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Calming
coffee shops offer relaxing study atmosphere
I
often find myself brewing a pot of coffee
at 9 p.m., battling through a homework overload.
I used to walk to Starbucks and order a
cafe mocha, find a table and read a couple
of chapters; however, now I don't like going
to Starbucks because of the crowded, quick-paced
atmosphere. Well, I happened to find three
fun coffee shops close to campus that welcome
students to study and enjoy a good cup of
java.
First
and foremost, my favorite coffee shop by
far is Hot Java, located at the corner of
2101 Broadway and Junipero, open Sunday
through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and
Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to midnight.
The roomy, well-lit, relaxing atmosphere
offers an array of seating inside and outside
with cozy couches. There is a flat-screen
television hanging above a glass fireplace,
which provides a warm, homey feeling.
Of
course, once you are there you need to try
their drinks. Their drink menu is reasonably
priced: a coffee runs from $1.50 to $2 and
mochas run from $2.15 to $3.75. Their mocha
is the best I have had in Long Beach. In
addition to great coffee they offer smoothies
and have organic and sugar-free drink selections
along with a wide array of food.
Every
Friday you can have your tarot cards read
by Glory and listen to live entertainment
on Saturdays. Hot Java provides you with
everything you need in order to study. Hot
Java has a variety of magazines and newspapers
to read and board games such as Scrabble
and Dominoes to play when you take a break
from studying. Students are able to call
ahead and reserve tables for study groups.
Everything about Hot Java, from the warm,
friendly service, to the full coffee bar,
makes it worth going.
Polly's
Gourmet Coffee, located at 4606 Second Street,
is the only coffee shop in Long Beach to
roast their own beans. The shop is long
and narrow and has three purple couches,
wooden tables and a large outside seating
area. They offer laptop hook-ups and over
20 different coffee beans to buy. The shop
has an old-fashioned feel, due to their
antique coffee machinery.
Polly's
has a wide retail selection of coffee mugs,
coffee makers, coffee accessories and gourmet
food. The drink menu is in the price range
of coffee costing $1.40 to $1.90 and mochas
from $2.40 to $3.70. Polly's Gourmet Coffee
welcomes you Monday through Saturday 6 a.m.
to 10 p.m. and on Sunday from 7 a.m. to
9 p.m.
Closer
to campus is the Redeye Coffee House, family-owned
for two years.
Redeye
is open Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to
6 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Redeye
offers students a studying environment.
The blues softly play in the background
and set the stage for the creative modern
art on the walls, and a warm sanctuary away
from the noise of the busy PCH. Redeye has
a complete Encyclopedia Britannica collection,
leisure novels and current magazines.
Their
coffee runs from $1.25 to $1.75 and mochas
run from $2.50 to $3.25. Redeye also serves
iced drinks and fruit smoothies. During
lunch time you can buy a sandwich or salad.
Located
at 5203 E. PCH, you can take the off-campus
shuttle and get off at the park, or drive
because parking here is not a problem.
There
is more to the coffee world than Starbucks.
I drink Starbucks and still go there and
study, but I enjoy going to small coffee
shops and feeling the comfort they provide.
At Hot Java they ask your name because they
want to get to know you, not just because
they need to write it on a cup.
So
next time you find yourself wanting a good
cup of coffee and relaxing atmosphere to
finish your homework, visit one of the coffee
shops down the road and treat yourself to
something nice.
Ginny
Galvin is a third year print journalism
major at CSULB. |
