Today is day of contradictions. It’s day two of Carnival season — the booziest time of the year — and day 7 of Dry January — the non-drinking challenge that began in the UK and went international. If you are one of the brave New Orleanians tackling an alcohol free month, I salute you! I know you can do it. How do I know? If you read this blog regularly, you’ve probably noted that, since Dry July of 2020, I’ve been alcohol free. I know you guys — it sounds outlandish to me, too! This is a gal who loves her champagne! But, I realized that I love the way not drinking alcohol feels better than I like drinking it. Thankfully, going teetotal doesn’t mean I had to give up champagne. There are some fabulous dealcoholized options out there, such as Noughty AF and Sovi Sparkling Rosé, and with a glass of that in my hand — don’t smirk, I’m serious — I’m good to go with and with no hangovers. So, if you are on the wagon this January, I’ve rounded up my past blog posts, along with other links to help keep you occupied (that’s half of the battle, really), plus offer inspo, motivation and resources.
Reading material and resources:
- Hot tips on delicious and sophisticated, no and low cocktails and mocktails throughout New Orleans abound in this handy guide from my colleagues at New Orleans Magazine.
- Can you have fun in New Orleans without alcohol? Yes: Alcohol Free in New Orleans: Is a booze-free bon vivant an oxymoron?
- Stock your home bar with alcohol free alternatives with advice from this post and this roundup of my favorite non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits.
- Are you the only person doing Dry January? Nope. Non-drinking challenges are so hot right now. You are a trendsetter!
My favorite NA drink recipes:
- Zero proof “gin” French 75
- Melanie’s Mellow (or Not) Michelada
- Sweet, Spiced Mulled (Zero or Full Proof) Wine
Local flavor:
- Yoro is refreshing antioxidant- and adaptogen-infused beverage crafted by New Orleans sommelier Robert Haynes.
- Mockly, also a yummy, New Orleans-born fruit and herb-based mocktail developed by New Orleans mixologist Jesse Carr. Read more about it in this BizNewOrleans.com article.
This should tide you over for a bit. If you need daily inspo throughout the month, there are tons of alcohol sober curious and free challenge accounts on Instagram, including my Instagram page devoted to non-drinking challenges, the original Dry January folks at Alcohol Change UK and 100 Hours Dry. Explore, experiment and — most important — have fun! You’ve got this!
Do you have a question, want to share your own alcohol free adventures or just want to tell Melanie how bananas it is to abstain from booze? Shoot an email to melanie@myneworleans.com.
