Six (dollars)

I slept until 4 p.m. today. So naturally I wanted to get out of the house. I considered going to Lenox Mall, but the daunting $6 in my wallet stopped me. So instead, I found myself at Starbucks on 7th and Peachtree, which is walking distance from where I call home (I didn't walk). $6 at the mall can get me.... alotta nothin' .... BUT $6 at Starbucks can make a girl feel like a real baller(ette) when the money is spent well. 

The possibilities are endless:

1 grande Iced Tea and a cinnamon scone OR  1 coffee cake and 2 old fashioned doughnuts, OR a Venti Chai Tea Latte and a 7 layer bar OR a Tall Iced Caramel Macchiato and 3 mini Vanilla Scones. Decisions, decisions. 

I finally decided on an unsweetened Black Iced Tea + one and a half Sweet'n'Lows, nixing the Cinnamon Scone (I'm not doing sugar or flour).  I usually opt for the simple things at Starbucks, mostly because refills are $0.54!! And you know what I found out? If you have at least $1 on a Starbucks gift card, refills are free! I happen to have six cents on mine, so I'll wait 'til another day to whip it out because I can't afford to give up another dollar. 

After I grabbed my tea, I grabbed a seat outside. I was happy I'd chosen Starbucks rather than the mall because I saved gas, I could sit outside and enjoy the cool, breezy weather, and I was front and center to the symphony of speeding Range Rovers, chatting passersby, and the woman next to me coughing with a mucilaginous cadence . Ya just can't get that at the mall!! 

And for you ol' folk:

Baller:

1.living large with girls and money. 2. the act of being fly or cool.

urbandictionary.com 

Five

If God ever decided that He wanted all the holiness and majesty of heaven to be readily available for human consumption, I truly believe that He would choose a fish. But not a fish of proud origins or a fish with celebrity like the Salmon, Grouper, or Sea Bass. Oh no! I believe the Lord Our God would choose the lowly, humble Cod..... more specifically the Gindara- Kasu from Hashiguchi Jr.- a gem of a restaurant, and my favorite spot for authentic Japanese food.

 

There are NO words to describe my excitement when the waitress (from Japan!!) delivers me a piece of sake-soaked Cod no more than 4oz. in weight. Each bite makes me dance in my seat (I dance for no one!), and it's not uncommon for me to order two. I can honestly say that no other food in the world (so far) makes me quite as happy. 

Four

Last night, I went to one of my favorite late-night spots, Cafe Intermezzo in mid-town Atlanta. It's the perfect ending to any late night, whether you're on a date or an outing with the girls. Anytime coffee and sweets are a must and Starbucks has shut it's hallowed doors, we find ourselves at Intermezzo. This Viennese-style cafe is locally famous for it's wide array of hot chocolates, teas, coffee drinks and pastries. The Mexican Hot Chocolate and the Belgian Chocolate Tea-yes chocolate tea-are highly recommended. 

No matter how decadent the cheesecake, one thing that isn't always so sweet is how big the check can be at the end of the night. Over-all, Intermezzo is a bit pricey. So, single girls on a budget, who don't have man candy picking up the tab, should opt for EITHER a dessert OR drink. When I'm craving something rich, I head straight for the dessert case for a banana cheesecake or Tiramisu. Otherwise, it's piping hot tea for me ..... and so far, the Belgian Chocolate is winning.  But if you MUST have coffee with your dessert, a regular cup is just $2.85

For those of you who can't afford to indulge at all, I encourage you to go anyway:

1. The cozy atmosphere is created by warm candle light and eclectic tunes.  The patio is especially nice and breezy, and quite enjoyable if your grubbing or not.

2.Water is ALWAYS free, and if anything, scan the menu and at least ACT like you intend to order.

3. If you have cool friends, one of them may offer to treat you to a pecan pie and an ol' cuppa joe!