For Trish Andersen and Michael Porten, the work is about taking an idea and pushing it until it becomes true. Andersen pulls fiber from field, sheep, and factory floor into tufted pieces that examine what runs in our blood—the idea that where we come from shows up in what we make. Porten paints, prints, and sculpts, running an idea through every variation until it reaches what he calls maximum aesthetic density.

Both have been sober for years now, and neither misses the drinking. What they missed, for a while, was the ritual that came with it.

“Drinking used to be a huge part of our lives, but we’re both sober now, and we genuinely love living that way,” they said. “One thing we do miss, though, is the ritual of having a special drink to mark a moment or celebrate an occasion. That’s why it’s been so exciting to see so many incredible non-alcoholic options come onto the market.”

Between long hours in their studios, that ritual has found its way back in, without the alcohol. “It’s nice to be able to slow down at the end of the day, pour something that feels intentional, and have a moment to connect with each other,” they said. “It isn’t about the alcohol anymore—it’s about creating space to pause, celebrate, and be present.”

They’ve watched the category move fast in the years since they got sober. “Even in the seven or eight years since we got sober, we’ve seen a huge shift,” they said. “More and more people are choosing to drink less, whether that’s for their health, mental clarity, or simply because they want to feel better the next day. At the same time, the quality and variety of non-alcoholic options has exploded.”

What excites them isn’t just the volume of options—it’s the intent behind them. Brands treating NA drinks as something people actually want, not a substitute they’re settling for. “The conversation is shifting away from what you’re giving up and toward what you’re gaining,” they said, “and that’s been really exciting to watch.”

Out at a restaurant or bar, that shows up in what they order. “We’re always happy to see a thoughtful non-alcoholic menu. If a restaurant or bar has a well-crafted NA cocktail, we’ll almost always try it,” they said. “Otherwise, a really good sparkling water with citrus, an NA beer, or a botanical spritz is usually our go-to. We love drinks that still feel special and celebratory without needing alcohol to make the moment meaningful.”

At home, their shelf reflects the same taste. A bottle of Ghia for an aperitif that still feels like one. Kava Haven when they want something with a bit of ceremony to it. Kolonne Null NA Sparkling Rosé for the nights that call for something crisp, and Hapsy Salty Seagull NA Cocktail when they want a drink that tastes like it was made for the occasion, not around it.

It’s the same standard they hold their work to: nothing settled for, everything intentional.

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The conversation around drinking less often focuses on what people are giving up. David Land is more interested in what they’re gaining.

For Land, the appeal of a drink was never really about alcohol itself. It was about the ritual. The pause between work and dinner. The gesture of mixing something thoughtful. The feeling of settling into an evening with people you love.

Six years into sobriety, those moments haven’t disappeared. If anything, they’ve become more intentional.

“I’ve been sober for six years, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still enjoy the ritual of making and enjoying a drink.”

Most evenings, that ritual takes the form of a carefully assembled mocktail. Recently, he’s been recreating a favorite from Pasta Night: tonic water, Free Spirit gin, preserved lemon, and an olive. Sometimes over ice. Sometimes shaken and served up.

“It’s refreshing and a little salty.”

The specifics matter, but not as much as the act itself. The small ceremony of making something worth looking forward to.

Because increasingly, that’s what the next generation of drinking culture seems to understand: people aren’t looking to leave the party. They’re looking for better ways to participate in it.

“It may be my friend group, or my age, but I see more people opting out of alcohol on nights out.”

The shift isn’t necessarily driven by abstinence. It’s driven by priorities. More energy. Better sleep. Greater presence. Fewer compromises.

For Land, that means being available for his children, arriving on set clear-headed, and maintaining the focus required by a creative career. But he doesn’t see those choices as coming at the expense of enjoyment.

In fact, he sees the opposite.

The real challenge isn’t drinking less. It’s finding options that make drinking less feel effortless.

