This Sober October, we’ve spent time capturing the stories of our community, our TNB family, and those on their nonalcoholic journey. Whether you’re sober-curious, participating in a dry challenge, abstaining from alcohol altogether or simply enjoy crafting a delicious beverage, we’re proud to be a platform for everyone and anyone wishing to drink less.
Today, we’re sharing local Venice customer Anne Fishkin’s story, about her journey, about the community she builds through curating nonalcoholic events and how The New Bar has been a game changer throughout it all.
Tell us a bit about yourself; how do you spend your time and what are you all about?
I wear a lot of hats including my Amazon hat which is an Industry Marketing Manager, Director of events for AoP, but also hold even more important titles like friend, sister, wife, runner, and yogi. I'm all about creating sober curious experiences for communities that tie into connection. [Communities that] bring forth open conversations - so whether that be a concert where we're enjoying music together, or a sound bath where we're healing past traumas or speaking on a panel and educating those about sober curiosity. Those are all things that I love to do and experiences that I love to support.
I do that through a few different ways. Including with Absence of Proof and I'm also supporting the Mindful Drinking Fest, and have my own ad hoc sober curious published pieces in the works.
How did you get into the world of nonalc and where did The New Bar come into play?
I didn't even know that non-alcoholic options were available and when I officially stopped drinking. I remember seeking out, ‘What does that look like?’ I started buying nonalcoholic beers, and I remember I bought them from this obscure website in London, and would spend 30 dollars on shipping.
I remember when The New Bar opened, I was so excited because … there were not a lot of [nonalcoholic products] online nor places to buy in person. Then when I started working with Absence of Proof, we started to partner together and have done some amazing events. Including a handful of fun mixology classes and that's been a really collaboration because we both support the idea that our whole experience is to create a night out for people who want to break from alcohol.
Do you have any tips or tricks for folks who are getting into the NA category, whether that be pairing drinks with meals or finding new products?
I used to work for LA Weekly and the Santa Barbara magazine, and covered restaurant openings and beverage events. I also used to work at a winery, so I've always really valued complexity with taste and pairing a good beverage with a delicious meal. I find that when I'm looking at for new nonalcoholic beverages, I'm looking for all of the things, the balance really. so can it be acidic and sweet and sour at the same time. I’m looking for something with all of the elements.
Ultimately, it's about what you like to taste. There's so many delicious options now - I wish that there were this many options when I first stopped drinking honestly. I would recommend starting with a little of everything, like trying nonalcoholic mezcal, and make your own margarita at home. Or try Ghia, where if you're on the go, it's just ready to pour. I would say just try a little bit of everything and figure out what you like best and go from there. It’s fun to experiment!
During Sober October, we’re hoping to celebrate how nonalc plays a role in people’s lives; Can you summarize how The New Bar and the no-alcoholic category has impacted you?
The New Bar has impacted me so much from that first step into the store, where I had access to buying non alcoholic products in person to building our communities together. It was great to find people that weren't necessarily going to AA, but they were sober curious just like me. The New Bars a place for all of us figuring it out and alcohol didn’t have to be black and white. And most importantly TNB felt really safe to me.
Obviously our partnering [with TNB] on our events has been really cool to bring together the two communities of Absence of Proof, and The New Bar and blending those communities. Some of the people I've met at those events are some of my best friends now, which has been such a gift . I really struggled at the beginning of my sober curious journey because I was still like I want to be friends with my friends, and I don't want to lose them, but then I really got to a point where I was like I need to have friends in the community that can relate to what I'm going through.
The New Bar also provided nonalcoholic drinks for my wedding, which made it so special. I ordered all of my [NA drinks] for my wedding through The New Bar, and I love[d] being able to toast non-alcoholic champagne all night.That really made the experience so much better because a lot of wedding venues just don't even think about it. I felt like I also got to educate the venue space about this is a whole new world that you should also be looking at. [The nonalcoholic industry has] just changed my life because there's a lot behind the human psyche of just having a drink in your hand to feel included. All of these CPG nonalcoholic companies are working with high quality ingredients and they're making these incredible beverages that really help us literally feel better which is amazing.
I always think to myself: I wonder how much we could get done if we weren't all hungover? Could you imagine how much the world could do if we all weren't just in such a haze and ultimately that's what the non alcoholic business does is it provides an alternative and it allows us to live freely.
