SOCIAL CLIMES : A Coffeehouse Blend

It had to happen sooner or later. With one coffeehouse for about every 10 Angelenos, it was a matter of time before someone decided to launch the first Coffeehouse Festival.

The festival, offering an “eclectic array of entertainment,” according to the press release, runs Feb. 7-16. Participating java joints are Highland Grounds, Congo Square, Iguana Cafe and the pikme-up.

The publicity goes on to say: “These four, individual, competitive businesses have come together for the purpose of supporting and promoting each other.”

And just how is one supposed to cruise through this entertainment--Kiddieromp at Highland Grounds, Clean and Jerk at Iguana, Pop-punk drag and Glue at the pikme-up and Soil at Congo Square--all in a little over a week?

Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

Here’s Mud in Your Eye

While we’re on the subject, Buzz got an invitation to--you guessed it--another coffeehouse opening.

Mud, spawned by the same caffeine freaks who own Java in L.A. and Joe in Studio City, opened in Santa Monica right off the Promenade. According to Ken O’Neil, general manager of the three cafes, Mud will be pushing the edge of the coffeehouse envelope.

“We’re going to be expanding our menu and are going to be the first coffeehouse with an in-house bakery,” he said. “We’re also shooting for a beer and wine license. We’ll offer all different kinds of sandwiches and soups, and we’ll also be open for breakfast.”

But what really intrigued us about Mud was the invitation itself--a small brown box containing a handful of coffee beans and a minuscule nude plastic baby doll.

“I really didn’t understand it myself, to be perfectly honest,” said O’Neil. “When I asked Ajay (Sahgal, the cafes’ general partner), he said it was a symbol of him giving birth to a new restaurant. But I didn’t get it, and not many people I talked to did, either.”

Essentials

What you need to maneuver the L.A. scene: If you’re on the list for producer Pierre Cossette’s Super Bowl bash today at Chasen’s, congratulations. If not, better luck next time.

Cossette says he’s changed very little about the party, now in its 14th year. Guests still have to line up in the kitchen for hamburgers and hot dogs (for authenticity’s sake, the restaurant only cooks up food that is served at the game), huge monitors are placed around the room and the mood is always casual.

Guests number around 400, but to keep everyone happy Cossette has to rotate his hefty waiting list, so about 25% get lopped off every year.

“It’s a very, very difficult dance,” he admits. “But people understand the problem.” (This year Bob Daly, Peter Guber, Brandon Tartikoff, Don Rickles and Karl Malden are among those expected.)

Cossette didn’t realize how legendary his annual football fest had become until he was talking to a man at Irving Lazar’s equally legendary Oscar party one year.

“He said, ‘After all these years I know I have made it. Every year I’m invited to Marvin and Barbara Davis’ Christmas party, Irving Lazar’s Oscar party and Pierre Cossette’s Super Bowl party.’ I was so flattered--I had no idea who he was, and I didn’t want to say, ‘Hey, I’m Pierre Cossette.’ I never did find out who that guy was.”