Libations: Take the buzz out of summer

Take the buzz out of summer

Are you ready to join the sober curious?

BY KAREN KERR PHOTOS BY BRUCE MURRAY, VISIONFIRE

As a holistic nutritional consultant and yoga instructor, I take my health seriously, but “I really don’t think I can do this” was the thought loop running through my head in April 2017 as I embarked on my Year of Clean Living.

It was a yearlong challenge to remove my vices and start healthy habits—my 40th birthday present to myself. Omitting junk and processed foods and enhancing my daily exercise and mindfulness practices wasn’t my angst. It was the thought of no alcohol for an entire year.

Nothing dramatic prompted the shift, just a nagging internal sense that life should feel “more.” I asked myself a question: “If I continue as is for the next 30 years what will 70-year-old me be doing?”

I couldn’t envision the vibrant older version of myself I wanted to be unless I made some significant changes to the present one. That meant being realistic about my biggest vice. I knew removing my weekend wine, would open the door to a more active lifestyle and healthier way of being. I was becoming sober curious.

Being sober curious is like hitting the reset button. The buzzwords are an invitation to experience how good life could be without booze for awhile. It changes the conversation away from addiction to the rest of us drinkers and the benefit that time away could have on our physical and mental health. Being sober curious isn’t for a person with a serious drinking problem or physical dependency. For some people, total sobriety is only the solution. But for many of us, a simple cutting back can have a huge impact.

I heard “Life is short” on many occasions when I refused a glass of wine or cocktail. It is, and our choices can make it shorter.

Once my rosé-coloured glasses cleared, I began to see the countless ways advertising, media, and society prompted me to think about alcohol daily, from advertising, media and society. Scroll two minutes down your Facebook page and it’s wine o’clock somewhere. Drinking alcohol is normalized and even celebrated. Questioning it felt quite radical and a little scary.

Many people fear missing out. Most holiday celebrations, vacations, and even sporting events revolve around alcohol. I felt awkward in the beginning, but quickly I began to feel so much better that it didn’t matter. Parenting became easier, I was more patient without hangovers.

I found exercise easier and felt stronger quickly. I’m not going on record as saying that marriage is perfect when you take alcohol away, but it is easier not to be snarky if you’re not tipsy. The bottom line is, I felt more connected to myself, I made better decisions, laughed more, and certainly had fewer regrets. And my bloodwork agreed, after finishing the year and undergoing an intense physical, my biological age was 31. A decade younger!

Karen Kerr and husband Rod unwind on the dock outside of their home in Millet Lake, NS. Karen believes you can have it all with no alcohol.

Many people have turned to alcohol to cope with the pandemic. Just go down the rabbit hole of Tik Tok drinking videos and you’ll see a disturbing trend. Drinking isn’t about being social anymore.

At the same time, there is a growing trend of people questioning the need for alcohol in their lives. And the market is reflecting this, with more alcohol-free beverage options popping up all the time. On the East Coast, we are seeing craft beverages like kombucha sold on tap and I am learning about new alcohol-free cocktail bases that could give your classic margherita a run for its money.

I would love to see all local breweries, distilleries, and wineries start making alcohol-free versions of their product, but we still have a long way to go. For now, I use local ingredients instead of alcoholfree substitutes in my drinks. Summer is the best season for sourcing fruits and berries that are ripe for the picking. I often come up with my Saturday night drink after my Saturday morning farmer’s market run.

Here are a few of my go-to cocktails inspired by my favourite East Coast berries.

Strawberry, Cranberry Mojito

Makes 2 Glasses (Tall)

3 Strawberries and 6 mint leaves muddled in the bottom of the glass ½ ounce Cranberry juice (Springbrook Cranberry, N.B.)

1. Fill with crushed ice and topped with Lemonade (CocoLemon, N.B.)

Wild Berry and Elderflower Mocktini

Makes 2 Mocktini’s (Martini)

1 ounce of Wild Blueberry Juice (Van Dyk’s, N.S.) ½ ounce of Elderflower (The Third Place Cocktail Co., N.L)

1. Shake with ice, topped with local kombucha (Cove, Blueberry

Pomegranate, N.S.)

Tips for making a great mocktail:

Lean towards tart flavours to balance the sweet and avoid the Shirley Temple sugar hangover. Experiment with herbs and veggies like mint, cucumbers, and pea shoots. And please use the fancy glassware, you deserve it. o

Left: Locally sourced ingredients are always on Karen's cocktail menu. A shot of N.S. wild blueberry juice gives this Elderflower Mocktini a nutritional boost.

