A Fresh Inclusive Take on Nonalcoholic Offerings in 2024
NA is not going away. As a welcome to 2024 and solid nudge for businesses and organizations to offer elevated nonalcoholic offerings at their events, I’m offering perspectives on the company holiday party, the internal cultural readiness conversation around drinking culture, and three ways to start exploring NA with intention in 2024.
More than an NA Menu: An NA Experience
NA Cheers to the rise of nonalcoholic options on menus newly popping up all around the Twin Cities! It’s a full circle moment spanning a decade of my personal sober experiences circa 2013, the year I began asking for nonalcoholic options in the social spaces I frequented. The answers were frustrating and the beverages limited. Most venues assumed a sparkling water, soda, club soda with lime (aka The Last Resort), or Red Bull would suffice for those, like me, who choose to not drink alcohol.
An Epic Nonalcoholic Night
Nearly 100% unheard of in our culture, Zero Proof Collective and CōV Edina hosted an evening social event on January 20 where the drinks were all zero proof. The occurrence of this event and the reason for it – to celebrate the launch of a nonalcoholic menu -- is it not to be taken lightly.
A Decade of Dry January: Why to Try in 2023
In 2023, anyone can embrace Dry January and benefit from increased awareness around their relationship with alcohol, experiment with nonalcoholic alternatives, and potentially experience more clarity and productivity in life and work.
Behind the Scenes: The TEDx Talk Process for Speakers
In January 2022, I felt a restlessness that could only be associated with birth. A new idea urgently needed to find its way into the world. The idea, born of a lived experience of sobriety, was to evolve our social spaces to support anyone who chooses not to drink alcohol for whatever reason.
An All-inclusive Review of the Nonalcoholic Experience at Luxury Resorts in Mexico
Recently, I had the opportunity to revisit several all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and assess them in a whole new light – from that of a sober person. A week-long trip with my friend, Amanda, travel agent and founder of Live Well Travel, found us in 11 different properties over seven days. We stayed 1-2 nights at five of the resorts*, then did site visits at the other resorts**, all in the Cancun, Riviera Maya, and Playa del Carmen area.
Five Decades, Now Flight
I love the language of celebration. If you scrolled through my social media feed prior to the Five Decades, Now Flight event on June 28, you’d have noticed this language and a theme of emerging. There was lots of chatter about all elements of the event, which was not only a milestone birthday celebration but an alcohol-free experience.
Zero Proof Collective Makes Waves
The room was buzzing, but not from anything alcohol induced. To the contrary, our gathering was zero proof in beverages and 100% alive with the conversation around creating alcohol-free spaces. It was the launch of Zero Proof Collective MSP (ZPC MSP). The Collective was created by four women – Jen Gilhoi, Cate Faulkner, Debi McConnell, Norma Wolk -- who envision and want to co-create more non-alcoholic beverage options and healthier social spaces for adults to experience clarity, connections, and community
Marigold and the Morning After
This is a morning after story everyone will love. It starts with a gathering in an up-and-coming space called Marigold, a non-alcoholic bottle shop and sipping space. The concept is Erin Flavin’s extension of an experience that begin with her own sober journey and spilled over into the shift to offer NA beverages in her Minneapolis hairstyling salon Honeycomb Salon.
Mixing NA Beverages and Sobriety
Dry January, removing alcohol from one’s life during the first month of the year, can seem excruciatingly long for those trying on a sober lifestyle. 31 days to be exact. It’s an experiment that’s grown tremendously since its start in 2012.