A venti latte with a mix CD to go, please

The mix tape -- it was the ultimate expression of love from a music geek. While tapes have gone the way of the dinosaur, making a mix disc is easier than ever with the advent of the CD burner. Even those who don’t have access to such hardware can express their love via a custom mix -- and the creation of the disc can be part of your date.

Starbucks opened its first Hear Music Coffeehouse late last year at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. What once was a mere CD shop now sports a Starbucks counter and a media bar where you can compile and burn custom CDs.

My wife, Patti, and I make a list of selections over dinner at Barney’s Beanery’s new Third Street location. While this Beanery may not have the history of the original West Hollywood location as the watering hole of rock legends Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin, it does have the same menu of 700 items and nearly 200 beers. Patti orders a sourdough brie melt with onion rings. I ask for a barbecue turkey sandwich with fries. We both order up Stella Artois on tap.

As luck would have it, the Krypto Knights break-dancing trio is beginning its performance as we leave Barney’s. We watch impressive break-dancing with an emcee who not only can move, but has hilarious one-liners. I gladly drop a dollar in their bucket and consider it a steal.

At Hear Music, the seven stools at the Media Bar are occupied, but there are dozens of listening stations scattered throughout the store. Each has a touch screen with different titles. However, for licensing reasons, not all songs are available for burning. I’m interested in exclusive or rare tracks. Patti is looking for romantic songs.

I choose covers of “My Funny Valentine,� “Love Will Tear Us Apart� and “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out� by Rufus Wainwright, Calexico and Joseph Arthur, respectively. Patti goes for classics: Billie Holiday’s “Stormy Weather,� Etta James’ “At Last� and Carole King’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,� plus the Scissor Sisters’ “Take Your Mama.� I add Hank Williams’ “Hey Good Looking� and Ella Fitzgerald’s “Summertime.� We assemble our compilation on the touch screen and wait for our mix.

Not only is our $50 burned, but so is the soundtrack for our drive home.

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Craig Rosen can be reached at [email protected].

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The tab

Dinner $33.94

Where: Barney’s Beanery, 1351 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, (310) 656-5777

Street performance $1.00

Where: Third Street Promenade

Mix CD $11.90

Where: Hear Music Coffeehouse, 1429 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, (310) 319-9527

Parking $3.00

Total $49.84