Alright friends, we have another first for the Mocktail MO mocktail movement.  Nexus Coffee and Creative and Mocktail MO teamed up at Little Rock’s 2^nd Friday Art Night.  The theme: Makers on a Mission.  This was my first event to spread the word of mocktail culture.  What an exciting event to be a part of; there were illustration/sketch artists along with artists who made leather goods and a line of jewelry that works with women in recovery.  Served were two mocktail creations especially made for the evening, a Sparkling Orange and Lavender Espresso and a Nitro-tado, a blueberry nitro coffee with cream and topped with whipped cream…Yum!

It all started as I was making coffee one morning, and I realized that practicing my sermon was in order. And by that I mean creating a more inclusive world where people who don’t drink alcohol can feel equal ordering a cocktail to those who do.  If I am supposed to be preaching inclusivity why was I being so exclusive? Mocktails don’t have to only be on bar menus. Why was I only looking in one area?  I needed to broaden my view.  Sipping my morning joe I thought, with so many coffee houses in Little Rock there is plenty of room for other opportunities to have an alcohol free cocktail while enjoying the company of others. 

After doing a little internet research I settled on Nexus Coffee and Creative to float the idea of mocktails at their special evening events.  Amy Moorehead, the owner of Nexus and I sat together and brainstormed over a latte.  I have to say that she was extremely open to the idea.  We shared our personal stories about drinking, and not drinking. I explained how my journey began with illness, and has transformed into an extraordinary journey of meeting new people and making connections. We agreed that having cocktails with friends is more than just the booze factor.  It’s about spending time with people and having fun.  We also agreed that people sharing mocktails was a good fit for the Nexus mission of building community. And when I revealed my dream of becoming the Joanna Gaines, Martha Stuart, or Anthony Bourdain of the mocktail world, Amy was totally on board.  That’s how she decided that 2^nd Friday Art Night would be the best time to present my lifestyle vision.  My art contribution for the evening was to promote a fearless alcohol free mocktail space.  …And so I did.

The event was an absolute blast.  Mocktails flowed throughout the room, and because the drinks were coffee based everyone had a different kind of buzz. Over the course of the evening everybody got to know each other’s work and discovered the mission behind it. We toasted each other over sparkling espressos; and I was happy to find that people were really interested in mocktails as an alternative drink. It filled my heart with joy to see a room full of people on a level playing field; drinks in hand that may or may not have had alcohol, and it didn’t matter.  At the end of the night a crowd came in to celebrate a birthday. Needless to say mocktails were a part of the party.  For me, it was really special to share the evening with so many talented people and new friends.