So you're doing Dry January
A sober-curious exploration.
Picture this: it’s December 31st. You are generally confused by what day it is, you’ve spent a week focused on consumption in all forms, and as you look at yourself in the mirror and slap on another layer of mascara before your big night out, you’re wondering: what the fuck am I doing?
Sound familiar? Well apparently, this is a universal experience, since society has drummed up the Dry January movement. I’m not complaining, as a gal whose liver has certainly run the gamut. Beyond the bounds of a singular month, the act of being sober—or exploring a damp lifestyle—has picked up traction in recent years, fueled by the age of the internet and our ability to learn by the seat of our pants. I, for one, cannot for the life of me stop scrolling and of course ended up on sober-curious TikTok. Generally speaking, I’ll take trends with a grain of salt before I start to enact changes in my life. (It’s the ADHD, I must research every facet before I strike.) However—due to the above sentiment of, for lack of a better term, feeling like shit, little research was needed for me to decide to take a month off.
There is one blatant, shining problem: my glassware staring me down from the confines of my bar cart. Alongside my empty Estelle Colored Glass stemless wineglasses and Sophie Lou Jacobsen carafe sits copious amounts of our household favorite nightcap ingredients. And while they’ll continue to be untouched until February 1st (or longer?) I cannot get through my day without a fun little bevvy. Thus bringing me to the Dry January Survival Kit.
WHAT YOU NEED: The Goods
A fan favorite for a reason, Ghia’s line up of non-alcoholic apéritifs and spritzes will have you feeling like you’re sitting on the corner of a bustling Italian street with a certain not-to-be-named-in-the-month-of-January orange sparkling beverage (I’m triggered). With flavors spanning from their Original apéritif, to Lime & Salt Spritz, the only thing you’ll be missing from the real deal is the empty calories.
Piggybacking off the previous in my longwinded search of thirst-quenching, I stumbled across Lyre’s NA Italian Spritz (!!!) I can’t speak to the flavor or quality just yet, but consider it an immediate add to the never-ending shopping cart.
It’s a snow day in New England and we’re loading logs into the fireplace; I can’t think of anything better than a glass of Red. Unfortunately for me I didn’t think ahead, but if you’re hosting a bangin’ dinner party, or simply looking to unwind, there are hundreds of options in the ether for non-alcoholic wines when you’re feeling over the influence.
Okay—this one scares me. I won’t even front. But alcohol-less tequila exists, and something about a mystery clear liquid is giving me the heebies. Nevertheless, I’d try anything once, and reaching for CleanCo Clean T Blanco Tequila Alternative feels less spooky than it does brave. From Boisson: “Fresh green agave, new age oak, and a bit of olive precede lighter notes of sweet melon and fruit. A dry, peppery finish adds a kick to the finish.” Alright, I’ll bite (sip).
Links to snag damp lifestyle essentials: Boisson | The Zero Proof | Recess | Athletic Brewing | and if you’re local to Boston, the new Dray Bottle Shop in the South End
WHAT YOU NEED: The Vehicle
Nothing is more satisfying than drinking beverages out of a wine glass. It’s just a fact. And if anything is buoying me through this dry month, it’s that. Whether it’s any of the aforementioned NA spirits, a Poppi (or Olipop), or *ahem* a Diet Coke, pour it into Maison Balzac glassware and you’re off to the races. Okay, maybe this is a bit excessive, but I am nothing if not living in a la-la-land of excess at all hours.
Glassware doesn’t have to break the bank—or break in general—and I love these sturdy Icon Juice Glasses from Anthropologie. This is also a collectible item, as they swap out the iconography frequently; something about a collection of mixed-match glasses fills me with joy.
We could go tit for tat on the flute vs. coupe debate for sparkly drinks, but in an unbiased manor, these coupe glasses from Glassique Cadeau are chic as fuck and giftable. This with a bottle of Ghia as a host gift? HYFR.
When all else fails, Crate and Barrel. Don’t hate a classic. This big box retailer has been single-handedly running the wedding registry glassware game, and for good reason. Let’s face it: some of us (me) are clumsy and smash glasses by talking with their hands. I want to know that I can accessibly replace them while maintaining availability, and since their collections are mainstays and the price is right, I can do just that. Win-win. My “shape du jour?” The Edge collection.
Honorable mentions: Sophie Lou Jacobsen | Estelle Colored Glass | Etsy | Joss & Main
WHAT YOU NEED: The Housing
Sure, you could keep your glassware in your kitchen cabinets, or displayed on a floating shelf, but as I like to say, more is more, and a bar is a great way to add personal expression to your home. I personally love a bar cabinet; specifically this one by Jake Arnold for Crate and Barrel. A hefty investment, but the unique details like the curved swing out drawers or the variety of storage space makes it well worth the coins.
For the traditionalist: a bar cart. If it ain’t broke, right? The Grenache Bar Cart from Joss & Main hits many points for me; small in size (great for renters or those with tight homes), solid materials (genuine marble), and objectively a good price point. It’s also giving the air of old-world supper club, and while wheeling around a cart full of glass seems noisy and precarious…why not?
This came across my desk in the form of a TikTok, but the Rocco Smart Fridge is an unorthodox way of housing and displaying your bar essentials, alcoholic or otherwise. This beverage-specific fridge is not only gorgeous, but is also functional in a way that I couldn’t dream a mini fridge of being. Isolated cooling zones, iPhone inventory capability, multiple colorways…need I say more? Plus, the art direction slaps. The Rocco has edged it’s way onto my wishlist and is living in my head rent-free.
Speaking of rent-free, a nod to this reworked antique sideboard I saw this summer at HART Jewelry in Boston’s Seaport district. You can find many similar pieces floating around on Facebook Marketplace for essentially a song (or free!) And you know what they say: free is for me. The added painted details make for a conversation starter and could be customized to you. Just some food for thought.
Whether you’re taking a dry month, sober-curious, or sober, fun little drinks are just that: fun. And why not bring a pocket of joy into your day to day by ~jazzing up~ beverage hour with any or all (or none) of the above. When all else fails, McDonald’s is always there for you with a very un-aesthetic Diet Coke that hits harder than any other DC (I will not be taking comments at this time, if you disagree you are wrong.)
Until next time.