Essential summer shopping ideas for your list

1

FRESH START FAUXMAGE

$12.99 No Dairy? No Problem! These ridiculously good nut-based cheeses will wow your senses and delight the foodie in you. Locally-made Fresh Start Fauxmage’s luxuriously creamy dairy-free cheeses come in six incredible flavours! Locations near you - www.freshstartfauxmage.ca

3STIEGL GRAPEFRUIT

RADLER

Same great, refreshing grapefruit taste, with a new look coming in 2021! Available at NSLC, ANBL, PEILCC & NLC. Please enjoy responsibly. Follow @StieglCanada www.mcclellandbeers.ca

2

TORI•XO BLOSSOM HOOPS

$110 Every outfit and every occasion is elevated with these blossom-inspired earrings. Available in silver and gold, they’re as versatile as they are covetable. www.torixo.com @torixojewelry

4

ANYTHING BUT A STILL LIFE: THE ART AND LIVES OF MOLLY LAMB AND BRUNO BOBAK

By Nathan M. Greenfield $35 A stunning biography of two of Canada’s iconic 20th century painters. Featuring unprecedented access to Molly’s dairies and dozens of full-colour reproductions. Goose Lane Editions gooselane.com

6

2021 ANNUAL ORNAMENT - BUTTERFLY

Purchase any 8 ornaments and one will be free! 1521 Lower Water Street, Halifax 589 Main Street, Mahone Bay, N.S. amospewter.com

5

BARRINGTON MUSEUM COMPLEX

Open Year Round Large Selection of Unique, Locally-Sourced Goods Tax-Free Shopping 2401 Hwy 3, Barrington barringtonmuseumcomplex.square.site barmuseumcomplex@eastlink.ca 902-637-2185 @BarringtonMuseumComplex

7

CABBAGE PATCH KIMCHI

$12-15 Local handmade small-batch traditional Korean kimchi. A natural probiotic that supports the immune and digestive system. Find at Sobeys throughout HRM and many other independent specialty grocers across NS. @cabbagepatchkimchi / www.cabbagepatchkimchi.ca

12

WILDFLOWER

by Briana Corr Scott $22.95 A gorgeous reimagining of Thumbelina filled with whimsical illustrations and gentle poetry. This tender story celebrates love and bravery, and will appeal to readers young and old. Nimbus Publishing nimbus.ca

8

Local Legends Apparel

starting at $35.00 Some say we’re behind in the Maritimes, but that’s our charm. Things move delightfully slower here... like farm machinery and the Internet. Now’s time to embrace and celebrate it. www.locallegends.ca

10

FISHNETS AND FANTASIES

by Jane Doucet $22.95 A humorous story about middle-aged love, sex and marriage set in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The perfect beach read! Nimbus Publishing nimbus.ca

11

9

ESMÉ ORIGINAL JACKET

Soft and muted with lots of stretch $199 The Esmé Original Jackets are very comfortable. Very, very comfortable. The Esmé Blouses, Crop Tops, Pullovers, Ponchos and Shorty Jackets are fabulous, too. Designed for comfort, they all have a unique personality – a little edgy and original. 9846 Main Street Canning, NS (902) 582-7555 esmejacket.com

ALEXA! CHANGING THE FACE OF CANADIAN POLITICS

By Stephen Kimber $32.95 The authorized biography of Alexa McDonough, a pioneer in feminist politics and the first woman to lead a major political party in Canada. Goose Lane Editions Gooselane.com

GOOD EARTH: THE POTS AND PASSION OF 13 14

WALTER OSTROM

$50 The first major book on Walter Ostrom, one of Canada’s most influential modern ceramic artists. Featuring essays and full-colour reproductions of over fifty of Ostrom’s works. Goose Lane Editions Gooselane.com

WATERFALLS OF NOVA SCOTIA

By Benoit Lalonde $27.95 Featuring gorgeous colour photographs and individual maps of each location, this guide brings together 100 of the province’s best waterfalls. Goose Lane Editions Gooselane.com

16 LIMITED EDITION STAY THE BLAZES HOME CANDLE 15

EAST COAST LIVING MAGAZINE

Get inspired with fabulous decorating, renovation and entertaining ideas…with a uniquely Atlantic Canadian twist. Treat yourself to East Coast Living for just $17.99 + HST per year! (4 issues per year) Subscribe at eastcoastliving.ca/subscribe

Smells like: Sparkling nectarine, cool air, rocky coastline, wild violets, beach juniper and teakwood. $15.99 Burning Flame Candle Company offers 100% natural premium soy wax candles made in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Deliciously fragrant, free of paraffin, lead and phthalates. You’ll get to enjoy 50+ hours of zen-inducing burn time with a range of unique candles for every occasion. Burning Flame Candle Company @burningflamecandleco / burningflame.ca

18

SEEING STARS THE SECRET LIFE OF STARFISH

by Denise Adams $12.95 Have you ever seen a starfish at a black-tie event or making sand-angels on the beach? Well, you will in this quirky, colourful book created with live (gently-handled) starfish set in a variety of fun situations. Nimbus Publishing nimbus.ca 17 STIEGL RASPBERRY RADLER New for 2021, a refreshing berry flavour! A blend of real raspberry juice and Stiegl Goldbrau (Lager). Please enjoy responsibly. Follow @StieglCanada www.mcclellandbeers.ca

19

SALTSCAPES MAGAZINE

Saltscapes is the magazine that celebrates Atlantic Canada; written by and for Atlantic Canadians (and those who wish they were). Featuring the best of Canada’s East Coast from food and drink, home and cottage to people and culture, travel, and tourism. The pages of Saltscapes takes the reader into the heart and soul of their communities. Seven issues for $29.95 +HST. Visit saltscapes.com/subscriptions to order now.