Lean times

There's nothing that gets a girl down like lean times.

No - not skinny times. When you unexpectedly wake up one morning feeling oddly light and flat-stomached. Dehydration? Stomach flu? Who cares! That's a wonderful feeling.

I'm talking about lean finances. Flies in your wallet. Cheap-ass broke. Feel me?

All of my friends are getting married right now. They're all getting married in exotic, pretty, non-Austin locales. In addition, I (stupidly?) decided to pay my car insurance half a year in advance. And finally, my work - which I adore - realized it hasn't been charging me for health insurance, so now I need to make up for it with my paycheck.

I. Am. Dying.

I can, however, still afford a cup of coffee. And people-watching - one of my favorite Austin activities - is free.

So I've got a recommendation: Emerald City Press. Just popped up on South Lamar. Check out this genius: coffee shop, fab newsstand, and florist in one. It's outdoors, a la Jo's on South Congress, and already has a hip little vibe going on. You can face the river out back (or South Lamar, in the front), sip your cappuccino, flip through the latest Nylon, and generally behave like the cool and trendy person you are.

The man and I went there on Sunday, while Cheapo Discs across the street was calculating returns for his used CD's. My cuppa was lovely, the takeaway menu of "services" even lovelier - I found out you can order a "get well soon" bouquet from Emerald City, which includes not only flowers (who doesn't feel better with flowers?), but tea, Emergen-C packets, and best of all - maybe only girls and gays understand this - glossy magazines!! When ill, men turn to ESPN; girls, O Magazine. It's like comfort food for our brain.

And P.S. - they have cinnamon rolls from Upper Crust. Go, go!