It was just after noon on a Sunday in Los Angeles, and inside Oaxacan restaurant Guelaguetza a crowd of nearly 50 people were dancing to El Alfa’s “4K,” coffees in hand, under an outdoor canopy draped with colorful papel picado. They crouched down to perrear in their friend groups and swayed their hands to the Caribbean rhythms. As people continued to trickle in, the DJ continued to spin essential reggaetón and dembow songs such as “Pa’ Que Retozen,” “Rompe,” “De Carolina,” “NuevaYol,” “Tu Sicaria” and more.
At the front of the space was Allie Ramirez, a.k.a. Allierockk: DJ and host of a day party called “Café con Allie,” which takes place two Sundays per month. There, dozens of people gather to start their day by sipping coffee while dancing to reggaeton and hip-hop.
“There’s so much going on in the world that I want to create a safe space where we can have fun and obviously not forget about everything, but just be here, be present and have a good time,” Ramirez said. “I just want everyone to leave feeling good.”
Café con Allie is one of many coffee shop day parties that have emerged this summer to support local coffee shops, give people a fun way to start their day and provide a sober experience for participants. Similar events have also taken place across California, New York, Arizona, Florida and more. These events typically happen in the morning or afternoon, involve a DJ, dancing and lots of coffee.
Ramirez said that Café con Allie originally started last April at La Chula Cafe in Pasadena, but as regular attendance swelled beyond the space’s capacity, she had to move the event to Guelaguetza, a family-owned restaurant in Koreatown. She said that the event has fostered community among many people who regularly attend — although some people may come alone, they’re bound to find friends within the crowd.
In addition to giving people a fun way to start their day, Ramirez said that she was motivated to start Café con Allie because she wanted people to feel comfortable dancing while being sober, as she herself doesn’t drink much. While alcohol was an option at the event, most people opted for a curated menu of coffee with homemade horchata, churro or matcha flavors by La Chula Café.
“A lot of people are yearning for community, and I want to provide a community where it’s like, ‘Hey, you don’t really need alcohol,’” Ramirez said. “We wanted to create a sober experience and let them know you could still have fun and you can still make friends.”
Cindy Alvarado, who owns La Chula Cafe with her family, said that the parties have helped her coffee business grow. She also said the events motivate and uplift the Latino community by bringing people together through common experiences, like enjoying a cafecito with their elders and dancing to vibrant music.
“It’s on a Sunday so you start off your week a little bit more motivated, having a little bit more fun, especially because people get caffeinated, it’s like a burst of energy without having any alcohol,” Alvarado said.
Sarah Bustillo and Rebecca Ballesteros, who attended the latest Café con Allie together, found the event when searching for reggaetón dance parties — more specifically, to celebrate the last day of summer. They both said they felt ready to take on the Monday after.
“I’d be hella awake if I went to work after this,” Ballesteros said. “I’d be like, ‘I already danced my heart out and had some coffee. Let’s start the day!’”
Evelyn Navarro found out about Café con Allie because she and her sister are coffee connoisseurs. Ramirez also happens to be one of her sister’s favorite DJs, so she felt like there was no better way to merge their two interests. The latest Café con Allie was her third time attending; Navarro said she keeps coming back because she likes Allie’s friendly and welcoming vibe, as well as the delicious coffee.
Navarro also said she feels this event is uplifting Latino culture — especially during a time when, especially here in Los Angeles, masked ICE agents are threatening our communities with arrests.
“We have a lot of stuff happening in the courts,” Navarro said. “This creates a safe space for everyone to come together, and not forget about what’s happening, but get away from it and just enjoy each other’s company with coffee. Dancing, music and food [are] universal languages.”
As “La Botella” played, Ramirez encouraged everyone to raise their coffees. By the end, members of the audience formed a circle and danced around Ramirez as the Café con Allie concluded. Some people left knowing they would be back at the next one.
“Some people go to church on Sundays, other people come to dance and have coffee here with us,” Ramirez added. “I think how it uplifts Latino culture in general is that if people look at us, they see us, and they are inspired.”
The post Café con reggaetón: Inside the Latin coffee shop day party craze appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
