Author: Alysse Bryson

Start the new year with heat, ice, community, and intention. The Sober Curator is teaming up with Good Day Sauna for a two-hour sauna + cold plunge experience designed to reset your nervous system, boost your mood, and kick off 2026 with clarity — no alcohol required. Saturday, January 3, 2026 | 3:40 PM – 5:30 PMPrice: $45 per personCapacity: 15 guests ✨ Your Ticket Includes: 🧊 What to Expect Expect the signature Good Day Sauna atmosphere — warm cedar benches, waterfront energy, and a welcoming, sober-friendly space. After heating up, you’ll step into an invigorating cold plunge designed to…

The internet straight-up broke when Prada dropped their crochet-wrapped safety pin brooch for the low, low price of… seven hundred and seventy-five U.S. dollars. Yes. For a safety pin. A gorgeous, bougie, “I brunch in Milan” safety pin—but still. Now, as someone who loves a good craft project almost as much as I love an NA espresso martini, and as someone whose father crochets like a wool-wielding wizard, I did what any self-respecting creative gremlin would do:I bee-lined it to Michael’s, grabbed a basket of supplies, and put my dad to work faster than you can say “Prada, who?” And…

If you’ve been hanging around The Sober Curator for any length of time, you already know Teresa Bergen. She’s the one out there logging miles, collecting stories, and proving (repeatedly) that you can have a full, interesting, delightfully chaotic travel life without a drink in your hand. Teresa has been writing for TSC for several years, and she also oversees our Sober Retreats calendar, which is basically a public service for anyone who’s ever Googled “sober vacation” and then immediately got overwhelmed. She regularly recaps her alcohol-free adventures around the globe, with the kind of grounded honesty that makes you…

Cat Greenleaf has always had a gift for making people talk. It’s what made Talk Stoop iconic—celebrities plopped on her Brooklyn steps, sudsy coffee in hand, opening up in ways they never planned to. She’s a four-time Emmy-winning interviewer for a reason. But on this episode of The Sober Curator Podcast, Cat reveals that sobriety has flipped that gift back on her—and this time, she’s the one doing the talking. It’s the kind of episode that reminds you: sobriety isn’t neat, filtered, or curated to perfection. It’s messy. It’s wise. It’s ridiculous. It’s real. And in Cat’s case… it occasionally involves peeing your pants during a back-to-back guest booking with Tom Arnold and Art Alexakis. The Moment Sobriety Got Real Cat describes the…

Fashion lovers, recovery warriors, and sober-curious style icons — mark those calendars and shine up your mocktail glasses, because the most meaningful runway of New York Fashion Week is strutting back into the spotlight. Break Free’s Recovery Runway Show returns Thursday, February 12, 2026, and trust me when I say: this is not your average fashion show. This is couture with a cause. Glamour with grit. Sequins with soul. Because at Break Free, we don’t just walk the runway — we walk our talk. Where Fashion Meets Recovery — Literally New York Fashion Week Powered by Break Free is rewriting…

Let’s get one thing straight right out of the gate: sober people do, in fact, go out.I know — shocking. Unprecedented. Someone alert CNN. But it’s true. We dance. We mingle. We stay up past 9 p.m. sometimes (but not too often because sleep hygiene is still a thing). And as someone who once thought nightlife required a drink in hand to be “fun,” I’m delighted to report that the landscape is changing — fast, creatively, and in every corner of the country. According to a recent report on American nightlife behavior, the states that go out the most —…

If there’s one thing I love, it’s a non-alcoholic drink that looks like it belongs in the cool-kid section of the grocery store. You know—the part of the aisle where everything is in a sleek can, vibes with your outfit, and practically begs to be photographed next to a pair of oversized sunglasses. So imagine my delight when Giesen—yes, that Giesen, the New Zealand powerhouse behind some of the best 0% wines in the game—dropped their new 250ml slim cans of the Giesen 0% Spritz line. Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé, now in cute little spritzy travel-friendly cans? Twist my sober…

