Love Cafe Phi Phi

peace love and happiness

2010-12-21T09:22:00.000-08:00

Peace is not something that comes with soft words and sentiment
peace is something to fight for
but not with war
peace inside comes from inner battles, faced, fought and won
peace in the world will come from the peace Warriors

Love - a word too easily used

Love to faults is always blind, always is to joy inclined. Lawless, winged, and unconfined, and breaks all chains from every mind. William Shakespeare

Happiness - an elusive buggar!
its twin is sadness, they grow together
without great sorrow how can you know great joy.

The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves. Victor Hugo

Be a Warrior for peace, love till your heart bursts and embrace your trials and sorrows so that your heart can know true joy.

Beach Xmas Tree

2010-12-20T04:35:00.000-08:00

A little cove at the end of Tonsai beach provided Love Cafe Xmas tree this year - it came flatpacked!!!

free music

2010-12-03T20:21:00.000-08:00

Anyone who has even walked by love cafe will know how much i love my music. My taste evolves, what i play mutates over time, but during the last month i've been playing (often more times in a day than i should) quite a bit of Joe Purdy. Just got an update from his Facebook page:

Happy Holidays from Mudtown Crier Records!

To celebrate the release of Joe Purdy's 12th album "This American", for the entire month of December 2010 you can download this 15 song album for FREE! Feel FREE to share this page with the people you love!

So to all Love Cafe followers here is the link to Joe Purdy's free download

Love Cafe November Sundown session

2010-11-28T22:26:00.000-08:00

We were lucky to have Tommy Moto bring along two amazing Thai spanish guitarists at our last sundown session. They sang and played with such passion, and inspite of the very rainy weather, kept customers there long past the hour or so that they were meant to have played for.

Drinks with benefits - Elevator recipe

2010-10-13T01:09:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of research gone in to our drinks with benefits (or witchy brews as a friend calls them).
Today I'll share the recipe for the Elevator - a smoothie designed to boost your mood.

Elevator

Couple of tablespoons of a rich real cacao chocolate sauce (we make our own from Venezuelan Black Cacao but i guess any good chocolate sauce with more than 70% cocoa solids would do)
100ml fat free milk
1 Banana
generous 1/2 teaspoon of Matcha Green Tea powder
1 teaspoon of Manuka Honey
100 ml Ice

blend to a rich smoothie - enjoy

Active Botanicals

2010-09-30T00:39:00.000-07:00

http://www.drstuarts.com/

The Liver detox herbal tea from Dr Stuart happens to be the perfect antidote to too much party on Phi Phi. Apart from tasting really good, this is a tea to come to your rescue if you've had a spot of overindulgence and it has a 'sure to make you feel better' list of ingredients including Milk Thistle, Dandelion root and Centaury herb - how can these wonderful sounding things not make you feel better? Just the thing to revitalise after a hard night of partying.

We also have 3 other Dr Stuart herbals; Skin Purify, Triple Ginseng & Echinacea. Come and give them a try.

changing the world one sip at a time!

2010-09-08T04:12:00.000-07:00

My theory is that something as simple as making lovely drinks can change the world.

Starting with the health benefits in yummy fruits and other drink ingredients that's gotta make you feel healthy right?

Then the mood altering properties of chocolate and special teas, that's to say nothing of the hangover cure combo.

Then there's the music, none of that head banging, thumping stuff, just really great tunes with great lyrics - who could possibly keep a bad mood on with Florence (aka Florence + the machine) pumping out cosmic love?

oo i nearly forgot the view - that mind-altering amazing view out to phi phi ley

and i haven't even started on the metaphysical stuff yet - like making everything with love - sending out those positive vibes

So how can the people that walk by here and buy a drink not be affected?

Then like a pebble in the water, they pass their good vibe on to someone else

before you know it we have the butterfly effect...

so is a love cafe drink world changing or not?

