Author: Alysse Bryson

Breaking news! Dax Shepard has 7 days sober. This was the main headline on social media on September 25th, 2020. This news broke my heart a little when I heard it. I hurt for him. I hurt for his family. It’s something I fear will (could easily) happen to me too. Friday afternoon I was enjoying my weekly zoom “happy hour” with what I refer to as my OG’s. This group of wildly creative humans holds a very special spot in my heart. We all worked together back in my magazine days. The group is made up of either people…

TOST is an alcohol-free, effervescent beverage made of white tea, cranberry, and ginger. I’m not going to bury the lead here. You’re going to love the taste. I think it’s delicious. Bubbles are for everyone! This drink has no problem standing on its own. And stand it does! The packaging on this drink is just as good as the taste itself. The bottle looks and feels elegant. Their logo has a clean, effortless design. You will carry this bottle with pride coming into the holiday season. It’s the perfect alcohol-free option for any gathering that might end up on your…

Sober is the New Cool is an organization based in Canada with a unique story. In 2013, Kim Bellas 15 -year-old son started having seizures. Like most teenagers, he enjoyed going to parties and socializing. A significant aspect of these parties was the consumption of alcohol, and her son was unable to drink due to his seizures. (and we are guessing because he was also under the legal drinking age limit) Kim reassured her son that alcohol wasn’t necessary to have a good time. It dawned on her how hypocritical she was being as she found herself frequently drinking wine.…

Welcome to Happy Every Hour by The Sober Curator At The Sober Curator, we think alcohol-free beverages that are fun, festive, and zero proof and should be for everyone and that’s where Dry Botanical Bubbly comes in. We are so excited to start bringing you reviews and recipes of what we are drinking right now. Our Sober Curators are working behind the scenes taste testing, sampling, and mixing to our heart’s desires. Just because we don’t drink (cocktails) anymore, doesn’t mean we don’t want to settle in at the end of a long day with a tasty liquid treat as…

The Sober Curator was recently featured on a local TV station in Seattle. Being featured on KING 5’s local show Evening (formerly known as Evening magazine) was a dream come true. This show has been around for over 30 years and I grew up watching it from my hometown Centralia, WA. You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl. Earlier this summer, amidst the global pandemic, “Home” was exactly where I went to build out the plan for The Sober Curator. My parents secretly love it when I show…

Clean Cause Celebrates National Recovery Month It’s National Recovery month and that is a month to celebrate your sober self! Clean Cause donates 50% of profits to support individuals in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. Plus, this month to celebrate, they have some pretty great offers. Curator Pro Tip: Want to learn about more things happening for National Recovery Month? You can check them out here. Sober Swag alert! Buy 1 or more cases of CLEAN, receive free car window decal! Buy 2 or more cases of CLEAN, receive free T-Shirt or tank top. You guys! This stuff tastes…

Do you want to have the perfect sober day in Seattle? Let’s pretend you’re visiting me from out of town. I’m going to treat you to my curated sober itinerary of places I love in the emerald city. This is just one example of how I might spend the perfect day alcohol free entertaining a friend from out of town. There will be many more sober in Seattle days coming soon! First stop – food! We’re going to have a busy day, so we better get fueled up and ready to go. The good news is we’re sober, so we…

Giving up alcohol. The day was May 1st, 2006. I was coming off of a weekend bender with alcohol where I attempted to control my drinking. My last drink was consumed on April 30th. As I write this blog post today, April 30th, 2020, I have not had a drink in 14 years. That’s 5,113 days without a drink. Yes. I still count my days. A few weeks before, I had visited Residence XII in Kirkland, WA, an all-female alcohol & drug addiction treatment facility for a full evaluation. This was my third evaluation in a one-month period, over the March/April timeframe,…

Here’s to Zero-Proof Partying! We taste-tested the DRY Watermelon Botanical Bubbly Firecracker recipe and it was happiness in a glass. Literally! If you love watermelon with a hint of spice, then you’ll want to add this alcohol-free bevy to your next Happy Every Hour.  Here’s to friends with convertibles! That’s what you’ll find on the packaging of the DRY Watermelon Botanical Bubbly. Their claim? Four ingrédients plus a dash of je ne sais quoi. FIRECRACKER RECIPE CARD: 1 Sugar Cube1 oz. Fresh Lime JuiceCubed WatermelonJalapeno Slices to taste8 oz. DRY Watermelon Botanical BubblyLime wheel for garnish DIRECTIONS: In a shaker…

Here’s to Zero-Proof Partying! We taste-tested DRY Blood Orange Botanical Bubbly and our lips fell in love at first taste. If you love a good alcohol-free Paloma, then you’ll want to add this zero-proof bevie to your next Happy Every Hour.  Here’s to fancy pizza night! That’s what you’ll find on the packaging of the DRY Blood Orange Botanical Bubbly. Their claim? Four ingredients plus magic. DRY PALOMA RECIPE CARD: .5 oz Lime Juice1.5 oz Pink Grapefruit Juice6 oz. DRY Blood Orange Botanical BubblyKosher salt for rimLime wedge DIRECTIONS: Combine lime juice and grapefruit juice in a shaker with ice.…