Recovery Beyond’s new documentary ‘Walking On Ice’ is nothing short of a visceral, heart-thumping testament to what happens when recovery meets radical resilience. Following eight determined individuals as they train, sweat, stumble, and rise in pursuit of a coveted spot on an extreme five-day trek across the frozen lakes of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, this film captures more than physical endurance—it captures the soul of transformation. Led by seasoned outdoor experts and an unstoppable team of sled dogs, the journey becomes a metaphor for recovery itself: cold, demanding, uncertain, and yet profoundly beautiful. Each contender carries their own history of struggle,…

“Goonies never say die” isn’t just a movie quote. It’s a lifestyle. A mindset. A rallying cry for anyone who’s ever felt like the underdog climbing the rickety stairs of life with nothing but grit, heart, and maybe a questionable map. So when the iconic Goonies House went up for sale, Behman Zakeri didn’t see a real estate listing — he saw a calling. His phone lit up with people telling him exactly what he already knew: This is your moment. Goonie destiny awaits. And here’s the wild part: When he actually stepped through that front door as the new…

Listen, besties. Happy hour is officially getting a makeover. A glow-up. A reinvention. A renaissance, even. Because thanks to Raising the Bar, you can roll up to 5 PM with the same vibe, the same energy, the same clink… but with zero alcohol and all the flavor. Same time. Same vibe.The difference is zero. And honestly? Zero has never tasted better. Why Raising the Bar Is Basically the Fairy Godmother of Zero-Proof Life Raising the Bar started with one bold, modern-day heroine: Abbie, who quit drinking and quickly realized that the non-alcoholic beverage scene was giving “room temperature tap water…

If you’re sober and love to laugh so hard your LaCroix might geyser out your nose, hit pause on life and add Sam Miller’s new Stand Up! Records comedy album and special, Round Trip, to your playlist—immediately, if not sooner. We’ve been huge fans of Sam since our 2024 interview, and watching him release a full-blown special that celebrates humor, honesty, and recovery feels like a win for the entire sober community. Sober comics are having a moment—and Sam Miller is leading the charge with a style that’s part Kyle Kinane, part Tommy Chong, with a surprising-but-perfect undercurrent of Margaret…

That night was just like any other night…Founder Tyrone Hazen was posted up around a campfire in Bend, Oregon — you know, the place where flannel is a lifestyle and hot springs are basically therapy. Drinks in hand, friends buzzing, fire crackling. Pure PNW perfection. Then, as fate would have it, Tyrone experienced a dilemma so universal it deserves its own episode of Dateline: How do you keep your beer cold but your hands toasty? Enter: The Buddy. Yes, a real friend — not the kind who “likes” your sober memes but never shows up to brunch. This pal ripped…

If you’ve been following The Sober Curator for a while, you already know we’re longtime fans of Pop Buchanan—artist, storyteller, and founder of the Sober Is Dope movement. What you might not know is that Pop is also a close, personal friend of mine, the kind of friend you meet online in the strange digital swirl of pandemic life and instantly recognize as a member of your soul tribe. Pop has a way of turning lived experience into gospel—raw, rhythmic, deeply human gospel. And with his new single, “Daffodils and Moses,” he goes somewhere even deeper. Produced by 6ix Pomona…

25 Gifts for the Sober But Never Boring ‘Tis the season to be sparkly, grounded, gloriously sober — and extra generous with gifts that bring joy, inspiration, and a little wink-wink personality. Whether you’re shopping for your sober bestie, your newly curious cousin, your ride-or-die recovery buddy, or — let’s be honest — yourself (because WE deserve nice things), I’ve curated 25 of my absolute favorite gifts for the season. Everything here is handpicked through the lens of a sober lifestyle that refuses to be dull. We’re talking fun, functional, irreverent, stylish, nostalgic, artsy, and occasionally sweary. Grab a peppermint…

Listen, I’ve been many things in my life—a media maven, a recovering perfectionist, a woman who will absolutely judge a book by its cover—but for the longest time, I was not someone who made good smoothies at home. I wanted to be. I tried to be. But every attempt turned into a mushy, melty, lumpy situation that made me wonder if smoothie sorcery was reserved only for people with a magical Vitamix aura and a CSA subscription. Honestly, I only have a kitchen because it came with the house. While I have many skills that pay the bills, meal prep…

