Their Irish oatmeal is really good.

BEST IN-FLIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT? 1. Alaska Airlines – from Sitka to Seattle – The entire pre-flight spiel was an irreverent comedy routine, like “If you are seated in an exit row, congratulations, you’ll be the first one off if we crash…” 2. LAX-JFK redeye, in the middle of the night: “Will whoever brought their chihuahua on board, please ring your call button. It is loose and running around the plane.”

BOOK LAST READ ON A FLIGHT? The Good German, Joseph Kanon (still in progress); A Spot of Bother, Mark Haddon

OKAY, LAWYER CHICK, PLEASE FINISH THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES:

I CAN’T TRAVEL WITHOUT MY…ipod and a good book

ON MY LAST FLIGHT…I realized I’ve been flying too much because I’d seen all the movies in the video on demand already.

THIS PASSENGER THAT SAT NEXT TO ME… on a flight from London was really cute! So I took a picture of him with my cell phone and sent it to my gay friends who called me creepy because he was sleeping when I snapped the picture. Apparently if you sneak a picture while the person is awake that is ok.

WHEN IT COMES TO TRAVELING, I WISH… I could do less business travel and take more vacations.

IF I COULD FLY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, I’D… go 1st class on Singapore to Bora Bora. (Hey, you didn’t say it had to be possible)

NEXT FLIGHT? Will either be to somewhere in Europe or Los Angeles for work, or Las Vegas to visit my parents. Hopefully not until 2008.