Author: Contributor to The Sober Curator

Radio Personality and DJ Dan Amsden, aka Huggie, thrived on boldness, charisma, and intensity on and off the mic when it came to his radio career of 10 years to DJing as ‘TVTV.’ To keep up the momentum and party life, he turned to cocaine, eventually leading him to rehab. After a year of being clean and sober, Huggie is grounding his creative passions by leaning into music, producing, and keeping an open mind towards what makes him grow into ‘the artist way’ of living while inspiring others around him to recover out loud. Follow HUGGIE on Instagram: @itsmehuggie Follow…

Josh James, a career bartender, took a year off drinking to see what would happen. His result was realizing his full potential and reviewing NA Beverages as Josh the Non-Alcoholic on YouTube and Instagram. After creating 30 videos, he walked into a deli establishment that happened to be closing in 1 week. 3 months later and 11 months into being a non-drinker, Josh opened Ocean Beach Cafe to build the largest non-alcoholic beverage selection in the country! The response has been massive in the booming industry as he continues to take this ride to the moon! Instagram: @joshthenonalcoholic Website: oceanbeachcafe.com…

Are you alcohol-free? You’re in the right spot! Subscribe to Relatable AF for FREE and you’ll get the goods delivered directly to your inbox on the first Monday of each month with: AF Tips (alcohol-free)Updates from meResources and RecommendationsAnd discounts on my favorite brands! But wait…There’s more! For only $8 per month, you get emails every single Monday filled with all the goodies that come in the monthly subscription and so. much. more. You’ll get BONUS resources, tips, and advice….and you’ll get them more often. AND – Weekly in-depth Q&As and my personal essays exclusive to Relatable AF subscribers. PLUS – Get involved! Join the community discussion threads to…

Philip Speer is the Chef and Owner of Comedor, an award-winning Mexican restaurant in downtown Austin. Starting his culinary career at 17 as a baker, Philip moved swiftly into esteemed Pastry Chef positions at Austin’s most innovative restaurants. After struggling through years of addiction, Philip made a profound recovery. He found a renewed motivation by changing his life habits to focus on running, healthy eating, sobriety, and honest dialogue in the restaurant community. Philip now works as a change advocate in the culinary sphere, offering resources and opportunities for peers and employees to engage in a healthier lifestyle. Philip heads…

From his humble beginnings in rural North Carolina to eventually touring the world as a tech and his recent work as a producer for Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls, Gregory Dwane has first-hand seen many facets of the music industry. Add to his impressive pedigree a bit of alcoholism, burnout, and fatherhood, and you’ve got life experience in spades, all informing the songs on his self-titled debut record, which establishes him as the alt-country songwriter. Gregory takes us through his history, from finding his sobriety to becoming a painter and art gallery owner, only to find himself back into…

Chelsie Cahoon aka The Sober Raver is an entrepreneur, business owner, published model, singer/songwriter, and content creator who travels all over the country with her work. She is the founder and owner of the company Music Is The Drug which is a non-judgmental company that aims to show the world that whether you use substances or not, music is the ultimate drug that unites us all. She chose to live a sober life from a very young age and has been completely drug and alcohol-free her entire life. Her mission is to show people that you can literally get high…

The 2022 Couture and Cars show featured the collections of eight fashion designers around the PNW area. The venue was Lemay’s Car Museum, adjacent to the Tacoma Dome. The producers created a runway in between the rows of rare antique automobiles. Models walked down a polished concrete path in step with curated music to display the attire. The full line-up of designers is included at the end of the article; however, I narrowed my focus to three collections that caught my attention. Overall, the show was brilliant. #1 Chance Watt Takes his Art from Canvas to Couture To know me…

I didn’t plan to be an alcoholic. I didn’t plan to live a life of recovery. But here I am, seven years in, leading a pretty kick-ass life. A better life than the one I contemplated over most nights after a glass or two (Rather, bottle or two) of wine. I thought all of my problems would be solved when… When I got a pay raise. When I got a promotion and found the love of my life, you see the pattern. Once one or all of those conditions were met, I would not have to drink so much. Problem…

The word Marikit is a Tagalog term demonstrating superlatives such as gorgeous, splendid, beautiful or magnificent. So, it goes without saying the Seattle Marikit fashion show was all of those things. After weeks of organization by the production team it was held on June 25th, 2022 at the Muckleshoot Casino events center in Auburn, WA. A shockingly gorgeous and expansive venue with all the bells and whistles necessary to put on a good show. The main feature was designer Edwin Uy @edwinfuy who is worldrenowned for men’s and women’s formal wear. The show began with an impressive cast upwards of…