The holidays are here — cue the carols, chaos, and candy canes. For many, this season brings sugar highs, travel stress, and the annual debate over whether Die Hard counts as a Christmas movie (it does). But at The Sober Curator, our contributors are proving you don’t need spiked eggnog or blurry memories to make the season sparkle. We asked our crew to spill their favorite holiday movies, songs, foods, and traditions — plus the one word they hope defines their sober selves this season. The results? A joyful mash-up of humor, heart, and enough personality to fill Santa’s sleigh…

If you’ve been paying attention (and here at The Sober Curator, we always are), you already know that sober sauna culture isn’t just having a moment—it’s having a full-blown, eucalyptus-infused ERA. From the rise of hot/cold wellness clubs to the surge in non-alcoholic nightlife spaces, the world is officially waking up to what we’ve been shouting from the (steam-filled) rooftops: you don’t need booze to have a transcendent night out—sometimes all you need is a sauna, a soundtrack, and some seriously good vibes. Melbourne, get ready. Because ASCENSION—the city’s first-ever sober sauna rave—is about to turn your expectations of nightlife…

He didn’t expect the Giants to win. Nobody did. It was Super Bowl Sunday, the Patriots were undefeated, and Justin Gurland was sitting in rehab on the opposite side of the country from everyone he loved. But the Giants pulled off a ridiculous, against-all-odds victory — and for a 25-year-old heroin addict who’d just landed in detox on his golden birthday, that tiny sports miracle became something bigger: proof that outcomes aren’t fixed, and maybe his life wasn’t either. Justin explains to me on The Sober Curator Podcast that he didn’t know any sober people when he got clean. None.…

Austin, Texas knew exactly what it was doing when it rolled out perfect November weather for the Third Annual Sans Bar Academy Awards Weekend, held November 6–8. Three days, dozens of sober trailblazers, one mechanical bull, a sparkling avalanche of disco fringe — and a movement proving yet again that the non-alcoholic landscape isn’t just growing… it’s thriving, vibing, and rewriting culture in real time. I was on the ground (and occasionally on a bull) capturing every moment for The Sober Curator, and let me tell you: this year’s celebration didn’t just raise the bar — it lassoed it, disco-fied…

“I literally felt like my cells were rearranging themselves because now I was complete.”Margy Schaller What happens when people stop hiding their sobriety — and start celebrating it out loud? For Margy Schaller, that shift felt like a physical transformation. After 18 years of sobriety lived mostly in silence, she finally came out publicly — and found freedom through Sober Life Rocks, the community she co-founded with Laura Nelson. Together, they’re now leading something bigger: Amplify Sober Voices, a conference debuting at Podfest 2026 designed to unite sober creators, coaches, writers, and leaders from every corner of the alcohol-free world.…

If your passport is begging for a new stamp and your soul is craving connection, Guatemala might be calling your name. On a recent episode of The Sober Curator Podcast, I teamed up with our Senior Sober Curator Travel Journalist, Teresa Bergen, to chat with Philippa Myers, founder of SoberTravelRetreats.org. Philippa has called Antigua, Guatemala home since 1992, and she’s turned her decades in the travel industry and her long-term recovery into something pretty magical: eight-day sober journeys that blend cultural immersion, service, recovery principles, and serious fun. National Geographic named Guatemala its #1 destination for 2025, and after hearing…

When The Real Margaret Josephs tells you she’s “always been the designated driver—and the life of the party,” you know she means it. Alongside her best friend and business partner Lexi Barbuto, she’s rewriting what it means to celebrate with Soirée—a luxury non-alcoholic drink brand that’s part beverage, part movement. Soirée isn’t just a pretty can—it’s a vibe. Vintage prints, glamorous design, and flavor profiles that whisper Palm Springs and confidence. Think cucumber-mint lychee, watermelon-basil, or the new Café Spritz launching for Dry January. Each sip says: you belong here, no explanations needed. For Margaret, the inspiration came from watching…

