Little Miss Sunshine
Some of you might recognize me from shopping at Mint Collective and the various reels I have starred in for the shop's Instagram page; for those of you who don't know me, my name is Sam! I grew up in the DMV and have lived in Old Town for three years with my best friend and fiancé, Trevor. I absolutely love everything about Old Town, especially the incredible community of eclectic and talented people. Not to mention that you can easily walk anywhere, which is ideal for me since I don't drive anymore. Although to be perfectly honest, I got a DUI in August 2016 after many years of heavy drinking and reckless behavior, and I have not driven since. This might make some uncomfortable, and I understand it's typically not the best topic to bring up at a dinner party. Still, it is a huge part of my story that ended up completely changing my life (thankfully for the better).
To most people's surprise, I did not drink at all in high school; however, I made up for the lost time when I moved away for college. I joined a sorority and drank "socially," but I quickly learned that I didn't know how to drink and be social... instead, I learned how to drink to block out then blackout. I drank heavily throughout my twenties, which put me in some very unfortunate (sometimes dangerous) situations involving myself and others. Fast forward to age 25, when I got pulled over, arrested, and charged with a DUI (the moment that would be "the rock bottom" to many people). I spent five days in jail in February 2017. I then participated in weekly court-mandated group meetings with other people with various substance abuse problems, but I still kept drinking through all of this. Unfortunately, I wasn't ready to surrender to the fact that I actually had a problem, even though it was glaringly obvious to everyone else. I finally stopped drinking on July 2, 2018, with the support of my close friends and family, and my life has evolved in more ways than I could ever explain in this short article.
I am very passionate about my sobriety. I have been incredibly open with people about my journey because I want to shed some light on the fact that drinking alcohol isn't always glamorous. Alcohol is also incredibly addictive and insanely accessible, which only perpetuates our society's dependence on it. I understand that some people can drink "normally," but I want to offer a space for those who can't or those who choose not to. This is the reason why I started Umbrella Dry Drinks: a concept to provide sophisticated non-alcoholic options for those who wish to stay dry.
I started Umbrella Dry Drinks in December 2021, intending to work with local bars and restaurants to expand their non-alcoholic offerings (because drinking soda water with lime can be pretty lame). Still, it has quickly developed into so much more. I am so lucky that I have been able to pop up as a hybrid bar and bottle shop at The Seedling Collective during February! The response from the community has been absolutely unbelievable, and I am fired up to see where the future takes me. Follow along on our Instagram for updates and where you can find Umbrella Dry Drinks next! Whether you're in recovery, pregnant, the designated driver, on medication, just don't feel like it... you can stand under my umbrella.
