The neurosurgeon next door daydreams of slinging drinks in his own dive bar. The account executive three cubicles over fantasizes about moving to a sunny place where he doesn’t have to be loaded to live well. And who among us, at one time or another, hasn’t wondered if we might be able to knock out a reasonable thriller? New Yorkers pursue many different lives all at once—our real ones, of course, as well as all the other beautiful scenarios that could be around the corner. That might mean getting rich, living more virtuously (a.k.a. getting poor), or simply having a lot more fun. So dust off that recipe for vegan brownies. Phone your mom and beg her to be a limited (and, oh, yes, silent) partner in your design shop. Fill out that application for flight school. Join a rock band. Get thee to a nunnery.

Our Guide
• 12 Ways To Remake Your Boring Life
• Unleash Your Inner Artist
• Ditch Your Job and Start a Business
• How Much Does Your Retail Dream Cost?
• Move to South America
• Escape To These Destinations

Related:

• Archive: “Cover Story”
• Table of Contents: February 27, 2006 issue of New York | Subscribe!