Arlina Allen, Host of the One Day at a Time Podcast and Founder of the Sober Life School brings you the ultimate resource guide that is perfect for the first 100 days in recovery. Sober Curator Pro Tip: Even if you’ve been sober longer, you are still going to love this list! About Arlina Allen There was a time when I thought I was just a fun party girl. To say I was proud of the fact that I could drink men twice my size under the table was an understatement. For a long time, I had A LOT of fun.…

A story about how falling in love made me feel like I had relapsed katie MACK Seven years ago I was sitting in AA because I was in trouble with my boyfriend, or I guess, he was my ex-boyfriend? I was always in trouble with one ex-boyfriend/boyfriend/ex-girlfriend/girlfriend or another (being queer has increased my chances for more failure opportunities). This was why I was always drying out for one to two months for my third (or fourth?) time in this relationship, and why I was sitting in my fifth AA meeting of the week. Sponsor-less and step-less, I was still well…

Non-alcoholic beverages seem to be all the rage, so I was pumped to try Nashi Orchards Korean Giant Non-Alcoholic Perry which just so happens to be LOCAL!🍐 (to the Pacific Northwest) Welcome to Nashi Orchards on Vashon Island, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary! I got to meet the owners (husband and wife duo) Cheryl Lubbert and perry maker Jim Gerlach, for the launch of their first non-alcoholic line coined the “Hana” series. The first release is a sparkling perry made from 100% Korean Giant Asian pear juice, with no added flavoring. It seriously tastes like Asian pear in a…

A couple of weeks ago I walked out of a medical spa and slumped down in my car and cried. I had images taken of my face as I was contemplating Botox. The evidence was all there. At forty-three years old I have done some hard living in active addiction. Sunspots, crow’s feet, puffy bags under my eyes, heavy creases in my forehead, and nasolabial folds. And while I fully recognize this is part of the natural aging process, I also know my own lifestyle choices are to blame. I looked in my rear-view mirror and was overcome with shame.…

It has been 5 years since I drank alcohol. It has been 5 years since I woke up in that jail cell. It has been 5 years of battling and trying to navigate life. It has been 5 years since I made a 5-year plan. In this episode, I want to share with you the five things I have learned in the past five years of being sober. I hope my lessons will help you, whether in your life journey, or the battle to sobriety. SOBER SPOTLIGHT: Jay Chase, Founder of Don’t Touch My Mindset Podcast and Mindset Coach SOBER…

Richard Gallardo Ozuna has one of those looks that stops you dead in your tracks. There is an element of mystery yet warmth behind his eyes. Leading to a person to contemplate if is he the scariest person in the room or the most welcoming? The latter is quickly evident after a few moments with Ozuna. His booming voice is inviting and full of hope. Its immediately evident he is comfortable in his own skin and aims to put you at ease. When we talked on the phone a few weeks back he cut right to the chase. As a…

It’s not hard to be content in the lap of luxury in Miami when seated poolside at the luxurious Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. The venue for the spring 2022 She Recovers convention, was housed on a golf course/country club for the many elite retirees in sunny Florida. The hotel/resort is spectacular with Versace-esq motif and plenty of gilded corners to discover. Yet there is too much art, culture and cuisine offered up by Miami to indulge in vs. sitting still on idle sober hands. Between the art and culture, cuisine, and shopping, Miami is a literal hotspot for foodies,…

A few months ago, I stumbled on a coffee table book that is quite possibly one of my favorite purchases this year. It tells the story in glossy pictures of a world I already lived in. Beige is Not a Color by Carlos Mota, a Venezuelan-born interior decorator, stylist, and artist. Mota describes the importance of vibrant colors in his life and how they infiltrate his home décor, personal style, and overall aesthetic. When flipping through the pages of the book (edge-painted in crimson red) I am thoroughly inspired. Selections for my home and my closet are confirmed as I am…

Katie Mack brings a refreshing approach and vitality to storytelling through her craft of acting, writing, and Webby award-winning podcast F*cking Sober: The First 90 Days Podcast, described as an “unflinching semi-comedic mostly nonfictional narrative podcast about the first 90 days of being f*cking sober.” Over a decade of experience in theater, TV, and film, Katie not only elevates the stage with her creative input, but she is also outward about her addiction recovery and reaching two years of sobriety. Follow Along with Katie Mack: Follow along with Mei McIntosh in all of the digital spaces and places Support +…

Decidedly Dry is a positive, uplifting, sober podcast where the focus is on the good. Hosted by Jess Steitzer, a coffee-slurping, messy bun wearing, boy-mom who strives to keep it real and bring a smile to your face. What’ll you find here? Hopefully more than a few dashes of entertainment, a lot of DRY humor, and plenty of real conversations. Sober Style With Sober Curator & Fashion Editor Kate Vitela Kate is a mental health professional, a sober badass, and a fashion editor for The Sober Curator. Her column, Walk Your Talk, is entertaining, inspiring, and absolutely fabulous.  More about…