(of course all written with tongue very much in cheek)

Drinks with Benefits

2010-09-04T23:08:00.000-07:00

The smoothies were some of the first drinks i sorted with Bree, and we always knew we wanted to do drinks with benefits, (witchcraft drinks as Ben calls them - which if course they're not!). Anyways with everything else that's changed on the menu and in line with making it harder for my customers to choose, the drinks with benefits have gone up a notch on the benefit stakes.

With our own recipe health drinks what you read is what you get! no additives or syrups. Here's a little sample off the new menu starting tomorrow.

Inner Health

Give your digestive system a boost with a smoothie of mango, banana, fresh ginger and lime with Aloe Vera & grape juice.

Rejuvenator

A healthy antioxidant boost with blueberries, prunes, manuka honey, fresh ginger & apple juice.

Ayurvedic energy balancer

Good before a nap - a warm milky drink, blended with dates & cinnamon.

The smoothie menu is also coming up for an overhaul - watch this space.

devilish chocolate

2010-08-25T03:06:00.000-07:00

Everybody loves chocolate for eating but this season I've decided to focus on the drinking side of all things chocolate at Love Cafe. Now we have a whole page of hot, warm and iced chocolate drinks include hot chocolate shots: Venezuelan black and Belgian chilli shot.

Chocolates been around for thousands of years and originally in the New World, chocolate was consumed in a bitter, spicy drink called xocoatl, and was often flavored with vanilla, chili pepper, and achiote. At Love Cafe we scoured the planet for chocolates that give you this authentic chocolate drinking experience. We've also found a lot of yummy things to add to your chocolate, mini-marshmallows, agave nectar and manuka honey to name a few.

We've also dug into the scienc a bit and come up with a mood enhancing chocolate smoothie which we have appropriately named Elevator, which includes Venezuelan black cacao & matcha tea, plus a few other helpful ingredients.

Our iced chocolates include a white chocolate shake, iced cacao and our own recipe iced chocolate shake.

People know how to order coffee, just to their liking, and appreciate the different blends and serving styles - our aim here is to treat chocolate for drinking with the same level of seriousness, not just one size fits all!

We hope you'll come and try one...

new menus

2010-08-07T03:50:00.000-07:00

New menus on the way, tea one done! can't believe we have over 50 teas and herbal teas now. Just trying to work my way through them all.
The exciitng task today is the Chocolates for Drinking Menu. Just added my hot chocolate shots - little cups of heaven - the espresso of chocolates - no milk just chocolate - think I'm addicted! I have two so far (more to come) Venezuelan Black and Belgian Chilli and they are priced the same as an espresso at 80 Baht.
Other hot chocolates on the menu include Mayan and Mexican. Still trying to find a good recipe for the traditional Italian short thick intense Cioccolata Densa.
happy days

Teapig Temples and more things tea...

2010-07-29T06:34:00.000-07:00

This season we'll be adding the fabulous range of Teapigs Teas to our menu, so get your tastebuds ready for a treat. They have a great range of interesting and adventurous teas and we'll be stocking: Yerba Mate (energy brew), Chilli Chai, Chocolate Flake Tea, Rooibos and Lemongrass, just to name a few.

Of course were still serving our wonderful handpicked organic Thai teas from Chang Rai, but we're just adding more teas to make it even better!

We're also going to be serving, more or less, the whole range of Fairtrade Clipper Teas, which includes some favourites like Camomile, Nettle, Wildberry, Orange & Coconut and White Tea with Vanilla. There are lots more, so you'll just have to come to check them out!

And ... if all that is not enough to get your tea tastebuds going, then we also have a small range of Pukka Ayurvedic Herbal 'health' teas, with such names as 'Love' and 'Detox'. So, whatever your taste - if its tea you like - then we definitely have something for everyone!

We open again mid august, so come and check us out.