“Hello, I’m Richard.”  That’s how the door opened for Wendy Correa — Ringo at the threshold, sobriety on the other side. The handshake at her very first AA meeting didn’t fix anything overnight; it simply gave her proof that recovery is human, possible and sometimes standing there with a Beatles grin.   Wendy’s story arcs like a mixtape: LA label years that were glittering and gritty; a DUI that snapped the soundtrack; a late-night audition in a tiny booth where knobs and sliders looked like a spaceship; and a mountain town where the request line rang at 4 a.m. with a familiar gravelly voice asking for Warren Zevon.   She had spent…

I didn’t go to Good Day Sauna planning to cold plunge. In fact, I declared to anyone who would listen (the ferry, the clouds, my poor Adidas wedge flip-flops) that I absolutely would not be plunging. Cut to me borrowing Libby’s Crocs, squealing my way into Puget Sound, and popping back out with a whoop that startled a seagull. Spoiler: I survived—and I slept like a dream afterwards. A Sober Spa Day, Seattle-Style On a gray Saturday afternoon in Seattle, I met up with two of my favorite co-conspirators, Libby and Nina, longtime ride or dies from my magazine days, to check out Good…

If there’s one thing we’ve learned since swapping cocktails for mocktails and hangovers for early-morning clarity, it’s this: traveling sober is the ultimate luxury. No fuzzy memories, no bar tabs, no FOMO. Just full presence, connection, and experiences that actually stick. Whether you’re in year one of recovery or year twenty, these curated sober retreats and trips are proof that the world is wide open for those ready to explore it — zero-proof style. And before we dive in, let’s give a huge round of sober applause to our Senior Sober Curator Contributor + Travel Journalist, Teresa Bergen, who has…

Another year, another wave of sober curiosity, recovery conversations, and culture-shifting content. From deep dives into pop culture to product reviews that spark curiosity (and sometimes controversy), The Sober Curator community continues to show up, click in, and stay inspired. Here are the Top 25 Most-Read Articles of 2025, as voted by your views, shares, and saves. Let’s take a look at what resonated most this year. Fun fact! This list isn’t just curated — it’s data-driven. With 763 articles from 40+ contributors and 220,000 unique visitors spending an average of three minutes per visit since January 1st, 2025, it’s…

“Today I am sober and you are sober.”That’s how the episode ends — two grown women wearing alien headbands, debating whether the ocean is actually space. Because let’s be honest, sobriety doesn’t mean you stop asking weird questions. It just means you remember to hydrate between them. The internet is currently losing its collective mind over something called 3I Atlas — apparently the third interstellar visitor to enter our solar system. Detected in July 2025, moving like it knew where it was going, and then—because drama loves a plot twist—it vanished for 19 seconds before popping back up. Cue NASA’s…

Looking for a night out that’s playful, creative, and completely alcohol-free? Mark your calendars, because Sober AF Bottle Shop in Tacoma, WA is hosting its Build, Sip & Chill LEGO® Event Series this fall—and it’s guaranteed to bring out your inner kid while keeping things fresh, fun, and sober. The Event Each evening, guests will gather to build epic LEGO® sets (themes announced soon), sip on craft zero-proof cocktails, and chill in one of the most Instagram-worthy sober spaces around. Every ticket includes one non-alcoholic craft beverage, with rotating options to keep things exciting. My Experience I attended one of…

There’s something I wish someone had told me early in my sobriety journey:Letting go of alcohol is only step one.Learning how to live again is the real transformation. It wasn’t the alcohol I missed — it was feeling alive. The spontaneous fun. The deep belly laughs. The sense of connection and adventure. For a while, I wondered if that part of life was gone for good. I didn’t want to just exist in sobriety; I wanted to come alive in it. But here’s the thing no one really teaches you — how to build a life that feels exciting, purposeful,…

Gray Area, Bright Lines: Why Kelley Kitley’s Honesty Lands Where It Hurts — and Heals  “I just want to take the edge off.” It’s the whisper that pretends to be help. On a quiet out-of-town night, therapist and author Kelley Kitley felt that old whisper again — years into sobriety. The picture looked harmless enough: hotel room, kid at practice, fatigue baked into the week. Then came the honest math: half an hour of exhale in exchange for a full day of consequences — and, if history has any say, a lot more than one day. So she did what…