Wishful Thinking

My flight to San Francisco last night was delayed for FOUR-AND-A-HALF HOURS (we were already in the plane waiting for takeoff when repairmen in neon vests stormed in to inform us one of the cabin doors was broken—so reassuring, right?) and my salvation was having Wi-Fi and my laptop to pass the time. Rather masochistically, I ended up surfing the Internet for all the things I wished I possessed at that moment to ease my travel headache. Here's what I came up with:

1) Cashmere travel blanket. Why I haven't gotten around to buying one after spending so many flights using (and being grossed out by) the possibly-never-washed plastic-ish ones they distribute on board, I'm not sure. It's an investment, but I think worth it.

2) I had on Peds, but I realized that going forward, I should always pack an extra pair of knee-high socks to stay warm in freezing cold planes. These striped Juicy ones come in a bunch of colors, and would be very easy to spot in my overstuffed carry-on.

3) The dining options at JFK are dismal. I vowed never to travel without bringing my own snacks again. This neoprene tote insulates hot or cold food for four hours and protects it from getting smooshed. It also folds flat, so it's easy to pack once you're done eating.

4) By the time we were ready for takeoff I knew I'd be desperate for sleep. I'm over whatever self-consciousness I might have felt wearing a sleep mask in public, and besides, thispatterned silk version is really cute.

5) I actually own these headphones, and was kicking myself for leaving them at home. Music sounds infinitely better with these, and combined with their noise-canceling ability, it would have been way easier to escape into my own little world.