Cafe essentials: The do's and don'ts

Kenny Santana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Do's

1. Dress right: Make sure that you're wearing the dress code of the cafe, whether it's casual or semiformal. Don't make yourself look like an idiot when you enter the room and everyone turns around to stare at you like you don't belong there.

2. Cash ready: This is important. Forget to bring cash or credit cards (remember that cafe prices can be steep), and you will be in the uncomfortable situation of having to borrow other's money. Even worse, your date's money.

3. Call your friends: You don't like to hang out by yourself right? So make sure you bring your coolest buddies, of course, only if the occasion is not a romantic date.

4. Word of mouth: Before going to a new place, ask for somebody else's recommendations if you don't want regrets later on. Ask them if it's a cool place to be. If no one you know has ever been there, just make sure you have a backup plan.

5. Enjoy: This is what you plan when you're going to a cafe, so just be yourself and try to have fun. Mingle, chat and watch other people to have a good time.

Don'ts

1. Get drunk: Stay sane during your time in a cafe! If you want to drink yourself silly, please go to bar and pubs. There is nothing more embarrassing than throw up in a cafe. Believe me!

2. Make noise: People go to cafes to relax, not to be bothered by your hard-to-bear guffaws, or loud voice. And don't even think of making a fight in a cafe. This is real life, not a movie.

3. Make out: Almost everyone knows about PDA, or public displays of affection, but only a few can tolerate that in cafes. Sweet kissing will do fine, but more than that ... it's just not appropriate.

4. Fall asleep: This can be a very humiliating moment. In a place you are supposed to have fun at and it turns out that you fell asleep. So if you are too tired, go to bed instead of cafe hopping.

5. Overdo it Having fun is fine, of course, but when the definition changes into too much, it will ruin your night. Too much meaning too much drink, too much eating, too much flirting!