Standing in the Gap is going virtual! Standing in the Gap is going virtual! Please join us for a morning to learn about the healing work of Recovery Café. Let’s celebrate National Recovery month in Seattle! What to expect? You will learn what we’re doing to serve our Members during the Covid-19 pandemic and how you can help. Standing in the Gap will take place on Thursday, September 17 from 7:30-9:00 a.m. online. Recovery Cafe Mission Statement Recovery Cafe Mission Statement: We are a community of individuals who have been traumatized by homelessness, addiction and other mental health challenges coming…

Here’s to Zero-Proof Partying! We taste-tested DRY Pineapple Botanical Bubbly Zero-Proof Chili Lime-Aid recipe. If you are looking to spice up your mocktail life, then you’ll want to add this alcohol-free bevie to your next Happy Every Hour. Four ingredients plus the optimism! That’s what you’ll find on the packaging on DRY Pineapple Botanical Bubbly. We’ll drink to that! The Sober Curator’s glass is always half full and alcohol-free. Why? Because drunk never looks good! DRY PINEAPPLE CHILI LIME-AID RECIPE CARD: DIRECTIONS: Run a slice of lime around the edge of a glass and dip the glass into the salt,…

Here’s to Zero-Proof Partying! We taste-tested DRY Ginger Botanical Bubbly Zero-Proof Ginger Mule recipe and it did not disappoint. If ginger is what you crave, then you’ll want to add this alcohol-free bevie to your next Happy Every Hour. Four ingredients plus the X Factor! That’s what you’ll find on the packaging on DRY Ginger Botanical Bubbly. We’ll drink to that! Our glass is always half full at Happy Every Hour. There’s just no booze in it. GINGER MULE RECIPE CARD: DIRECTIONS: In a shaker tin or pint glass, lightly muddle mint leaves and lime juice. Top with crushed ice…

Here’s to Zero-Proof Partying! We taste-tested DRY Vanilla Botanical Bubbly Zero-Proof Blushing Bee’s Knees recipe. If you love a vanilla, honey, berry hybrid, then you’ll want to add this alcohol-free bevie to your next Happy Every Hour. Here’s to the corner piece of cake! That’s what you’ll find on the packaging of the DRY Vanilla Botanical Bubbly. Sober people love cake. That’s just a fact. This beverage has four ingredients plus your good name. We’ll drink to that because drunk never looks good. BLUSHING BEE’S KNEES RECIPE CARD: DIRECTIONS: In a shaker mix lemon juice, raspberries, honey, and water. shake…

Here’s to Zero-Proof Partying! We taste-tested DRY Cool as a Cucumber recipe and decided we should probably pause the alcohol-free tasting tour and go get manis and pedi’s. That’s how delightful it tastes! If you love spa water as much as I do, then you’ll want to add this alcohol-free bevie to your next Happy Every Hour. Or maybe just drink it every hour? You’ll still be well below the legal drinking limit. Here’s to glamping! That’s what you’ll find on the packaging of the DRY Cucumber Botanical Bubbly. Their claim? Four ingredients plus one serving of good karma. Social distance…

Here’s to Zero-Proof Partying! We taste-tested the DRY Lavender Bloom recipe and true blue baby I love you! If you love blueberries with a hint of lemon, then you’ll want to add this alcohol-free bevie to your next Happy Every Hour. Here’s to your haircut! That’s what you’ll find on the packaging of the DRY Lavender Botanical Bubbly. Their claim? Four ingredients plus good manners. LAVENDER BLOOM RECIPE CARD: DIRECTIONS: Drop a few fresh blueberries in the bottom of a glass and fill 1/2 with lemonade. Fill the remaining 1/2 of the glass with DRY Lavender Botanical Bubbly and garnish…

Here’s to Zero-Proof Partying! We taste-tested DRY Cranberry Botanical Bubbly Zero-Proof Bay Breeze recipe. Pardon the pun, but making this recipe was a breeze. If you love a cran-pineapple hybrid, then you’ll want to add this alcohol-free bevie to your next Happy Every Hour. Here’s to friends with convertibles! That’s what you’ll find on the packaging of the DRY Cranberry Botanical Bubbly. Their claim? Four ingredients plus optimism. We’ll drink to that! Our glass is always half full at Happy Every Hour. There’s just no booze in it. ZERO-PROOF BAY BREEZE RECIPE CARD: DIRECTIONS: In a shaker mix pineapple juice,…

