At the northern terminus of TPLEX in Rosarioescala gaming, La Union, a cafe has opened at the foot of a mountain lush with teak trees. A Slow Life Coffee’s owners Iya Forbes and her mother Emma Flores built the cafe as a reminder for people to do just that—slow down and enjoy life.
The cafe’s entrance opens up to a spacious terrace with a view of trees making you forget that you were right by Pugo-Rosario Road, a main artery leading up to Benguet. The soffits and ceiling cladding of the cafe are all made of teak wood—timber from the felled trees that were put to good use—adding to the sense of place.
The furniture, a mix of Ishinomaki Laboratory pieces and custom designs also in teak wood, was in collaboration with Lamana. There’s a quietude and stillness here that make a quaint coffee shop like A Slow Life Coffee a perfect fit.
The cafe is nestled among teak trees at the foot of a mountain
A photographer by profession, Iya took to coffee during the pandemic when jobs were few and unsteady—an escape and a way to keep her hands busy.
“Pre-pandemic, coffee was a driver for me to productivity. During the pandemic, specialty coffee became more mindful for me and I needed to be more engaged. I just wanted something tactile. Coffee created a space for me to just be and breathe. Specialty coffee also has a sensory aspect where it allows me to taste different things. That was exciting for me.”
“Coffee created a space for me to just be and breathe. Specialty coffee also has a sensory aspect where it allows me to taste different things. That was exciting for me,” says Iya Forbes.Before plans of opening a cafe, her mother Emma, a devout Catholic, purchased the sprawling land on the mountain with a spiritual goal in mind. “I have this devotion to God the Father and I was really inspired to put up a traditional chapel on top of the mountain,” she says.
Balcony shelves designed by Brian Ver and Ishinomaki Laboratory pieces by Lamana
The air-conditioned space to accompany more people
During the preparation of the steep land for building and paving roads that would lead up to the chapel, she noticed the workers choosing the same place on the grounds to set up their makeshift hammocks to rest. “This spot was beautiful. I asked them why they liked this certain spot and they said that it was because it was cool and presko. I also started coming to this spot during lunchtime with a thermos of coffee. Since Iya always wanted a coffee shop, I thought this might be the best place for it,” recalls Emma.
Original plans for a cafe were very modest. Iya thought of a coffee cart at first. This idea was thwarted by her mother who thought a cart wouldn’t be seen with all the trees around. Now the cafe is spread out onto three levels—clean restrooms on the lower level, the cafe and terrace on the main, and an air-conditioned area on the second level. You can also enjoy coffee on the balcony shelves while facing the view.
Croissants from Rebel Bakehouse while servers wear aprons with an embroidered snail
The bar at A Slow Life Coffee
“I’ve had impostor syndrome for the longest time. Who am I? I’m just a photographer. I’m not in the F&B industry. I’m not trained in specialty coffee, although I’ve been taking sensory classes for specialty classes, not barista classes,” Iya reveals. She also had the opportunity to visit coffee farmers in Benguet to see where coffee comes from and how they are processed.
Iya can be seen behind the bar churning out orders such as the spiced chocolate and orange-infused cream drink called Rosario Sunset or a mocktail of cranberry juice, sage, mint, and espresso called The Cranny Colada.
Currently, there is a limited pastry collection all from people Iya looks up to. “The croissants are from Rebel Bakehouse. I like their brand and how they approach things. As for cakes, we have three suppliers of cakes, three friends. This is all really an excuse to collaborate with friends,” she laughs.
The Rosario Sunset is a spiced chocolate drink topped with a cream infused with orange
An ube cheesecake from Antipolo-based bakery Sadie’s and the Cranny Colada
“The first one is Gng. Bukid, a lola in Makati. We carry her cheesecake and also a different cake each week. We also have Sadie’s and cookies from Crema & Cream.”
The counter is full of small Pokemon toys and knick-knacks that Iya loves. A Slow Life Coffee’s branding also incorporates illustrations from Iya’s friends that feature a snail and a girl. “I’ve always been a proponent for childlike wonder even if you’re an adult. That’s why the toys are there.”
The shop’s charm attracted TikTokers immediately after opening in May. Although social media can be an effective tool for marketing your business, it can also bring an unexpected shock to your small team. For a time, the coffee shop was swarmed with cars lined outside waiting for their chance to experience the cafe’s ambience. Every seat and bench was occupied and the orders were piled so much that they ran out of buzzers to give to customers.
Iya Forbes and her mother Emma Flores, owners of A Slow Life Coffee
“I vividly remember that. I would tell the customer that they would have to wait 45 minutes for their order and they would be willing to wait. We’re not part of a gentrified area in La Union so we had to train baristas from the ground up,” Iya explains.
Her mother adds, “It wasn’t Iya’s vision of a calming cafe.”
“Coffee was such a blessing to me because I realigned my gaze and it reminded me to have some space. So A Slow Life Coffee is more of a reminder or sort of an advocacy to slow down and breathe,” Iya Forbes says.That said, they have learned to control the crowd and the number of people entering so that everyone gets to experience an enjoyable time at A Slow Life Coffee as intended. Its sudden popularity illustrates how people crave for spaces that are in touch with nature and its environment. It’s a conducive place to really just sit, breathe in the fresh air, and take it slow.
“I remember those times in my like ‘depressive’ state during the pandemicescala gaming, it was also caused by thoughts like, ‘I have no value because I’m not productive.’ So I think coffee was such a blessing to me because I realigned my gaze and it reminded me to have some space. So A Slow Life Coffee is more of a reminder or sort of an advocacy to slow down and breathe,” Iya shares.