Vegas and more: Off the Strip for free thinkers and adventurers » Coffee Shops

Java Hut best cappuccino in North Lake Tahoe

Sandra — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 21:05:13 +0000

If you are looking for an outstanding cappuccino in the North Lake Tahoe area, stop by the Java Hut in King’s Beach. Not only have they mastered the art of the foam, but you can’t beat the “beachy” milieu reminiscent of California Surf sites.

The bagel with cream cheese, lox, onions and capers was just like it should be.

Judging by the steady flow of customers and sometimes long (but quickly served) queues, the Java Hut is well-known on the northern end of Tahoe to be the place for your morning brew.

Their menu includes hearty breakfast burritos with a multitude of combinations along with sandwiches, bagel combos and healthy salad greens.

Meet-ups @ reJAVAnate

Sandra — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 15:13:19 +0000

The coffee lounge with community spirit owned and operated by Hercules and John are getting lots of well-deserved publicity with mention in the Las Vegas Weekly, Las Vegas City Life, Call Back Magazine and on 93.1 the Party.

They are offering nightly events plus fast becoming a gathering place for various meet-ups around town including chess, knitting, astrology and Independent Filmmakers network. Contact them if you are interested in doing your next meet-up at this cozy, convivial locally-owned coffee shop. Email: hercules@rejavanatecoffee.com.

There is so much going on at the reJAVAnate that I couldn’t begin to keep up here. Here’s just a taste:

Sun - 7p-9p - Poetry Night hosted by Hyatt Mason, Blank Verse
Mon- 7p-9p - Meetup Night
Tue – 7p-9p - M&M Poetry Night hosted by Mark Snyder
Wed – 7p-9p - Meetup Night (formerly comedy night hosted by Darrell Keido)
Thur- 6:30p-8:30p - ~~UNLV Jazz~~ ~~Night~~
Fri – 8p-11p – Open Mike Night (Just stand up and do whatever you want!)
Sat – 7p-11p- Concert Night (formerly karaoke night – Sometimes special guest entertainers)

Email hercules and get on their mailing list is your best bet to keep current. reJAVAnate Coffee Lounge “Serving Humanity One Cup at a Time.” Check out their website rejavanatecoffee.com or call 702-253-7721. 3300 E Flamingo Rd Las Vegas NV (NW corner Pecos in Renaissance III Shopping Plaza)

“Ladies Legal Lounge” @ coffee house

Sandra — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:01:54 +0000

The 4th Saturday of each month, a local attorney, Maria Perez Avilez, hosts a “ladies legal lounge” at reJAVAnate coffee lounge to discuss legal issues of interest to women . This is a free event and open to all. reJAVAnate Coffee Lounge “Serving Humanity One Cup at a Time.” Check out their website rejavanatecoffee.com or call 702-253-7721. 3300 E Flamingo Rd Las Vegas NV (NW corner Pecos in Renaissance III Shopping Plaza)

Poetry Nights @ reJAVAnate

Sandra — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:36:28 +0000

Sundays and Tuesdays 7p-9p are designated poetry nights at the reJAVAnate coffee lounge with a mike and area for standup performances in a cozy and friendly venue run by Hercules and John. reJAVAnate Coffee Lounge “Serving Humanity One Cup at a Time.” Check out their website rejavanatecoffee.com or call 702-253-7721. 3300 E Flamingo Rd Las Vegas NV (NW corner Pecos in Renaissance III Shopping Plaza)

Every night is an opportunity for sharing:
Sun - 7p-9p - Poetry Night hosted by Hyatt Mason, Blank Verse
Mon- 7p-9p - Meetup Night
Tue – 7p-9p - M&M Poetry Night hosted by Mark Snyder
Wed – 7p-9p - Meetup Night (formerly comedy night hosted by Darrell Keido)
Thur- 6:30p-8:30p - UNLV Jazz Night
Fri – 8p-11p – Open Mike Night (Just stand up and do whatever you want!)
Sat – 7p-11p- Concert Night (formerly karaoke night – Sometimes special guest entertainers)

Comedy Night @ reJAVAnate

Sandra — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:41:51 +0000

Thursdays 9p-11p were designated stand-up comedy nights at the reJAVAnate coffee lounge with a mike and area for performances in a cozy and friendly venue run by Hercules and John. reJAVAnate Coffee Lounge “Serving Humanity One Cup at a Time.” Check out their website rejavanatecoffee.com or call 702-253-7721. 3300 E Flamingo Rd Las Vegas NV (NW corner Pecos in Renaissance III Shopping Plaza)

Every night is an opportunity for sharing:
Sun - 7p-9p - Poetry Night hosted by Hyatt Mason, Blank Verse
Mon- 7p-9p - Meetup Night
Tue – 7p-9p - M&M Poetry Night hosted by Mark Snyder
Wed – 7p-9p - Meetup Night (formerly comedy night hosted by Darrell Keido)
Thur- 6:30p-8:30p - Comedy Night
Fri – 8p-11p – Open Mike Night (Just stand up and do whatever you want!)
Sat – 7p-11p- Concert Night (formerly karaoke night – Sometimes special guest entertainers)

reJAVAnate -a Coffee House with Community

Sandra — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 19:54:13 +0000

The new owners, Hercules and John, have a vision of a coffee house as more than a place to get some java. They are building a community around the cozy spot, gently cultivating a retreat where comics, poets, musicians, artists of all styles and expressions can gather, share and entertain. Every night is an opportunity to participate – either as performer or audience, as you chose. The room is filled with comfy sofas, interesting reading material, original artwork, internet access – and of course, coffee, teas, and cakes. reJAVAnate Coffee Lounge “Serving Humanity One Cup at a Time.” Check out their website rejavanatecoffee.com or call 702-253-7721. 3300 E Flamingo Rd Las Vegas NV (NW corner Pecos in Renaissance III Shopping Plaza)

