Meet someone who's turned afternoon napping into a full production—and discovered the cooling sheets that made her hobby even more addictive. If you've ever wondered how to master the art of the perfect midday recharge (especially in sobriety), this is your guide.

Teresa Bergen takes readers on an alcohol-free trip through Pensacola, Florida, from shore diving and dolphin tours to parks, historic forts, beach walks, vegan dining, cat cafés, and sober-friendly surprises. Even with its beach-town party energy, Pensacola offers plenty for nondrinkers who prefer their fun in, on, or under the water.

Amy Liz Harrison explores 26 funny, practical, and slightly unhinged ways AI can support sober life in 2026. From mood mapping, relapse-prevention planning, sober travel, boundary scripts, sleep routines, and emotional regulation to gratitude tools that do not sound like a throw pillow, this piece looks at how AI can become a helpful recovery sidekick — without replacing meetings, therapy, sponsors, community, or spiritual work.

🎟️ BACKSTAGE This week’s member-only events. Here's what you're missing.

WED JUNE 10 | 6 PM Pacific / 9 PM Eastern

On June 10, BACKSTAGE welcomes Ted Mandell from the University of Notre Dame, co-creator of Drunk on Film, one of the most talked-about university courses in the country. The class analyzes how alcohol consumption is portrayed in movies and advertising, and examines the psychology behind why we were sold the idea that drinking is glamorous, hilarious, rebellious, and essential to a good time.

MON JUNE 15 | 12 PM Pacific / 3 PM Eastern

It turns out one 12-step manifesto and one tee drop was not going to be enough. We have to actually meet. Talk about it. Hold each other accountable for things like "promised to close my laptop at 7 p.m." and "did not." This space is for you if you are dabbling in learning AI and want to hangout with other AI nerds and talk tips + tricks. 

Not a member? You are missing both. BACKSTAGE is our private culture club. Live events, member essays, brand drops, and a community of people deep into the long game. Join BACKSTAGE → Only $19/mo or $199/year (*includes two months free)

Justin reflects on the growing normalization of alcohol at youth sporting events, from coolers near the dugout to parents joking about needing drinks to survive tournament weekends. Through the lens of recovery, he asks what children absorb when adult socializing, stress, and celebration around kids’ sports become so closely tied to drinking — and whether the culture deserves a closer look.

I've been alcohol-free for twenty years, so anything promising a "buzz" gets the side-eye. Then Kavayn showed up. Here's what noble kava actually tastes like, the iced coffee hack I didn't see coming, and the question every sober reader asks first: does kava even count?