Full Disclosure: Whitey Winchester tests the cut of his caffeinated sails on the Coconino Coffee Crawl

Full Disclosure: Whiteney Winchester ‘Ol Whitey done swapped ethanol fer caffeine, hopefully fer good. Suffering bouts of alcoholism my whole adult life, I figgered’ my liver deserved to retire. No regrets: Whitey swilled enough hooch fer two or three incarnations.

Once upon a time pre-COVID, the bar at the Hotel Monte Vista opened at 0630 and the coffee was two bucks. I’d join Bob— my late, lamented, fellow-traveling Old Guy—and we’d hold the fort until the hospital night shift nurses and lab technicians showed up to unwind. Nowadaze, the earliest they start servin’ is 0830, weekends only and the price doubled, but I’m getting ahead of myself by a couple of hours. Begin at the beginning I say.

Every morning at the crack of ass, Whitey bellies up to the bar at Kickstand Kafe on the Basha’s end of Humphries. Drip for here please, and I don’t care what kind. Danger Monkey, Work Ethic, Illy or Black Mamba, long as it’s hot coffee. Oh, and some cream. I like watching the staff hustle and bustle, a well-oiled machine overseen by Bridget, who used to manage the Museum Club back in the day. Anyhow, ya gets a free refill, so call me Mr.Two-andDone.

On Saturdays and Sundays, I leave Kickstand to parallel park on Route 66, just east of San Francisco. Then trot over to Firecreek. A cup of Joe is twice as expensive there, but they still replenish your cup once, and the ambience is worth the price of admission. The walls are covered in local art, and I’ve picked up more than one purty piece for twenty bucks, give or take. Depending on your tastes and your budget, could be something there for you too.

Round the corner on the north end of the Flag Brew courtyard sits the Flagstaff Coffee Company. In my drinkin’ daze, I regularly partook of their Irish coffee. Not exactly a healthy breakfast, but mighty tasty and a bit of a buzz to boot. (Just sayin’.) In my sober state since, I poke my head in from time to time to check on my buddy Liz the barista, and generally walk out carrying a coffee with cream to go.

But most weekends I head straight from Firecreek to the Monte V, for old times’ sake. Years ago, I waxed enthusiastic about the experience in this very rag. Dig it up on line if yer ever sufficiently curious. These days, you can usually find me at the short end of the bar, best spot in the house to take a gander at wildlife seated along the east-west axis. Pull up a nearby stool if ya like, but fair warning: Whitey can be quite the Chatty Cathy when comfortably caffeinated.

Back in the day, Late for the Train inhabited the erstwhile filling station on Fort Valley Road next to Fratelli’s Pizza. The place is still a coffee joint, and I give ‘em my patronage on those occasions when a digestive event strikes me sudden-like while I’m motoring in the vicinity. Ya see, they got some real-deal old-school restrooms, tile-work Americana worth checking out if ya ever gotta go real bad. Customers only, though, so do the right thing, and make a purchase before or after ya done yer business. As fer Late for the Train per se, it’s downtown on Aspen now.

No discussion of the local coffee scene would be complete with- out mentioning Macy’s. Once upon a time before I moved to Flag, Ol’ Whitey would always stop there whenever he was passing by on I-40. Sometimes, when I’m feeling nostalgic, I head south of the tracks fer a Café Viennese. That said, mostly now I just ramble from Kickstand to Firecreek to the Monte V. Of course, it ain’t purely the Java Jive that moves my feet. Truth be told, the friendly folks serving the stuff are a primary part of the pleasure of any caffeine crawl. The aforementioned Bridget and Liz, plus Scott at Firecreek and Jac at the Monte V. Hard to beat the Coffee Crews of Coconino. I seen ‘em come and go. Nothing lasts forever. True statement. ¡Carpe Diem!

Ongoing

MONDAY

Dark Sky Brewing: Locals Monday. Every Monday from 12–10 p.m. enjoy $2 o non-barrel aged pours 10 oz and higher for Flagsta locals.

Bingo Night. Play bingo every Monday from 6–8 p.m. $5 entry fee.

Museum Club: Open Mic Night. Every Monday night from 6–9 p.m. Bands welcome. Many musicians have been asked back for paying gigs.

Oeno Wine Lounge: Hospitality Night. Every Monday, hospitality workers get 20% o their order. Proof of employment required.

Tappy Hour. Monday-Friday 12–4 p.m. All wine and beer taps are half o .

TUESDAY

Flagsta Brewing Company: Poet Brews. Poets and writers are welcome to share their work with the public at this open mic. Sign up at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m.

Jazzercise: African Dance Class. Lessons focus on the traditional dances from Guinea, West Africa. 6:45–8:15 p.m.

Museum Club: Line Dance Lessons. Every Tuesday from 5–8 p.m. Karaoke. Every Tuesday from 9 p.m. to close.

Oeno Wine Lounge: Teacher Tuesday. Every Tuesday educators get 15% o wines.

Tappy Hour. Monday-Friday 12–4 p.m. All wine and beer taps are half o .

Unity of Flagsta : Join Jackie Labanok for yoga from 10–11 a.m.

WEDNESDAY

Brews & Cues: Brews Trivia. Eight rounds of hosted trivia. Up to 6 people per team. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. $3 Mystery Bags and $2 Jello Shots. 6:30 p.m.

Charly’s Pub and Grill: Wednesday Night Blues. Presented by Northern Arizona Blues Alliance. 6:30–9 p.m. East Flagsta Community Library: Family Storytime. Every Wednesday from 10:30–11:15 a.m.

Firecreek Co ee: Singer-Songwriter

Open Mic. Share your original songs between 7–10 p.m.

Gopher Hole: Karaoke & Service Industry Night. Happy Hour prices for service industry personnel from 6 p.m. until close with the singing starting at 9:30 p.m.

Mead Hall: Trivia Night. Themed categories, including visual and sound, and prizes for the winners. 6–8 p.m.

Oeno Wine Lounge: Warrior Wednesday. All active military and first responders get 15% o .

Tappy Hour. Monday-Friday 12–4 p.m. All wine and beer taps are half o .