Opening again soon

2010-07-19T05:03:00.000-07:00

Sorry to the regulars who have maybe missed Love Cafe - but the troubles in Thailand, general depression in tourism (because of global economic climate) and low season in Phi Phi made it difficult to stay open. I've been taking a much needed break and will be back shortly. The good news is, i've found lots of cool new drinks - there will be a whole chocolate drinks menu - hot chocs, cold chocs, chilli chocs. We'll also be selling clipper teas and some very special teapigs teas and lots more exciting drinkables. More details on all of this coming soon.
Hope we've been missed

great news

2010-07-18T12:24:00.000-07:00

Love Cafe Phi Phi just made it into the latest edition of Lonely Planet (Thailand Islands & Beaches edition Juy 2010). I haven't seen the wording yet, so i hope its all good :)

Want to see Thailands Princess?

2010-05-26T04:09:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow 27th May - there will be a great view of the Thai Princess from Love Cafe as she goes past to the school. If anyone wants to come down and see there'll be some specials on drinks. The helicopter lands bewteen 1-1.30pm and they are taking cute little golf carts to the school. Seen them today, first time i've seen traffic on Phi Phi Island!

the view from Love Cafe gets better by the day

2010-05-21T23:39:00.000-07:00

Check the new view from Love Cafe Phi Phi or just come and watch while sipping a great cocktail or one of our awesome coffees!

Jamie Lawson - Real Thing

2010-05-16T03:53:00.000-07:00

My mate Jamie doing his thing, filmed by my other mate John.
You can buy Jamie's music on itunes
Jamie on MySpace
John is part of Ikandi: Media

bringing your instrument to phi phi?

2010-05-03T01:58:00.000-07:00

get in touch we have a great space for acoustic sundown sessions.

Justin Hunter was in Love Cafe today!

2010-04-28T23:42:00.000-07:00

check out Justins website

The view from Love Cafe this evening

2010-04-28T04:46:00.000-07:00

Love Cafe on Facebook

2010-04-10T05:46:00.000-07:00

Want to say something nice about Love Cafe or become a fan - use the Facebook Fan Box at the bottom of this blog to either become a fan or visit our facebook page.

Love Cafe Phi Phi

Promote your Page too
We will be closing our facebook group in the next few days because facebook pages suit our needs better - so if you already belong to our facebook group please become a fan as well so that you don't lose contact with us when Love Cafe group closes down.

Songkran Festival

2010-04-10T05:39:00.000-07:00

On 13th April Thailand celebrates New Year with Songkran Festival - for more information about this and other Phi Phi stories visit Love Phi Phi blog

Happy Easter with some sweet little 'martini's

2010-04-04T00:04:00.000-07:00

We already do the long cold cocktails but now we have some new short and sweet 'martini's for your pleasure...

Strawberries & cream 'martini' (Strawberry juice/cream/Vodka) - too beautifully pink for its punch!
Creamy Coconut 'martini' (coconut cream/malibu/vanilla) - Uber coconutty
Monks Coffee 'martini' (kahlua/benedictine/milk/nutmeg/espresso shot) - the aphrodisiac martini

just something a little different from Love Cafe Phi Phi

Andre

2010-03-11T21:09:00.000-08:00

We have been so lucky to have Andre from Sweden staying with us in the resort for the last few days. Yesterday his music was played in Love Cafe in our lobby area - if you would like to hear it again check out his website: http://www.andremusik.se/

Happy Valentines Day

2010-02-13T22:09:00.000-08:00

**** Valentines Aphrodisiac Coffee - 150 Baht ****

3 months in

2010-02-02T02:13:00.000-08:00

3 months down the line and its all working but feel i have to say thanks to some special people who made it possible:
Bree - for all the great ideas and always believing in me
Rach - for lovingly skyping me all through the bad patches of 2009
Evie - for testing all those drinks
Lauren - for never failing to have a sweet word every day
ozzie Ben - for the barista masterclass
Simon - for the music
Sam - for the logo
Ron - for the space
My 3 sexy phi phi amigos - Ben, Paddy & Teague - for saving me from becoming dark n twisty
My dad - for the money he gave me but sadly never got to see what i did with it