Pivotal Moments in life are those moments that change our lives forever. They change the course of who we are and what we do. They often occur at a crossroads where we must choose and take an irrevocable step forward. Pivotal moments can be anything from realizing you have achieved what you want to getting fired from your job to getting married. They can be turning points that have both positive and negative impacts. However, they often shape our lives and help us grow as individuals. As we start off the second season of the Don’t Touch My Mindset Podcast, on pivot…

By Elizabeth Ross Hubbell Growing up in a small town without a lot of money was a motivator for me—to do better in school, to be the first on my mother’s side to finish college, to seek a new life in a vibrant, diverse city on the other side of the country. I leased a top-floor apartment in a boho neighborhood. I educated myself about wine, bought monogrammed linens, and discovered a love of jazz. I was finally an adult and having a blast! As my life progressed from single woman to married professional and my disposable income grew, that…

Originally from the west coast of Canada, singer and songwriter Michelle Reid blend dark soul-baring honesty in her lyrics with glitchy electronic production and catchy pop melodies. She releases original music under her solo artist project, “Sorcia”, where she also advocates for mental health awareness, specifically in terms of OCD, eating disorders, and alcohol recovery. Michelle got her start as a singer, dancer, and actress in the theatre, touring Canada, the US, and Europe with shows such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Superman, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She writes music for film and TV placements as well as…

Despite what society wants you to believe, being overwhelmed and burnt out isn’t normal and no, not all the cool kids are doing it. Being burnt out can have a negative effect on our health. It can cause elevated stress, insomnia, depression, memory issues, increased irritability, weakened immune system, and lack of productivity, just to name a few. Who knew that trying to overwhelm yourself with more tasks can actually yield opposite results! Before you know it, you’re snapping at your loved ones, can’t remember where you left your glasses (have you checked the top of your head?) and your…

Mother’s Day is special to me because…I’m a mom. But not only that, it reminds me of why I decided to cut alcohol from my life. If I hadn’t had my son, I’m not quite sure that I’d be a non-drinker today. In fact, I’d probably be going out to bars regularly and trying to relive the glory days of my early 20s. I had a blast back then – but I’m glad I’ve moved on and that I’m living my life alcohol-free. So, back to Mother’s Day – most people who take on the mother role in a child’s…

How solo travel can be an opportunity for growth and a total sober trip.

“Whose bag is this!?” I shouted to the room one Sunday at a sober gal’s brunch in Seattle. I slung the Louis Vuitton Multi-Pochette over my shoulder and began playing with it. “It’s mine,” said Nicole Ghazal with a laugh. I should have known as she was impeccably dressed in notable yet understated style. Ghazal graciously took the time to show me how all three accessory pouches were detached serving to maximize the bag’s use. It was obvious this was a very intentional purchase. “It was kind of expensive,” she told me. “But I bought it resale and I did…

S.C. Jensen is a Canadian fiction writer, sci-fi and horror enthusiast, and literary advocate. She lives with her husband, children, and various fuzzy friends on an acreage in The-Middle-of-Nowhere (a.k.a. Northern Saskatchewan). She spends most of her days crafting stories about ordinary people forced to act in extraordinary situations and is perpetually rooting for the underdog. That’s because she used to be the underdog in her own story. Since quitting drinking on August 31, 2018, she’s come into her own as a sober creative and hopes to share her experiences with fiction lovers from all walks of life. Jensen dabbles…

For sober people, as if trying not to drink isn’t hard enough, we also have to live in a world that is filled with alcohol. It’s everywhere we turn; we can’t get away from it even if we want to. Unless you choose to live off the grid, I suppose. But, if you’re like me and live very much on the grid, you know that having confidence in your choice to live without alcohol doesn’t come easy. Drinking is normal. Not drinking isn’t.As they say in some circles, it works if you work it. The same goes for being secure…

3 Pop- punk favorites, Avil Lavigne’s love story and an inspiring recovery journey from punk rocker, Mod Sun.

Hi, my name is Kate, and I am a fast-fashion-aholic. The first step in my journey was admitting I was powerless over $10 shirts from H&M, Zara, and Top Shop. The second step for me was figuring out what the hell to do with the reams of clothing that overflowed my walk-in, my cloffice, and my laundry room. Then there were the shameful drops at the Goodwill of bags upon bags of my discards. I even took to throwing clothes in the garbage. Yep folks, on the spectrum of a fashion use disorder, I was severe. So, I am publicly…