Fika

🧘🏽‍♂️ 1 of 3 — Mindful

I have been thinking a lot about how to explain clearly when I call Fika a mindful coffee shop.

For me, mindfulness is not about escaping into a perfectly quiet world.

Fika is at a busy intersection. There is traffic, construction, fire trucks, people walking by, conversations, weather, and all the normal noise of the city.

I cannot remove all of that.

But I can choose how I show up inside it.

When I am discussing about my offerings or simply chatting, I try to be fully present with you. When I make your drink, I try to give that drink my full attention. Which is why you often find me not talking to anyone while I craft drinks — or even looking outside my window. Because I am fully present with my craft — creating with lots of joy.

I do not want coffee to feel like a rushed transaction. I want it to feel like a small pause in the day.

So yes, sometimes things move a little slower here.

But I believe waiting can also be part of the experience.

A moment to breathe.

To read the menu.

To notice the plants.

To look around.

To smile at the stranger next to you.

To come back to yourself.

For me, mindful coffee means not rushing the relationship between the person, the ingredient, the craft, and the moment.

Fika is my attempt to create a small sanctuary within the noise.

P.S. I have been describing Fika as a mindful, sustainable, and artisan coffee shop for a long time, but I realized I never really took the time to explain what I mean by those words. So I thought I would pen down my thoughts in this little series of three posts. Come say hi in person if you want to learn more. I love talking about coffee, sustainability, and art.

🌳 2 of 3 — Sustainable

Fika is a sustainable coffee shop, but I know that word can mean many different things to different people. In fact, I hesitate to use this word these days due to all the greenwashing and fake claims.

For me, sustainability does not begin with a cup, a bean, a label, or a claim.

It begins much earlier.

It begins with questions I have to ask before I serve something:

Where did this come from?

Who grew it?

Was water protected?

Does this support biodiversity?

Does this honour culture and place?

Can I honestly share the story behind it?

This is why I care so deeply about coffee from biodiversity-rich coffee forests.

When coffee grows with shade trees, spices, fruits, birds, insects, soil life, and other living beings around it, the farm is not just producing coffee. It is protecting an ecosystem.

It is also giving farmers more than one crop to depend on.

That matters to me.

Compostable cups, low-waste choices, rescued furniture, and careful packaging are all important to me too. But they are only one part of sustainability — a tiny part.

The deeper part is sourcing.

The deeper part is relationship.

The deeper part is refusing things when I cannot stand behind the story.

This is also why I do not serve some things people often ask for. If I cannot connect an ingredient to a sustainability story I believe in, I would rather find another way.

For me, sustainability is not what I claim.

It is what I choose, refuse, reuse, teach, and remove when needed.

It is my lifestyle.

P.S. I have been describing Fika as a mindful, sustainable, and artisan coffee shop for a long time, but I realized I never really took the time to explain what I mean by those words. So I thought I would pen down my thoughts in this little series of three posts. Come say hi in person if you want to learn more. I love talking about coffee, sustainability, and art.

🎨 3 of 3 — Artisan

I describe Fika as an artisan coffee shop.

For me, artisan does not simply mean handmade. Many things are handmade. That alone does not make them art.

Artisan, to me, means creating with intention, presence, and devotion.

When I create a drink, I am thinking about more than flavour. I am thinking about the farmer, the forest, the ingredient, the story, the feeling, and the reason that drink exists.

Coffee became my art form because I care deeply about biodiversity and sustainability.

I learned from the cultural wisdom of my Tamizh-speaking ancestors that art has always been one of the most powerful ways to speak about justice.

Street play.

Music.

Stories.

Poems.

Performance.

These forms of art have moved people’s hearts long before arguments could change their minds.

That wisdom lives in how I see coffee.

If a drink tastes bad or presented with unpleasant experiences, people will not listen to the sustainability story behind it, no matter how good the intention is.

But when a drink is beautiful, delicious, and made with care, it opens a door.

Taste and experience become a way to share something deeper.

For me, artisan coffee is not just about making something beautiful. It is about using beauty, flavour, and story to help people care more deeply about farmers, forests, ingredients, culture, and the living world.

Coffee is my art form for biodiversity justice.

P.S. I have been describing Fika as a mindful, sustainable, and artisan coffee shop for a long time, but I realized I never really took the time to explain what I mean by those words. So I thought I would pen down my thoughts in this little series of three posts. Come say hi in person if you want to learn more. I love talking about coffee, sustainability, and art.

✨ Another exciting event is coming to 𝗖𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗘•𝗖𝗔𝗖𝗔𝗢•𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗖𝗛•𝗔𝗥𝗧 this Sunday!

While Brennus Galatian will be teaching how to brew authentic Turkish coffee in the evening, he’ll also be offering Turkish Coffee Readings in the morning from 9 AM to 1 PM.

