What I’d really like to do with my life is this:

I’d like to wander aimlessly around the Central West End, stopping at stores with no particular purpose, picking up trinkets and just wondering what it would be like to own such a thing.

I’d like to kill hours in the basement of Rothschild’s, digging through antiques that were not nice enough to be sold upstairs.

I’d like to look through recipe books and coffee table photo albums at Left Bank Books and consider making something I found for dinner and dream about the apartment I will one day have in which I will have a coffee tables with lots of books on it.

I’d like to walk to Café Osage and have a cappuccino and read the New York Times and then go next-door to BoWood farms and pretend I have a garden that I need perennials for.

I’d like to stop in at Mezzanine and chat with the owner about how her business is doing and try on lots of things. I’d like to smell all of the Tocca perfumes and buy the perfect one after spending hours deliberating over what my new scent will be.

I’d like to walk down McPherson and the other gated streets and step on leaves to hear them crunch. I’d like for there to be a slight breeze and I’d like to be wearing a sweater and boots.

I’d like to walk past Kopperman’s and Duff’s and look at the people eating outside. I’d like to always eat meals outside for that matter and I’d like to have no other preoccupations and think only about dinner and the people I’m eating with while we're eating.

I’d like to walk past Brennan’s and wave at David and maybe sometimes stop in for a glass of wine. I’d like for the music at Brennan’s to be the soundtrack for my life.

I’d like for there to be no 3 o’clock to 6 o’clock because nothing ever happens during those three hours.

I’d like to have someone else to walk with, but only part of the time.

I’d like for life to slow down so I have time to appreciate the change in the season. Did you know- this is the most beautiful time of year? I almost forgot.