Coffeehouse

When the lights dim in the wood-paneled circular sanctuary, tiny flames from votive candles glowing on rows of tables, the Unitarian Universalist church of Annapolis feels like camp.And when a couple of fellows in blue jeans and sneakers take the stage singing folk songs, accompanying themselves on acoustic guitar and leading sing-a-longs, you wonder if you've fallen into a time warp or whether the peace and love era has resurfaced in a new generation.Choose the latter. This is the 333 Coffeehouse.

Terri Moore was incredulous when, early in their courtship, her husband talked about his dreams of opening a coffeehouse. "Oh, that's nice," she remembers saying, not taking him too seriously. But three years later, Moore has quit her job as a supervisor of 911 operators to spend her days behind the counter at Porters Coffeehouse mixing caramel lattes and cappuccinos. Moore and her husband, James, opened the coffeehouse three weeks ago on Washington Boulevard in Pigtown, in a struggling business district.

Xando, a chain of European-style, coffee-and-cocktail bars planning to double its East Coast presence, will open the first of at least five Baltimore area cafes in December, becoming the first retailer at the Johns Hopkins University's new Hopkins Square market in Charles Village.Capitalizing on '90s coffee culture with a twist -- coffeehouses that transform into bars at night and serve up Mocha Kiss coffee drinks and S'mores -- the company has spread from its Connecticut base to New York, Philadelphia and Washington.

Coffeehouse concert -- 333 Coffeehouse will present Geoff Kaufman in concert at 8 p.m. Friday at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 333 Dubois Road, Annapolis. The 333 Coffeehouse provides quality acoustic music in a non-alcohol, smoke-free setting on the third Friday of every month. Dessert and coffee are available. The cost is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $5 for students. 443-786-0463 or www.fsgw.org/333.