I recently packed my emotional baggage, pop culture references, and very sober opinions and headed over to the Recovery Rocks podcast for a conversation with bestselling authors and longtime sober friends Anna David and Lisa Smith.
And yes, we brought snacks. Metaphorically. But still.
Hosted by Anna David, author of Party Girl, and Lisa Smith, author of the award-winning memoir Girl Walks Out of a Bar, Recovery Rocks is the kind of recovery podcast that knows sobriety is not one long inspirational quote over a sunset. It is first dates, weddings, awkward dances, breakups, reinvention, identity shifts, friendship, and occasionally wondering why everyone else seems to have received the user manual for being a normal adult.
In this episode, Anna and Lisa sit down with me to talk sober pop culture and why people in recovery deserve more than crisis content.
Because let’s be honest: once you are no longer Googling “Do I have a drinking problem?” at 2:13 a.m., you still need somewhere to go. You need books, shows, music, events, travel ideas, mocktails, style, humor, community, and someone willing to say, “Yes, this is weird. Also, you are doing great.”
That is where The Sober Curator comes in.
The episode explores why I created The Sober Curator as a digital destination for people who are sober, sober curious, in recovery, or simply living alcohol-free and still obsessed with pop culture, fashion, entertainment, and living well. Not everyone in sobriety is looking for instructions on how to stop drinking. Many people are looking for ideas on how to keep building a life they actually want to stay present for.
And that life includes more than meetings and milestones.
It includes what to watch, what to read, where to travel, what to drink when you are not drinking, what to bring to the party, how to survive holidays, how to date, how to laugh at yourself, and how to feel like a whole person again.
During the conversation, we discuss real-life moments that shape recovery stories, including the funny, uncomfortable, vulnerable, and occasionally ridiculous aspects of sober living. Because recovery is powerful, but it is also deeply human. Sometimes it is profound. Sometimes it is a group text. Sometimes it is realizing you can dance sober and nobody died, including you.
The episode also touches on what is next for The Sober Curator, including The Sober Sip newsletter and the upcoming membership community, Backstage with The Sober Curator.
Backstage is designed for sober and sober-curious pop culture lovers who want more connection, more conversation, and more behind-the-scenes access to the people, stories, and ideas shaping sober living today. Think live sessions, special content, cultural commentary, and a community that understands you can be deeply committed to your recovery and still care about what everyone wore to the Met Gala.
As Anna and Lisa put it, The Sober Curator is for “pop culture, fashion, and entertainment junkies who happen not to drink.”
Honestly? We will be putting that on our emotional business card.
Listen to the episode, subscribe to Recovery Rocks, and then come hang out with us inside The Sober Curator universe. We have sober pop culture, smart recommendations, zero hangovers, and just enough sparkle to keep things interesting.
Sober Curator Fun Fact: Recovery Rocks has a podcast profile page in our Recovery Podcastland channel and you can see all of the other articles that have featured Anna David and Lisa Smith.
Check Out Their Books
TSC LIBRARY: Welcome to The Sober Curator Library! This isn’t your average stack of books—we’re talking full-on story immersion, Audible binges, and reviews with personality. Browse our four go-to genres: #QUITLIT, Addiction Fiction, Self-Help, and NA Recipe Books. And if you’re collecting recovery reads like rare trading cards, check out our Amazon #QUITLIT list—Early Sobriety Survival: Books for Your First 90 Days. Grab your backpack, book nerd.
📘 Submit a Book for our #QuitLit Library: Welcome to the largest culturally-driven sober book collection on the internet. Memoir, fiction, criticism, quit lit, anything that fits a Gen X or Millennial sober reader past initiation. Submit your book →
RECOVERY PODCASTLAND & NETWORK at The Sober Curator is your audio haven for all things sobriety and recovery. We’re your bee-zy sober podcast enthusiasts, curating the best shows that educate, inspire, and entertain in the alcohol-free space.
Our archives are neatly organized so you can easily explore Recovery Podcastland—featuring our favorite recovery-based podcasts from across the globe—and the TSC Podcast Network, where we share our own original shows on sober lifestyle, pop culture, travel, entertainment, and more.
Whether you’re seeking practical recovery tips, personal stories, or uplifting inspiration, this is your go-to listening guide. 🎧 Submit a Podcast for Review: Recovery Podcastland coverage and reviews. Shows that earn their place in our audience’s queue. Submit your podcast →
Where recovery stories find their voice.
You’ve got ideas. Stories. Opinions. A perspective shaped by lived experience, recovery, and a deep understanding that the world needs more honest conversations. And yet, the podcast is still just an idea sitting in your Notes app.
If that sounds familiar, you’re in the right place.
We are holding space for people who have been dreaming about launching their own podcast but don’t know where to begin or how to do it without burning out, overspending, or losing momentum halfway through episode three. LEARN MORE HERE.
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Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
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What Is the Recovery Rocks Podcast?
Recovery Rocks is a podcast hosted by Anna David and Lisa Smith that explores the real-life experiences of addiction, recovery, and sober living. The show covers everything from first sober dates and weddings without alcohol to breakups, friendship, identity, and the everyday moments that come with life in recovery.
Who Hosted This Episode of Recovery Rocks?
This episode was hosted by Anna David and Lisa Smith. Anna is the author of Party Girl, and Lisa is the author of the award-winning memoir Girl Walks Out of a Bar. Both are bestselling authors and longtime sober voices.
Who Was Featured From The Sober Curator?
Alysse Bryson, founder of The Sober Curator, was featured on the episode. She joined Anna and Lisa to talk about sober pop culture, entertainment, recovery, reinvention, and building a lifestyle media platform for people who do not drink.
What Is The Sober Curator?
The Sober Curator is a sober lifestyle and pop culture website covering books, movies, TV, music, sober travel, events, non-alcoholic drinks, gift guides, sober celebrities, recovery resources, and alcohol-free living.
What Is Backstage With The Sober Curator?
Backstage with The Sober Curator is a membership community featuring live sessions, special content, behind-the-scenes conversations, and community connection for sober and sober-curious pop culture lovers.