“I’m always happy to see more N/A offerings at bars and restaurants beyond sodas and overly sweet mocktails.”

For years, opting out often meant settling. A sugary mocktail. A club soda with lime. Something that signaled absence more than participation.

Today’s landscape feels different. Non-alcoholic beverages are increasingly designed with the same sophistication, complexity, and social consideration as traditional cocktails. The result isn’t a substitute. It’s a category of its own.

“It makes me feel like I’m still able to participate in all the social activities I’ve always loved.”

And perhaps that’s where the conversation is headed.

Not toward a future where everyone stops drinking.

Toward a future where the quality of the experience matters more than the alcohol content.

When Land goes out, his order reflects that evolution. A Phony Negroni if it’s available. An N/A rosé if he’s lucky enough to find one.

Not because he’s searching for a replacement.

Because they’re genuinely what he wants to drink.

The future of drinking may not belong to alcohol or abstinence. It may belong to people who refuse to choose between feeling good and having a good time.

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For Molly, a drink has never really been about alcohol. It’s about the moment.

The pause between work and evening. The clink of a glass across the table. The small ritual that signals the day is softening. What’s in the glass matters—but for Molly, the experience around it matters even more.

Over the past few years, she’s had a front-row seat to a major cultural shift through Sipland. People aren’t necessarily drinking less socially, but they are drinking more intentionally. The sober-curious movement opened the door, and now the non-alcoholic world is stepping through with real flavor, creativity, and hospitality.

This year, Molly decided to explore that shift personally.

In 2026, she’s pressing pause on alcohol just to see how it feels—not as a strict rule, but more as an experiment in curiosity. What she discovered quickly is that the ritual never disappears. The glass is still there. The gathering still happens. Only the contents change.

As Molly puts it, “Once the habit shifts, something funny happens. You stop craving the alcohol part. You sleep better, feel better, and show up a little more present for everything else—including motherhood and entrepreneurship.

The secret is simply having a bar shelf that still feels exciting.”

Luckily, the NA world has come a long way, and Molly’s shelf is filled with favorites from clients and industry friends who are redefining what great drinks can look like.

The St. Agrestis Phony Negroni is a longtime staple. Sipland worked on their summer campaign last year and is doing it again this year, and it remains one of the best NA cocktails on the market. Molly is a Negroni Sbagliato girl, so she loves topping a Phony Negroni with Wölffer Spring in a Bottle for bubbles, or pouring the Phony White Negroni with seltzer to lighten it up.

For something bright and citrusy, Parch’s ready-to-drink cocktails are always in Molly’s rotation. Fresh, tangy, and balanced with just the right sweetness, they deliver true Southwest energy.

When gin-and-tonic lovers come over, Molly reaches for Pentire, one of the best non-alcoholic gin proxies out there. With tonic and citrus, it hits the spot.

And of course, a good bar shelf always includes bubbles. Her current favorites include Good Twin, French Bloom, Kolonne Null Rosé, and again Wölffer Spring in a Bottle.

Molly says the funny thing about building a shelf like this is that eventually nothing feels missing. You still gather. You still toast. You still celebrate the moment.

Just with a little more clarity the next morning. 😉

Some of Molly’s favorite NA options shown above:

• St. Agrestis Phony Negroni

• Parch Sedona Spritz

• Pentire Seaward

• Good Twin

• French Bloom

• Kolonne Null Rosé

• Wölffer Spring in a Bottle

Follow along for many more Sipland Bar Shelfies to come!

Welcome back for another round of Sipland’s Bar Shelfie—where we sit down with the creatives shaping culture and ask them how they’re actually drinking right now. This time, we caught up with Sonny of Studio Sontosis—ceramic artist, vessel designer, and one of the thoughtful minds behind Floral Studies.

When you spend your life designing vessels, you think about drinking differently. Not as a habit. Not as a headline. But as a ritual.