Ice, ice baby What I love about this commercial is that it showcases that craft ice is for everyone. Just because I don’t consume alcohol, doesn’t mean I don’t still enjoy an icy beverage on a hot day. Who am I kidding, I’m in my mid-40s, and that means I want an icy beverage regardless of what the forecast is outside. I drink cold-brewed, iced coffee year-round. When the fancy, shared ice machine in my apartment community broke down last fall, I contemplated moving. This is how seriously and frequently I think about ice. LG “Be a Baller” commercial Bravo!…

At some point in my recovery, I stopped obsessing about “girl gets the guy” aspirations and changed to “girl gets dry” goals. It was the best decision I ever made. Changing my focus from the external and coming to grips with what needed to change on the inside is really when the rubber hit the road in my recovery. Movie of the week: Smashed Smashed is a perfectly heartbreaking reflection of what that storyline looks like “in real life” and a heartwarming example of the beauty and authenticity of relationships formed inside 12 step meetings—not sold yet? One of the…

Rupaul Teaches Self-Expression and Authenticity course on MasterClass Did you know for as little as $15 a month (*billed annually), you can access a huge content library on MasterClass of thousands of lessons from the best in the biz as they share their stories, skills, shortcuts, failures, and successes. If you drank as I did, then you know you could spend that amount on a drink that lasted less than 15 minutes. 2020 has been serving up lemons all year and this global pandemic has given us all more time back into our days. Why not use that time to better yourself…

Back in the day… When I was around six months sober (back in 2006), I vividly remember the first time I walked into a recovery gift shop in Ballard. This quaint shop was located in a hipster suburb of Seattle, Washington known for its Norwegian roots. All these years later, I can almost still smell the intense whiff of patchouli that greeted me as I opened the front door. The shop was located in a house built in the 1950s. This home turned retail destination was located on a hill in the middle of a neighborhood. It was blocks away…

This week in Recovery Podcastland This week our podcast playlist has been dialed into these three recovery podcasts: A Sober Girls Guide, Recovery Rocks, and Recovery Survey. One of my weird obsessions in 2020 has been trying to cram in as much recovery content into my schedule as possible. And trust me when I tell you, I already consume a lot of content. Whether I’m consuming content professionally or recreationally, I have found lots of different pockets of time to sneak in a few podcasts and audiobooks. I find time to do this when I’m folding laundry, driving, walking my…

Unpack your baggage and then pack your bags! There are about a million things to be grateful for in recovery. One of the most unexpected things that happened was the amazing humans that came into my life that otherwise wouldn’t have. Many, and I’m quite confident in this, are and will be friendships of a lifetime. They are my “ride or die” peeps, whether I talk to them weekly, monthly, or only every once in a while. If you’re in recovery, then you already know what I’m talking about. People in recovery speak a different language than “normal” people. Finding…

I have always been fascinated with movies where alcoholism, addiction, and mental illness were the main part of the storyline. If I’m being honest with myself, I’m sure I was comparing myself to others. Before coming to terms with my own issues, I know I had stereotypes. I thought I knew what an alcoholic, an

We have to give it up to the two co-founders of Amend Apparel, Aaron and Mark for designing recovery streetwear t-shirts and hats that we actually want to wear. Meet the fellas Both founders of Amend Apparel have struggled with addiction their entire lives and would have never made it into recovery without the help of others. They both eventually got clean in the country of Costa Rica where they currently still reside. However, they realized that many locals do not have the same help or support that they received, making it even tougher for them to break out of…

Let me tell you where to stick it! I came across SoberCrinky on Pinterest and fell in love with all of her merch, especially the sobriety stickers. Her designs are super fresh and fun and will look great displayed on my laptop and notebooks. It might even be fun to use them on some cute

If you read our post on recovery stickers, then we can say we warned you that SoberCinky handmade items are adorable. We love their hand-stamped jewelry made for people in recovery, by people in recovery. What we are struggling with is to not overdo it and buy everything! Easy does it. First things first. Right??!?!

Welcome to Recovery Podcastland I was a little late to the podcast game. Once I was hooked, I had no problem making up for lost time. I won’t speak for all people in recovery, but as for myself I have a tendency that when I like something, I like it a lot. I overdue it.

I’m not exactly sure when my obsession with Pinterest started. Maybe it’s my love of beautiful photographs and my love of collecting things wrapped up together. Am I a hoarder of pictures? Perhaps. I find the act of “pinning” very relaxing, whether I’m laying in bed at the end of a long day, waiting at

When I first got sober, I was still active on Myspace. So yeah, I’ve been doing this for a little while now, since 2006 actually. All these years I’ve spent so much time and energy thinking about creating a website focused on sobriety and recovery. I fancied one day I’d write that memoir or launch that podcast, but I never did. They’ve always just been ideas in my head. I’m confident I could provide a long list of excuses why I haven’t started until now, but does that even really matter? Nope. It sure doesn’t. A wise person once told…