Ask any local musician, poet or art lover where a great place to see and be seen is, and chances are they’ll mention Cool Beanz Caf’eacute;’s open mic night. Every Tuesday night, since 2004, Cool Beanz of St. James opens its doors to performers and allows them to showcase various talents, ranging from magic to music to slam poetry.

The crowd is mostly teens and twenty-somethings who are there to be entertained. There are a number of regulars, but newcomers are always warmly welcomed. There is a cover charge of one dollar, but you’re reimbursed once you buy a drink or snack. Cool Beanz offers coffee, tea, espresso, cappuccinos, “Beanaccinos”, similar to a Starbucks “Frappucino”, alcoholic after-dinner drinks, and snacks like pizza and quesadillas. For only a dollar or two more than Starbucks, Cool Beanz offers unique drinks, such as the Brownie Beanaccino, catered especially to chocolate lovers.

The caf’eacute; is an extremely short drive from Stony Brook University and is located at 566 North Country Road on Route 25A in St. James. It is part of a shopping center and is distinguished by electric light strands hanging in the window.

Cool Beanz is a good place to go when you are looking to relax, be entertained or to perform yourself. If you plan on doing the latter, sign-up is between 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Each performer’s set typically ranges from two to three pieces, depending on the number of anticipated performers for the night. If you just feel like watching, the show starts at 8:00 p.m. and usually wraps up between 10 and 11 p.m.

Check out www.myspace.com/coolbeanzopenmic to hear some regular artists. Who knows, maybe you’ll see yourself up there one day!