For Sonny, drinking has never been about the liquid alone. It’s about what you’re holding. As a ceramic artist, he notices the weight of a cup. The warmth of it. The texture beneath your fingertips. There’s something grounding about drinking from a thoughtfully made vessel—something that forces you to slow down and actually experience the moment.

For him, drinks are social punctuation marks. A way to mark time with friends. To anchor conversations. To create a shared memory around a table, whether that table holds cocktails, mocktails, or simply sparkling water in beautiful ceramic ware. The drink enhances the moment. It doesn’t define it.

Within Sonny’s own circle, the culture has shifted. Drinking has become more intentional. Not necessarily reserved for weddings or milestone events—but saved for when it actually adds something. A random Saturday with card games. A long dinner with friends. An evening where laughter stretches late enough that no one is checking the time.

That same philosophy runs through Sonny’s work. Through Studio Sontosis, he creates vessels that invite people to pause. Through Floral Studies and collaborations across Charleston’s creative scene, he builds environments meant for gathering.

Whether it’s a wedding, an exhibition, or a community event, the through-line is always the same: bring people together beautifully. And 2026 is shaping up to do exactly that. This year, his studio is traveling more than ever—weddings in New York, events across the Southeast, new venues and new audiences. After staying largely local last year, this season feels expansive.

There’s something poetic about a vessel designer traveling to create spaces where people toast, laugh, and remember. People who remind us that what we hold matters. Not because of what it does to us, but because of what it allows us to share. A cheers to Sonny for sharing his perspective with us. Here’s to beautiful vessels, thoughtful gatherings, and drinking that feels like connection—not obligation.

Some of Sonny’s favorite NA options shown above:

• St. Agrestis Phony Negroni

• Aplos Calme

• Figlia

Thanks for tuning in and many more Sipland Bar Shelfies to come! 🥂

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Welcome back for another round of Sipland’s Bar Shelfie—where we ask some of our nearest and dearest to show us their bar setups, spill (a little) about their sipping habits, and walk us through the objects that make their rituals feel uniquely them.

For Volume II, we stepped inside the home of one of our very own: the fabulous Lauren Hakmiller, Sipland’s co-founder and creative director extraordinaire.

One of our favorite things about spending time at Lauren’s is the endless sense of surprise and delight woven throughout her space. From hand-painted artwork to playful, unexpected details, her home is full of moments that make you pause, smile, and look twice. For Lauren, these kinds of functional curiosities are more than décor—they’re personality markers.

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Inside Lauren’s Bar Shelf

Lauren tries to fill her home with things that delight her—and lately, that delight has taken a very specific form: things that are other things. Objects that are playful, clever, and just unexpected enough to spark joy every time you notice them.

Her go-to source for small (but highly functional) statement objects is Edie Parker, a brand she’s loved for years. Her obsession runs deep—deep enough that she received two mallard duck lighters for Christmas. As Lauren puts it: to be loved is to be known.

An honorable mention also goes to her cherry pipe, which she refers to affectionately as “a gem.” We don’t disagree.

A Shelf Built for Ready-to-Drink Living

Lauren is a big fan of ready-to-drink beverages in general, which explains why her bar shelf is always heavily stocked with cans. She’s busy—and she’ll be the first to admit she’s impatient—so if there’s a way to skip the step of mixing a drink at home, she absolutely will.

Thanks to the steady stream of products Sipland receives, Lauren has unofficially assumed the role of fairy godmother of alternative consumption among her friends. She loves arriving at gatherings with a curated goody bag of treats to share, spreading the joy one sip (or gummy) at a time.

The biggest crowd-pleasers, in her experience:

• Wims — her go-to order is a Coke and a Wims

• Cann — Lauren has made it her personal mission to get everyone she loves to try the Blood Orange Cardamom flavor. According to her, it’s perfect. End of story.

• Road Tripper gummies

Trust her—she’s tested the theory extensively.

