Mocktails and Mayhem – Why glassware matters when you’re trying to cut back.
Nobody puts baby in a pint glass…
Newsletter | October 2026
Alright my friend - I've got a quick story for you:
There's some mild ranting, balanced (of course) with compassion, and a special offer at the end.
😊
So, I went out [ in public! ] to see a show last week and man... I feel incredibly lucky that the bars and restaurants around here are so on top of the mocktail scene. 🙌
…sadly, however, it seems that event spaces are lagging behind.
We took our little family to a theater downtown. Parking was surprisingly easy, and we had plenty of time to relax before the show.
The bar next door didn’t allow minors but suggested the service in-theater could accommodate.
-- I typically avoid event counters (b/c 💸 💸 💸) but it was cold outside, so we caved. 😅 --
After the teenager’s Shirley Temple (with extra cherries) was delivered in a big gulp with a lid, I should’ve abandoned ship. But alas, I did not.
Our bartender offered me a mocktail - a good sign.
Asked if I preferred sweet or sour - good sign!
And after shaking together some lemon juice and cran, started to pull out a pint glass for serving…
:: heavy sigh ::
.
.
.
☝️ Would that have been fine? Would I have survived a potion in a pint glass?
Absolutely.
But.
Unless it’s got an umbrella in it, I personally never want a glass that big.
-- As a former bartender, I understand that some drinks are better served in a large glass... but not all of them… right? --
CONSIDER THIS 💁♀️
Something that served me well in my journey away from "daily drinking" was keeping my rituals in place, and simply subbing out the booze.
So, like:
Mixing a beverage at 5:00pm in a shaker with ice... muddling fresh lime, maybe a faux spirit (or maybe not), straining and topping with ginger beer.
:: chef's kiss ::
That's a "tool" I teach my clients:
➡️ Keep the ritual.
➡️ Ditch the booze.
And please note, in this equation:
Glassware matters.
🍹
So anyway.
I asked that bartender: “Hey, could I have a fancy glass, please?” 😇
.
.
Bartender: :: head tilt ::
Me: “Like, whatever you’d serve a martini in?”
Bartender: :: blinks ::
Eyeing the glassware on the back shelf, I say: “Maybe a wine glass?”
Bartender: “Oh!💡 Sure - I can use a wine glass.”
.
.
:: strains juice mix into large goblet ::
:: tops with soda ::
:: plops in a chunk of orange ::
:: smiles ::
.
.
The teen & I carry our [ very large ] drinks to a table, and a few minutes later my partner joins us with a martini in…
get this...
a classy little glass. 🥃
WHAT! Why!?
Why couldn’t I have a glass like that? Because my juice doesn’t have ethanol in it?
I was just… so confused.
🤔
And please don’t get me wrong — I’m not blaming our wide-eyed bartender — not one bit.
Back in my own bartending days, I also didn't understand the purpose or the point of a mocktail (or a "virgin" something ...cringe.)
Without placing blame, I just think this is yet another reflection of our society’s intense focus on alcohol as something “special” to be "crafted" with "quality"...
And anything else as, well...
“quantity.”
— My event mocktail in a giant wine glass doing an impression of an over-easy egg. 🍳 —
Having lived on both sides of this fence → let me explain:
THE POINT?
For me, the point of a mocktail (or any zero proof beverage) is to elevate the experience.
To sip on something interesting or delicious as I chat with friends, or lounge on a patio…
Before dinner, I like an aperitif → some kind of bitter tonic (a nostalgic Italian ritual).
With a meal → I don’t really need anything other than water these days, as I like to focus on the flavor of my actual food (which pairings can confuse or conflate to be frank).
In the winter → I will occasionally have a glass of NA Red with a bowl of soup for comfort.
Summertime → a light NA White with fresh salads (or fries 🤩).
For dessert → something sweet could be nice, or perhaps a potion of adaptogenic soothers to help with digestion or sleep.
🌿
THE POINT??
When you remove the euphoric & numbing effects of alcohol, the point is to experience life in all its complexity.
Drinking makes everything a little dull and flat, so the emphasis shifts to the drinking itself... the substance is the hero... and we caress it, spin it in crystal, and serve it in special little glasses.
Like a drug → your dose is measured (sort-of) and it makes the whole thing seem precious...
But life is precious.
And now that I’ve experienced the clarity, connection, and joy of a clear mind, I just wouldn’t trade it.
My standards are different now…
And my beverage bar? Higher.
Best case?
Can you enhance my experience? Amazing. Take my money.
Worst case?
Please at least give me a nice little glass to hold.
I mean…
Nobody wants a pint glass of cranberry juice.
.
.
.
Nobody.
😝
IN SHORT?
Please ask for your mocktail in a fancy glass!! You deserve to be included in the "experience" of dining out.
AND THIS OCTOBER?
Instead of a willpower-based month off drinking, what if you took the opportunity to actually learn something about your relationship with alcohol? 🧠
Ready to try a Not-so-Sober October??
The Revolutionary Reset is on a deep discount right now! Register and get started today.
👇👇👇
“My biggest takeaway from this RESET is that there are simple, healthy, peaceful ways to achieve the state of mind I was seeking thru alcohol. That doing this gave me the time/energy/ability to truly take good care of me. And that, I understand why it isn’t worth it for me to use alcohol on a whole different level. My brain has changed…”