Turkish coffee reading is a traditional practice where, after you enjoy your cup of Turkish coffee, Brennus interprets the patterns left by the coffee grounds in your cup to offer intuitive insight and a fresh perspective on your personal journey.

Although what comes through is often deeply personal, every session is held in a trauma-informed, compassionate, and supportive space.

✨ Join us anytime between 9 AM and 1 PM on Sunday, July 26 for a 30-minute Turkish Coffee Reading with Brennus.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience this beautiful tradition!

✨ So exciting 😃 Sunday evenings are going to be for coffee, art and slow living workshops at 𝗖𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗘•𝗖𝗔𝗖𝗔𝗢•𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗖𝗛•𝗔𝗥𝗧 💚

starting with this exciting workshop by Brennus Galatian • 6 seats only • reserve yours!

https://www.climatewave.coffee/service-page/workshop-turkish-coffee

🙏🏼 fika is blessed 🥹 yesterday morning open hour was the busiest ever since day one. i witnessed patience, community, connection, love & laughter. there were people, both, i already knew and new faces — most of them were either artists or those who appreciate art — you all came to celebrate art & sustainability at fika as one community. i am still ‘high’ with all the positive vibes and happiness you shared with me 💚 love you all 😇 so grateful to be experiencing of all this

with coffee, love, and farmers who protect remaining ancient forests,
praveen

🥳 Limited Edition Special Treat: Single-Origin Organic Cacao Morsels baked in-house by Monica 𝙈𝙊𝙉𝙄𝘾𝘼 𝙋𝘼𝙉𝘿𝙄𝘼𝙉 ꩜ 𝙋𝙍𝘼𝙑𝙀𝙀𝙉 𝙋𝙊𝙉𝙍𝘼𝙅 available today until sold out.

It’s sweet, chocolaty, soft, and yummy! Pairs well with a lot of my drinks, simply ask me for a recommendation when you are here 💚 see you soon!

Signing off to go enjoy my Cacao Morsel paired with a light roast coffee drink 😋

Last night something extraordinary happened. All my non-caffeinated drinks, including this Blue Pea Lavender along with Turmeric Cardamom, Masala Roiboos and allies appeared in my dream and haunted me 👻

They were so mad at me claiming that I am partial towards my coffee creations! I said no, but they won’t believe me and won’t let me sleep in peace until I promised them that I will open fika on Fridays and Saturdays from 4 PM to 7 PM so they can get a greater chance to shine!

So here I am keeping up my promise. Starting tomorrow Fridays and Saturdays I will open at 9 AM and close for lunch at 1 PM. Reopen again at 4 PM and close for dinner at 7 PM 😇🤗 Let’s give my non-caffeinated creations a chance 😂

PS: coffee will be available too 😉

‼️ important update folks ‼️ it’s been way too slow for the past three weeks from 1 to 3 pm! there were moments i even fell asleep — true story lol 😂 — so i have decided to reduce my regular open hours to create more heart space and energy. this means i will have more opportunities to create cool events, workshops and classes!

Or will i spend the time watching these cute insects & plants in my garden? we will find out 😉

new open hours: 9 to 1 daily including weekends and holidays 🙏🏼🌳💚

🇨🇦 Victoria!!! — meet Shady Booch (well, officially)

Canada’s first kombucha brewed with fruity coffee fruits is now ready to be sold through small, intentional & cute retail stores—and I need your help.

Some of you may have already tasted it at 𝗖𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗘•𝗖𝗔𝗖𝗔𝗢•𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗖𝗛•𝗔𝗥𝗧 and/or 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐂𝐔𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄 But for those who haven’t, Shady Booch is refreshingly different, made to taste good & DO good. We have 5 different flavours made with real ingredients: Cascara, Ginger Ale, Masala Chai, Raspberry Rose, and Root Beer.

Our production partner is Green Cuisine. They are Island Good and have been producing sustainable products on the island since 1976. I’m super confident that our partnership will continue to shine even brighter.

I began researching ways to add value to coffee fruits in 2019 to reduce water pollution, protect ancient forests, and increase revenue streams for farmers. I’m grateful to everyone who was involved in this process and helped this innovative product reach this point.

I need your help! If you know (or know someone who knows) purchasing managers at local small retailers like Root Cellar, Lifestyle Markets, Old Farm Market, general stores, or any other stores you think should carry Shady Booch on their shelves, please connect me with them—even a small tip helps.

Together, we can preserve fresh water, protect ancient forests, and support true financial independence for farmers, all while enjoying a delicious raw kombucha!

Nevertheless, come say hi to me at Fika! I will be more than happy to see your happy faces.

With coffee & love,
Praveen