Their Cups Runneth Over

Some soothsayers predicted that personal computers would turn us into hermits, but doesn’t the die-hard coffeehouse craze prove otherwise?

Not only are new caffe-terias opening all the time, but more and more are offering java lovers new stuff to do together, moving beyond poetry, live music and art to include such unlikely activities as group computing.

What’s to be found in and around the county? Stand-up comedians, Christian musicians who testify between sets, Narcotics Anonymous meetings, Sunday night “X-Files” viewings, and Net surfing, for starters. Here’s just a sampling:

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Megabyte: Nine computers with high-speed modems line a long wall at this Long Beach coffeehouse. The tidy, brightly lit venue also has low-priced classes suitable for newbies, advanced users who want to create their own Web page, or anybody who wants to learn to use Windows 95.

John and Mary Monaghan shared a keyboard on a recent Saturday. They’d come for a two-hour intro to the Internet class.

“It’s cozier and more personal” than a community college course, Mary said.

“And they have good muffins,” husband John added.

* Megabyte Coffeehouse, 4135 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach. (562) 986-6892. 8 a.m.-midnight Mon.-Thur., 8 a.m.-1 a.m. Fri., 9 a.m.-1 a.m. Sat., 9 a.m.-midnight Sun. $5 per hour for computer use.

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John-Nays: Most Saturday nights, this Christian coffeehouse feels more like church on a Sunday morning, which is what Johnny Bradford and Sandra Renay aimed for when they opened the nonprofit, nondenominational venue in Cypress two years ago.

There’s not a cross in sight, but the entertainment is devoted to aspiring Christian musicians who sing about Jesus, and every patron is greeted warmly. Entertainers and audience members, a mix of blacks and whites, take the mike to speak of their salvation, the power of prayer and the miracles they say they’ve experienced.

“Praise the Lord, everybody!” said Renay, as she greeted the crowd from a small, makeshift stage.

Nothing’s fancy here. Cappuccino comes in plastic-foam cups. Store-bought pie comes with a plastic fork. And no alcohol is served.

But nobody minds. A group of teens, who brought their Bibles, enjoyed the nachos and fellowship.

“The people are friendly and loving, and you know you’re around believers,” said 14-year-old Amber Schaefer of Anaheim.

* John-Nays Christian Coffeehouse, 4682 Lincoln Ave., Cypress. (714) 220-1740. Christian entertainment Fri. and Sat. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; entertainment begins at 8 p.m. Gospel and poetry one Sunday a month at 5 p.m. $5 donation requested.

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Cappuccino Dova: A secular but no less friendly atmosphere pervades another coffeehouse in Cypress, where devotees put their feet up to watch “Sliders” and “Millennium” on Fridays, “X-Files” on Sundays, and Wednesday night film fests that favor art and cult flicks.

Everybody, it seems, knows one another’s name; regulars take calls on the coffeehouse phone, and discussions during commercials range from Marxism to noisy roommates.

Viewings take place in Dova’s small “red room,” which must be one of the coziest spots in Orange County. It’s a book-filled nook with crimson walls; mismatched, hand-upholstered furniture; and a modest TV above the door. It has seats for about seven, but many more sit on laps or the floor.

“If you can combine friends and TV, TV’s not a waste of time,” said Haley Horton, an English major at Cal State Fullerton.

* Cappuccino Dova, 9551 Valley View St., Cypress. (714) 220-0556. 7 a.m.-midnight Mon.-Thur., 7 a.m.-2 a.m. Fri., 9 a.m.-2 a.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-midnight Sun. Film series at 9 p.m. Wed., “Sliders” and “Millennium” air at 8 p.m. Fri.; Young peoples’ Narcotics Anonymous meetings, 7-9 p.m. Sat.; “X-Files” airs at 9 p.m. Sun.

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Totally Coffee: Hal and Donna Sullivan came for caffeine, not comedy, but if it’s Tuesday, expect stand-up at this Costa Mesa venue. It’s not open mike, but professional and aspiring comedians like to come in and test new material.

Tamara Ware of Anaheim told the small crowd, which included the Sullivans, that she had the absolute “best sex” ever the other night. “Do you guys think it’s going to be that good when I get a partner?”

OK, so Ware got hissed, but Hal Sullivan didn’t complain.

“It’s a nice reprieve when you’re going out to get a cup of coffee,” he said. “Life is so serious; we need more laughs.”

* Totally Coffee, 1525 E. Mesa Verde Drive, Costa Mesa. (714) 435-9367. 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Sun.-Thur., 6 a.m.-midnight Fri. and Sat.; stand-up comedy 8-10 p.m. Tues.

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Java Garden: Another haven for “X-Files” watchers, particularly those who prefer the big picture: The TV here has a 60-inch screen. Up to 30 X-Philers have clustered on couches and chairs in the roomy venue.

* Java Garden, 17304 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach. (714) 848-2599. “X-Files” at 9 p.m. Sun.; stand-up comedy at 9 p.m. Fri.

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Gypsy Den: “Harold and Maude” and Charlie Chaplin fans will enjoy the den’s foreign and cult films, shown every other Monday at the Costa Mesa venue. The movies (in video form) are projected on one whole wall, and viewers can do dinner (sandwiches, salads, lasagna, tacos) as well as grinds.

* Gypsy Den Cafe and Reading Room, in the Lab mall, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. (714) 549-7012. Foreign and cult films at 8:30 p.m. every other Mon.

* COFFEEHOUSE LISTINGS, Page 35

* FOX AND BEAN REVIEW, Page 43

* Gypsy Den Cafe and Reading Room, in the Lab mall, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. (714) 549-7012. Foreign and cult films at 8:30 p.m. every other Mon.