A well-known Nashville staple in the West side of town is called Bongo Java, and it’s one of the only places around town that I could see myself living in. It’s a coffee house that serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner (mostly scrambled eggs, tuna melts, and the occasional yummy wrap) not to mention the best muffins and coffee in the world. Outside is a huge wooden porch that seats probably thirty people. At almost all hours you can find people enjoying the breeze, smoking, talking together, and if it’s sunny possibly utilizing the wireless internet with their laptops. The restauraunt itself is a renovated bungalow styled house with wooden floors and yellow walls. To your right when you enter is the counter to order your drinks or food from a large chalkboard with the menu items written in brightlycolored chalk. After ordering you’ll be issued a card held up by a little metal holder, with a character like Betty Boop or Felix the Cat on it. Once your food is done it will be taken to the table holding the card.

The dining area is fabulous, flyers promoting bands or services decorate a small section of a wall, and the other walls are painted a light yellow color. Decorating the wals are canvases painted by local artists, some available for sale. The tables themselves are pieces of artwork; each one looks different. Paintings, mosaics, and collages of metal nails, picture clippings, bras and panties–just about anything. There’s always something to look at, and always people to talk to.

The rest of the place is equally cool. In a back room is a small library of books and more tables, and upstairs is a the “Bongo Java After Hours Theater”, where occasional bands play and short plays are performed. It’s an amazing neighborhood meetingplace, where young and old (I seriously saw a guy that looks like Willie Nelson, but a biker) can enjoy themselves.

P.S. Their Iced Mocha is to die for.