The “One and ONLY Independent Community Coffee Shop in ALL of Las Vegas“:
Sun - 7p-9p - Poetry Night hosted by Hyatt Mason, Blank Verse
Mon- 7p-9p - Meetup Night
Tue – 7p-9p - M&M Poetry Night hosted by Mark Snyder
Wed – 7p-9p - Meetup Night (formerly comedy night hosted by Darrell Keido)
Thur- 6:30p-8:30p - UNLV Jazz Night (cancelled for now)
Fri – 8p-11p – Open Mike Night (Just stand up and do whatever you want!)
Sat – 7p-11p- Concert Night (formerly karaoke night – Sometimes special guest entertainers)

If you are interested in performing, contact Hercules or John. They provide free space and equipment (piano, sound system, mike, lighting etc) and will schedule you on their calendar and even create flyers.

Mother & Kids Movie Day

Sandra — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:34:36 +0000

More community events are happening at reJAVAnate with Mother & Kids Movie Day Wed 4p-6p. Give them a call for more details. 702-253-7721. Check out their website rejavanatecoffee.com or better yet, just stop by. 3300 E Flamingo Rd Las Vegas NV (NW corner Pecos in Renaissance III Shopping Plaza).

Jordan Reimer performs @ reJAVAnate

Sandra — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 15:15:07 +0000

If you want a special treat, check out reJAVAnate Jlu 7 when they host Jordan Reimer, the 15 year old singer-songwriter whose original blend of folk, blues, pop and americana is delivered in a souful, breathy-rhapsody voice accompanied by acoustical guitar (of course). Jordan’s parents drive her around the country for her gigs and are bringing her to Vegas this weekend to appear at reJAVAnate. Learn more about this girl wonder at jordanreimer.com. reJAVAnate, a wonderful change from typical coffee shops, is pioneering alternative entertainment on a nightly basis. Visit their website rejavanatecoffee.com or call 702-253-7721. 3300 E Flamingo Rd Las Vegas NV (NW corner Pecos in Renaissance III Shopping Plaza).

The Quest for the Perfect Cappuccino

Sandra — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 22:26:15 +0000

If you want to find cappuccino in Las Vegas and don’t want Starbucks, you have to make a serious effort. I have been on a quest for the perfect cappuccino and come up empty so far. Starbucks dominates every major intersection, most grocery stores and almost every hotel. I did locate a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf at the Venetian. The Coast hotels feature Seattle’s Best, which I’m told is owned by Starbucks. Clearly the independent coffee house culture so prominent elsewhere is not flourishing in Las Vegas. Maybe it came and didn’t make it.

At the risk of sounding unpatriotic, I am not particularly fond of Starbucks coffee. Maybe it’s because I drink cappuccino and not the other exotic concoctions of seasonal mixings, both hot and cold. I don’t order the straight American brew either, so my judgment and standards are limited to the flavor of the espresso and the quality of foam. I have very high standards when it comes to my steamed milk – it must be thick, but not like a meringue that floats on top. There must be cohesion between the surface of the coffee and the froth, a graduated blending like fine watercolor brushwork, no clear delineation where liquid and lather meet.

My standards were set by the best cappuccini outside of Italy, served in a lovely little coffee house now called Blackhorse Uptown formerly “The Home of the Velvet Foam,” now “The Home of the Blackhorse Foam,” found on Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo, CA. And Velvet truly is their Foam. The search for its equal drives my quest for the perfect coffee shop in Las Vegas. I’ll concede that Starbucks can manage a reasonable foam, but to my palate, the flavor of the espresso lacks depth and richness.

I compare to the queen of coffees, Illy. The Illy family from Trieste has been working on their brand since 1933, creating an espresso recognized by coffee connoisseurs as the world leader. So far I’ve found Illy served at two places in Las Vegas: the coffee shop at Bellagio’s and The Hilton.

I personally want to savor the experience in all its aspects, and am put off by a paper cup with lid. What is the point of the foam when you can’t see it or spoon it? It needs a proper surface area to develop and be appreciated. Coffee shops that don’t offer ceramic cups are not doing their jobs, and I don’t count mugs. As any Italian will tell you, they are the wrong shape.

Bellagio serves a beautiful cappuccino in a glorious cup, complete with raw rock sugar swizzle stick. The coffee shop itself is elegant, decked out like a 16th century Florentine reception hall, enlivened with colorful Italian city-state flags and family crests. The air is filled with a cacophony of languages and the service is impeccable. A classy cup of joe by any standards.

You can get a very decent cap in a real cup at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf across from UNLV on Maryland Ave; the flavor is better than Starbucks, but not quite Illy. They turn out a pleasing foam and the service is very friendly. I like the coffee shop; it’s lively with students and faculty, people working on laptops and having intelligent conversation. The music can be too loud though, but I found them gracious about lowering the volume when asked.

The reJAVAnate Coffee Lounge provides comfy leather sofas and arm chairs to give you that relaxed homey feeling. The owners are trying to create a community atmosphere with every night of the week devoted to a different expression of talent – music, poetry, comedy, film. It’s fun and has a vision. You’ll find it tucked away in the Renaissance Shopping Plaza at E Flamingo & Pecos.