Spike your Smoothie TM

2010-01-27T01:16:00.000-08:00

Spike your Smoothie TM

Add any spirit you like to one of our great smoothies for 100 Baht

New Tea and Coffee based cocktails

2010-01-21T23:19:00.000-08:00

We now have an interesting new range of tea and coffee based cocktails:
Espressini - espresso martini - the espresso gives this twist on the classic martini a real kick
Green Tea Mojito - suprisingly just as you would expect it to be - classic iced green tea and classic mojito.
Death by chocolate - serious calories with lots of chocolate icecream, vodka & coffee liquer all blended into a thick & yummy frozen cocktail.
Baileys iced Coffee - our famous iced coffee with a big shot of Baileys added - creamy dreamy!
Irish Coffee - sumptuous hot cofffee and cream with Jamesons added
Espesso Correto - shot of espresso with shot of liquor added (grappa, sambucca are traditional but you can put anything you like)
Cheers!

food

2009-12-11T23:25:00.000-08:00

okay now we have food

pannini (griddled ciabata sandwiches) with cheeses/proscuitto/italian salami roasted veg
platters (bread with nice stuff on the side, like cheeses with honey)
plus usual suspects like yummy bread and olive oil & balsamic for dipping

drink drinks

2009-12-05T19:47:00.000-08:00

5 pages of drinks:

Coffees - espresso, latte, cappucino - all made with delicious coffee from northern thailand
Teas - organic handpicked teas from northern Thailand
Drinks with benefits - boost your vitamins, rejuventate yourself!
Sensational smoothies & shakes - with real fruit
Drinks with Alcohol - espresso corretto, pastis, JD, Jamesons, wine, beer etc etc

Suprisingly technical

2009-11-29T23:34:00.001-08:00

Just drinks so far but so much kit - who would have thought it?

bye bye ben - coffee guru

2009-11-26T19:51:00.000-08:00

we all learned so much - you are missed already!

Job 2 Do

2009-11-24T22:53:00.000-08:00

Job 2 Do play tonight in Carpe Diem (the bar opposite).

Benny the coffee guru

2009-11-23T22:05:00.001-08:00

today we were so lucky to get a master class in coffee from the coffee genius ben - a whole new level of coffee - we were in kindergarten before now we are starting university!!!
thanks so much benny!

sundown session sunday 22nd

2009-11-22T02:33:00.000-08:00

tonights sundown session at 6.15pm is Karl

calling musicians on their way to Phi Phi

2009-11-21T19:47:00.000-08:00

Bringing your guitar to Phi Phi? come and see us for a slot in our sundown sessions

New Light Ruins

2009-11-21T08:04:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much guys for being awesome and our first live band.

Sundown Session

2009-11-19T08:10:00.000-08:00

Nov 20th 6pm - our first sundown session with live music from 'New Light Ruins'

lucky day

2009-11-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

rozi got his visa for sweden!!!

daily rituals

2009-11-09T03:10:00.000-08:00

in thailand they play the national anthem every morning at 8am and 6pm on all tv and radio channels and in public parks, so as a sort of homage to that idea and for good luck we play bree's song 'skinny love' (bon iver) every morning at 9am when we open (we're too lazy to make it at 8am) and at 6pm

Loy Krathong

2009-11-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

Today is Loy Krathong - Thai people make little floating boats from banana palm and leaves - they decorate them with flowers, candles and incense. The boats are sent out to sea or launched from piers or river banks tonight after dark. Some put coins, or cuttings of their hair and nails. They send them off thankful for the year that has past and as a sort of cleansing act to welcome the year that follows with a clean slate. Couples and families can make the loy krathong as a unifying act. Some use it to remember family who are missing. An opportunity for togetherness as people sit and make these together and send them off together.

Open!

2009-10-29T04:21:00.000-07:00

Love Cafe opened its doors on 25th October 2009.

We are selling a range of handpicked organic specialist teas from northern Thailand. A full range of great coffees and sensational real fruit smoothies and shakes. So whether you want a skinny soya matcha latte or a foamy cappuccino or a shot of homegrown organic wheatgrass juice - come and pay us a visit.

We are located inside Phi Phi Villa Resort, in the Tonsai bay area of Koh Phi Phi about 15 mins slow walk from the ferry pier.