There's a coffee shop across the street from us. It's definitely a 'cool' coffee shop and it's the first place in Austin where I felt like maybe I wasn't 'cool' enough to fit into this town. The coffee is overpriced. The line is usually too long. The barista's never look you in the eye because they are usually too busy being 'cool', which means you may have to repeat your order several times in order for them to understand what you're saying. It's one of the few things in life that make me giggle and annoyed at the same time.

A few weeks after we moved here, we grew tired of dropping $7 a day on coffee and grew even more tired of the Jo's scene. So we bought an espresso maker, never looked back and spent the extra cash on boxed wine. Yesterday I felt like just sitting somewhere other than the couch, so I grabbed a book, the dog and a plastic Jo's to-go cup we've been re-using for our own and headed across the street.

Jo's isn't really a shop, you don't go inside to order, there really is no inside. It's more of a makeshift wood and corrugated metal shack with a deck, some tarps to keep the sun off the patrons and a mish-mosh of tables and chairs to 'patron' on (I absolutely know that's an incorrect use of the word but it felt really good so deal with it). I walked up to the window, ordered my ice-coffee and got a response of "you got it", no repeating the order! As I stepped over to the register I found if you bring an old Jo's cup they only charge you for a refill which saves about $2.00! Woo-hoo! Of course it was the more laid back afternoon guys and not the too cool morning gals, and my ink was showing so there may have been a number of variables going into the pleasant ordering experience. 

I grabbed my iced Jo and looked for a nice spot in the afternoon sun. The patio was populated but not crowded, a couple of little guys running around playing pirates, people working, people not working, etc. I found a cozy little corner spot and laid Brik down then sat myself down in a red metal chair with my back to the sun. As I opened my book a feeling of complete presence washed over me. It's as if my senses became hyper-aware and fully immersed in my surroundings. I absorbed as much of it as I could. Warm sun on my back, cool breeze raising goosebumps on my arms. Colors and shadows in my view reminding me of those artistic photographs that aren't really of anything but get burned in your brain regardless. Absorbing more... Sounds of the boys playing, the deaf couple signing casually with friends, other conversation of varying importance.

It was wonderful and in the couple hours I was there, I only got through two pages of the book. The rest of my time spent swimming in the experience until the dog stood up and sniffed my book as if to say "you're not reading this", then kissed my nose as if to say "let's go". So we left.

I have a new love for the pretentious coffee shack across the street and will most likely spend more afternoon time on the patio there. Not to recreate the experience I had that afternoon but to continue to create my experience in general.