From Bar Cart to Bar Shelf

While we call it a bar cart, Lauren’s setup is technically a bar shelf—a transformation born entirely out of necessity. When Sipland first launched, the volume of product coming into her home would have absolutely overwhelmed a traditional cart.

So she did what she always does when there’s simply too much stuff: she built upward.

Today, an entire wall of shelving in her kitchen houses her coffee station, pots and pans, and—of course—an ever-growing collection of drinks and edibles. Friends like to joke that her kitchen feels like the back of house at a restaurant or bar.

Lauren doesn’t disagree. And frankly, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

A cheers to Lauren for opening up her home and sharing her Bar Shelfie with us! Here’s to shelves that spark joy, drinks that don’t overcomplicate things, and rituals that feel like home.

More Bar Shelfies coming soon. 🥂

Welcome to the first edition of Sipland’s Bar Shelfie!

Where we ask some of our nearest and dearest to show us their bar setups, spill (a little) about their sipping habits, and walk us through the objects that make their rituals feel like them.

For Volume I, we had the pleasure of stepping inside the fabulous home of Grace Atwood. She’s a creator, a writer, a tastemaker, and the force behind The Stripe — plus her delightfully unfiltered Substack , which we read the second it hits our inbox.

Grace’s aesthetic is effortless in that “how did she pull that off?” way, her recommendations feel like voice notes from a stylish friend, and she has a knack for making everyday rituals feel elevated without making them precious.

We couldn’t imagine a better person to kick off this series — and we’re thrilled she said yes. ✨

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Setting the Scene

The holidays have arrived in their usual blur of sparkle, gatherings, and last-minute invitations — the kind of season where your inbox and your social life quietly conspire against your free time.

Grace is taking a balanced approach this year: a mix of festive nights out and restorative nights in, all anchored in a home that feels like a soft exhale. Her space is a blend of lived-in elegance and playful sophistication — curated pieces, warm textures, and little moments that make you smile.

It’s a backdrop that invites both celebration and recharge, making her bar cart (and the rituals around it) feel right at home.

The Robot Bar Cart

Let’s talk about the bar cart.

Grace’s now-iconic robot is based on a design by Italian designer Borghesani — the perfect mix of sculptural, whimsical, and “please tell me where you found that.”

But finding it? A journey. Grace spent months combing the internet, emailing strangers, negotiating across time zones… until she finally tracked down the piece after many back-and-forths with a very patient distributor.

Now it lives in her sitting room like a winking little piece of functional art. A moment that’s unmistakably Grace.

What’s On Her Bar Cart?

When it comes to sipping, Grace gravitates toward brands and bottles she genuinely loves, along with seasonal favorites and things she loves sharing with friends.

Some standouts:

1. Figlia - the aperitivo you’ll actually want to sip all holiday season long.

2. Cann’s Spritz - hits that spritz craving without the hangover, but still gives you the gentle THC buzz you’re looking for.

3. Body Vodka - low-ABV, high-quality, zero compromises. Easily the best light vodka out there.

4. Wims - Lemon Basil is the move. Mix with sparkling water, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and thank me later.

5. Willies Remedy+ - “not for the faint of heart.” It’s a favorite, but not a beginner’s beverage :)

Another highlight, one of her bar-cart accessories, the catnip shaker she received as a gift — a tiny, hilarious art piece that now lives among her bottles and glassware, adding a perfect note of humor and her personality to the display.

A Toast to Grace and Jaime the Cat!

As we wrapped our shoot, it became clear that Grace wasn’t the only one welcoming us in — Jaime, her cat and self-appointed head of household operations, supervised every moment with the intensity of airport security. Grace lovingly calls him “a total Karen,” and after an afternoon under his watchful gaze, we can confirm he absolutely would’ve called the cops on us if he knew how.

Huge thanks to Grace (and to Jaime for permitting our presence) for inviting us into their home and helping kick off the very first edition of Sipland’s Bar Shelfie. ✨