How do you know a ‘scene’ spot? Well it could be when you have access to the latest new under-the-radar musical arts. It could be when the venue of choice is constantly evolving, becoming better tuned to the audience. Or maybe it’s when you see random acts of kindness offered from one devotee to another. Case in point, one of the regulars at Java Joz since it opened has been a young man named Matt. Matt left Starbucks and started to hang out at Java Joz the first week it opened. From time to time he would step outside and practice his poi moves, swinging rawhide balls around his head and body the way a rodeo roper practices twirling his lasso. “I’m practicing for ‘burning man’ he would say to all curious queries. As the months went by and his twirling got better, his anticipation of attending the annual art festival and temporary community based on radical self expression and self reliance held in the Black Rock Desert between 8/28 and 9/04 grew, like a kid waiting for Christmas.
Then one day I saw the longest face in the world. I asked Matt the reason for such a frown. “I had to spend $200 on a speeding ticket and another $200 for a rent deposit. I won’t be going to ‘burning man’ this year,” he said with his voice trailing off. That seemed to be the biggest disappointment since Madonna missed being invited to Tail Hook. But So Cali is a strange place and Java Joz IS a scene spot, so a couple of days prior to the start of ‘burning man’ I happened upon Matt, who was now the happiest person outside of Disneyland. “Why the big smile? What happened?” I asked.
“Bridget (an artist herself and long time girlfriend of a musician named Jimmy) has offered me a ride and is getting me a ticket,” he said, barely able to contain his glee with a frown turned upside down.
 I await the tales from the desert that I know I will hear as soon as Matt decompresses after his return from the desert. You, dear reader, don’t have to wait as you can watch the ‘live’ burning man climax via [1] www.burningman.com/ .