Theme nights at LI bars and coffee shops

Whether you're curious about what your nightmare from last night might mean or want to learn how to country line dance, there's a different theme every night of the week at coffeehouses and bars:

Monday: Monthly trivia night

WHEN | WHERE 7:30-9:30 Dec. 30 and every last Monday of the month at Sip This, 64 Rockaway Ave., Valley Stream

INFO 516-341-0491, sipthisny.com

COST Free

Teams of up to four people vie over questions at this urban coffeehouse's monthly trivia night. Topics range from the '90s to music and even sports -- this month's theme is devoted to the hit TV series "Seinfeld." Valley Stream residents Phillip D'Ancona and his wife, Marie, are regular competitors, though they've yet to win prizes such as gift certificates or tickets to a Mets game -- "but, we've come close to it," says Phillip, 61.

Tuesday: Dream interpretation night

WHEN | WHERE 7-9 Tuesdays at Spoon Cafe, 125A S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst

INFO 631-957-7666

COST Free

Vivid dreams are rife with hidden meaning, says Phill Urena, pastor at The Mosaic Church in Bohemia, who meets with patrons to discuss what might be behind those nighttime visions in sessions lasting 10 to 15 minutes. Colors and numbers are quite meaningful, Urena says. Blue means "revelation" of some sort, while green might signal a new birth -- or jealousy. And while things like being chased or losing something are common dream themes, Urena says, "just like every person is unique, their dreams are unique."

Wednesday: Country night

WHEN | WHERE 7:30-10:30 Wednesdays at Lion's Den, 191 Higbie Lane, West Islip

INFO 631-482-9922, wilionsden.com

COST $10

Go west at the Lion's Den with dance instructor Nicole Goetz, who recently started giving line dancing lessons on the bar and restaurant's cozy dance floor. "You don't need coordination," and you "don't have to have the moves," says Goetz. "You just learn as you go."

Thursday: Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament

WHEN | WHERE 9 p.m. Thursdays at The Cortland, 27 W. Main St., Bay Shore

INFO 631-206-2220, thecortland.com

COST Free

The classic game of chance gets its due in Bay Shore, where a full-on tournament goes down -- brackets and all -- at The Cortland. The best four out of seven hand throws takes the round -- winners might get tickets to a show at the YMCA Boulton Center next door or credit to spend at the bar. "I really enjoyed it," says first-timer Lorian McEachron, 22, of Hempstead, after coming in third place. "Even though you were going up against strangers, you were getting to know them for the brief 10 minutes."

Friday: Psychic Night

WHEN | WHERE 5-11 Fridays at The Babylon Bean, 17 Fire Island Ave., Babylon

INFO 631-587-7729, thebabylonbean.com

COST $20 for 25 minutes

It's a different way to wind down on a Friday night -- sip some coffee and get a psychic reading. Medium Frank Bruni sets up a cozy station with a tie-dye tablecloth and crystals to channel energy. "He sits with people and spends a lot of time with the clients, so they can understand the readings," says manager Caitlyn O'Connell. Bruni usually does doesn't ask any personal questions, relying instead on horoscopes, tarot cards and his psychic intuition. Says Bruni, "I pick up a lot of things spiritually."

Saturday: Monthly Poetry Night

WHEN | WHERE 8-11 Jan. 4 and the first Saturday of every month, Roast Coffee & Tea Trading Company 41 E. Main St., Patchogue

INFO 631-312-5027, roastcoffeeandtea.com

COST Free

With exposed brick walls and lots of big brown couches, Roast is a perfectly cozy spot to settle in and hear readings of original poetry. The once-a-month sessions draw a crowd of mixed ages, including teens, says manager Tiffany Rivera. Kempton Van Hoff, 32, who teaches writing classes at Hofstra University, has participated in the past. "You feel like you're really in your community and almost among family," says Van Hoff, of Amityville. "And that's cool."

SUNDAY: Retro Game Night

WHEN | WHERE 8 p.m.-4 a.m. Sundays at The Leaky Lifeboat Inn, 3603 Merrick Rd., Seaford

INFO 516-445-9766

COST Free

If you're someone who gets nostalgic about Super Smash Bros. or Sonic the Hedgehog, consider this a walk down memory lane. On Sundays, game systems such as Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo are hooked up to the bar's eight TVs for patrons to have at it. About 40 to 50 people come to play each week, a turnout bartender Daniel Rao didn't expect when he started the theme night with a friend. It's a time when "the most shy or sheltered individual becomes prom king for the night," courtesy of Duck Hunt or Mortal Kombat, Rao says.