Broke and Bored? An Easy $5 Afternoon

Tacos Tumbras Y Tomas at Grand Central Market

It's not unemployment, it's funemployment, right? Sure! But try telling that to the newly created legions of recession victims who spend their days trolling the internet for job leads and nervously rechecking their bank account balance. When you're out of work and trying to save money, it's hard to get out and have fun -- gym memberships, drinks with friends, movies, and restaurant dinners all have to go. But even the brokest asses still need sustenance -- mental and physical. What can you do in this city with a handful of Georges and some pocket change?

If you're too tired to upload one more resume and need an easy afternoon break for only $5, call a friend and take a walk out to your nearest Metro stop. Fares are still only $1.25, and you can hit up any number of awesome stops on the Red Line (check out other Red Line Recession Obsessions here). You can stretch your legs at every stop and check out each station's unique art installations. Go ahead and all the way downtown, to that architecturally stunning stretch between Pershing Square and the Civic Center. Work up an appetite with a brisk walk, and then wander into the Grand Central Market.

Tacos Tumbras a Tomas serves up monstrous, messy tacos for $2.50 each (trust me, one is enough). Try the carnitas or goat. Take a seat at one of the breezy, well-kept tables that line the Market, and people-watch (or vendor-watch) for a while. Rest your eyes on the neatly lined spice racks or vast vats of jamaica and mango juice that line the stalls. Breathe, laugh, eat, and remember that life could be worse than tacos and the train on a Monday afternoon in Los Angeles.